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Every year on this day people around the planet PAUSE for a moment at 11:00 on Nov 11th. We stop on 11-11-11 and remember in unity those who died in a war over a century ago that had the whole world against each other. Did you ever wonder whether these 11’s may be a sign for us about something much bigger? Every day I see signs and notice synchronicities showing me that Spirit is guiding me in mysterious and marvellous ways. 11:11 was the very first “sign” I noticed as a child. It began after I rode my cousin’s bike down a slope and over a cliff at 6 years old. A tree growing out of the cliff saved my life after a fall that left me unconscious. I woke up on route to the hospital, my body in shock and my jaw broken. Within a few days, I was back home, and burst into tears unable to recognize my face in the mirror. My mom reassured me the swelling and scars would disappear and not to fret! A part of us changes spiritually when we get close to death and for me that’s when I began seeing 11:11 on my digital clock radio. It felt mesmerizing – like something magical was drawing me here. I would stare into the clock … these 4 red columns that seemed to hold something more. It would be many decades later in 2011 that I would understand who was behind me seeing this time and why. Ever since that close call with death, I believed in angels despite growing up in a family that would have me think otherwise. You see, my parents and grandfather and all 4 of my mom’s siblings became medical doctors. My father’s 2 siblings pursued computer science/math and engineering. I had the mindset growing up that sought scientific proof, analysis and logic. Things had to “make sense” so the idea of unseen “angels” I kept quietly to myself while I sought out evidence. I became fascinated by stories of “spirit” and understanding ghosts, which didn’t scare me as I was sure there was a rational explanation! Stories of Spirit Along the Way My Gran often told a story when she was a young mom of 2, living in British Guyana.  Her “servants” would avoid a certain corridor after dark because they’d all seen a “ghost with long hair” over the years. Apparently a mother had taken her life in that home after her young son tragically died of an insect bite.  My grandfather served as the physician in their hometown, and superstition was common, but considered “nonsense” by the more educated. “Your grandfather was not the sort to believe in ghosts!” my Gran would say. One afternoon, he awoke from a nap hearing his son crying in the nearby cradle and saw my Gran tending to him so he went back to sleep. He’d forgotten that my Gran would grow her hair long when she was pregnant, then cut it short after her children were born.  The lady he saw had long hair and he suddenly realized he had seen the ghost the servants spoke of! That’s when he called on their local Pastor do a blessing on the house, and clear all the Spirits.  No one ever saw the lady with the long hair again. This was one of many stories that kept getting added to my library as I kept piecing the puzzle together of how Spirit works. Proof of Angels In my 20’s I picked up “Many Lives Many Masters” by Dr. Brian Weiss that describes his remarkable discovery of 80+ past life memories of his patient Catherine during hypnotherapy that allowed him to heal her many traumas. During one session, “master spirits” started speaking through Catherine who told Dr. Weiss “your son and father are here”. His son had died soon after birth and his father a year earlier. These Master Spirits not only knew their names, but also HOW they died. Catherine had no way of knowing this information. That’s when Dr. Weiss completely shifted his own reality to believing her past life memories were real not just her imagination. He shares this story here: When I was reading this part in “Many Minds, Many Masters” and the Master Spirits began talking – a profound shift in reality happened for me too! Their words were so beautiful and felt real. It was like the faith I’d been carrying about the existence of angels since childhood suddenly transformed to TRUSTING in a new reality. When you can trust in Spirit, beyond hope and faith – your ability to create your own reality changes.  That’s when my bedside light began to flicker. Have you ever noticed lights or candles flickering in your own quiet or unusual moments? It was like I’d somehow navigated onto an invisible circuit where my “angels” could now communicate “we are present”. Back then, I was still needing to prove everything and tried to screw the light bulb in tighter thinking maybe it’s just loose. NOPE. Over time, lights and candles flickering have been a regular sign of comfort from Spirit that we are not alone. I once had the shower light turn completely off momentarily and then back on.  I kept asking my husband, “has the light ever turned off and back on with you?” NOPE. He didn’t believe in Spirit this way. That’s when I realized BELIEVING IS SEEING, and why the placebo effect works. 11:11 Shows Up BIG Time As I was getting certified to become a life coach in 2009, the 11:11 time prompt kept showing up. It became so ridiculous that I finally googled 11:11 feeling silly and expecting to see nothing. I’d forgotten I used to see it as a child! I was absolutely shocked to discover my screen filled with pages about 11:11  – other people were also seeing 11:11!!!???? Today it’s hundreds of millions that see this sign. WHY??? Remembrance Day – 11:11:11 I …

An 11:11 Story for Remembrance Day – Nov 11th, 2023 Read More »

The new year is here!! Happy 2024 It is anticipated that this year is one where some major spiritual shifts will take place in the collective consciousness. Are you ready for transformation? I spent New Year’s at our family cottage hanging with family. Being present. Having conversations. Laughing. Eating too much. Reading, relaxing and reflecting. The photo above captures the joy I feel here, and a vision I couldn’t see before it became a reality. It got me wondering .. how do you enVision to create your reality? You may think it was outer circumstances of seeing a great cottage and simply buying it with $$ we had, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But the outer world is only half the reality. Over the last decade of going inward, I’ve learned to look back differently to see things I couldn’t see at the time. This process has helped me create realities that have come true I could never have anticipated and allows me to keep creating what I most desire.  Winter is definitely a different vibe than summer – quieter, peaceful and a great time for reflection. My parents are in their 80’s and moments in person feel numbered with each passing day. I treasure this precious time much more these days. 17 grandchildren came along and have created “soul moments” here since the birth of my niece 26 years ago. I was in University when my parents bought this place so I didn’t grow up here. My children and their cousins did, and developed a family bond I wish I could bottle and send out to the world. The most precious things in life can’t be packaged or given away; they can only be experienced from the light of your own soul. It’s this part of you that is co-creating your life from your inner world of reality. I took a deeper look back reflecting on “how did this cottage experience” that’s evolved over time become my reality”? My mom can’t swim, and was always concerned about us being near water. She made sure all of us took swimming lessons!! So having a cottage by a lake I couldn’t see with our family …. or could I? Reflecting Back on Your Year​ When I’m at the start of a new year, I do a lot of reflection. I scrolled back through my past year’s photos and noticed “what happened? Who did I spend time with? What experiences stood out? What am I grateful for?” Then the deeper reflections: “What was I willing to step into? What hard decisions did I make? How did Spirit show me I’m on the right track with signs and synchronicities? What were the big lessons here for me? I slowed down to remember what was happening before we got this cottage, and a hidden inner reality began to unravel. “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.”  ~Maya Angelou Where Have You Been? I happened to be with my parents when they made the offer to buy our family cottage 35 years ago. Was it a mere coincidence I was there? Their agent had made a ridiculously low offer given my parent’s budget and said “let’s take a chance and see”. The secret piece of manifesting your dreams is recognizing where your own light plays a role in co-creation. Think of it like your deepest hidden desire with your intention being sent out into the field of possibility. Then you engage by paying attention, acting on, and making decisions that may feel like a “leap of faith”. Think of something you are truly grateful for and see if you can look back to see: What was I experiencing back then internally, what did I SAY and DO that may have influenced what transpired? Who you choose to BE today is where your light comes in for what you want to create tomorrow. The Hidden Reality You Co-Create The story I have told friends about how we ended up with a family cottage goes like this: My father always wanted a boat and despite my mother’s protest against such nonsense, he got one. A “mid-life crisis” perhaps – he was 50 at the time : ) My father asks for very little, and rarely buys anything. It wasn’t until I saw the joy and peace he experiences driving a boat that I understood. Time waits for no one. His “if not now, when” moment had come. When will it be for what you desire, if not NOW?  Where do you put a boat that doesn’t fit in your garage? It needed a home. So they got a cottage to store the boat. My parents were looking for something small and simple, and weren’t willing to spend much. Most of their hard earned $$ had gone into putting 6 of us through private school. Our family vacations were spent driving a motorhome across Canada and the U.S. Since we were a family of 8, it had to at least sleep 8 of us! After weeks of looking, their agent finally said “there’s one last cottage outside your price range I want to show you. It’s been on the market for a long time”. I was getting tired of looking at places with my parents. The outside was unimpressive – a dark brown wood, and the whole place looked old and clearly needed work. But when I walked down to the lake and stood on the dock. Time seemed to stand still. The view was spectacular. I knew immediately this was the location before I’d stepped into the cottage. Have you ever had a moment where it feels like a quiet voice is whispering really loudly? You don’t have all the details to make a big decision – just enough for a leap of faith you must be willing to take. I was not a daughter who voiced her opinion strongly, but this time I heard myself boldly exclaim “LET’S GET THIS ONE!!!” I knew nothing about the extent of work it needed or costs involved … the roof had to be replaced, it leaked inside, the deck has been re-built 3 …

How to EnVISION 2024 so Your Light Brings It into Reality Read More »

Here’s my second instalment on wisdom I’ve been reflecting on from our Japan trip: In Part 1, I shared how the Japanese people are calm and polite. There’s a deep sense of order and efficiency that creates great results. People don’t just follow the rules, there’s a deep respect for what’s “right and wrong” in their society that works well and everyone benefits or so it appears. It reminded me of my own family growing up with Asian roots. We all want peace and harmony that I experienced in Japan and felt growing up. There’s been something mysterious about Japan – their high advances mixed with unexpected high suicide I talked about in Part 1. I noticed 2 things that can create blocks to our spiritual growth vital for our lives that exists among Japanese people: 1. Emotional suppression and 2. Conflict avoidance There was a pattern I began noticing when I got onto the spiritual path. Those who suffered through a major trauma as opposed to avoiding it seemed to be the same ones who had spiritually awakened. I began wondering “do people have to suffer to awaken to their Spirit”? It seemed like avoiding pain and not processing your true emotions meant you were missing an opportunity to grow your soul. Eckhart Tolle, author of the Power of Now, experienced a profound transformation that led to his awakening and pulled him out of a period of deep despair and suicidal thoughts. Tolle’s major thought, which became the foundation of his teachings, revolves around the concept of living in the present moment and finding inner peace and fulfillment through a deep connection to the present. Being present is one of the foundational teachings of Zen Buddhism that also originated from Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. It was through his deep suffering after leaving his palace and giving up all his worldly goods  that he found enlightenment. A Way of Life in Japan –  Buddhism and Shintoism In simplest terms, temples are Buddhist, while shrines are Shinto. Temples have the large incense burners and Buddhist statues, while Shrines have the distinctive Torii gates. Marriages and births are celebrated at Shines while funerals are held at Buddhist temples. Shintoism is Japan’s indigenous spirituality. It believes that every living thing in nature (e.g. trees, rocks, flowers, animals – even sounds) contains kami or gods. Shinto means “the way” and “spirit” and focuses on the importance of purity, harmony, respect for nature, family, and subordination of the individual before the group. Zen Buddhism evolved from China as a separate form of Buddhism that emphasized direct experience, meditation, and insight into one’s true nature. Zen focuses on simplicity, living in the present and that enlightenment is achieved through the profound realization that one is already an enlightened being. About 80% of the Japanese population follow the Shinto and Buddhism as a way of life as opposed to a religion. At many Shrines you will find areas where you can “purify yourself” including “evil spirits” by pouring clean water over your hands. The temple below in Kyoto had pure water filtered straight from the mountains! Clean everything is the norm in Japan. Applying Spirituality to Life This zen wisdom hangs on my bedroom wall. It made perfect sense until I went to Japan, and took a deeper look. If there is light in the soul, There will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, There will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, There will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, There will be peace in the world. Google translate’s camera feature was super handy in Japan for instantly translating the language right on your phone. We all have a light of God within us, which guides us in ways that can grow our soul. Not everyone is aware of this divine light within. Your beauty (character) evolves as you co-create with your divine light to create what is unique to you. Does having Beauty guarantee harmony? No. There are plenty of awakened beautiful souls who continue to suffer and some choose to do harm. What if your style of Beauty doesn’t fit into the rules you grew up with? Harmony also does not necessary mean order. In fact, orderliness can lead to a need to control. Where is the space for authenticity, our inevitable differences, and unconditional love?  “If …. Then” thinking with any philosophy can be misleading because humanity isn’t black and white. I grew up in a family that thought in a very logical and linear way. It felt like common sense and the right way to approach life because there was harmony, respect and hard work that resulted in “achievement” in terms of jobs, health, financial stability and family. I thought there was a right way and a wrong way instead of realizing there are many different ways that may be right for one person and wrong for another. Unless we can agree on how we express our shared values like compassion, empathy, and kindness, how can we ever allow for our differences? If harmony is achieved only by avoiding conflict and suppressing emotions, there’s a hidden danger. The Paradox of Allowing for Conflict (Differences), but not War (Destruction) Have you ever wondered why the Japanese were renowned for being devastatingly cruel during WW2 yet at the same time we know them to be calm, reserved & polite? I wasn’t aware of the volume of loss that the Japanese military were responsible for massacring up to ~30M people (mostly the Chinese – my ancestry) during the war that happened less than a century ago. The atrocities here none of us want to know about – it’s so hard to digest. You’d rather die than get captured by the Japanese. The Japanese Express Emotion Through the Arts I watched the Japanese anime called Grave of the Fireflies recently based on the 1967 semi-autobiographical account of a teenage boy orphaned with his …

A Deeper Look at Spirituality in Japan – Part 2 Read More »

There’s so many insights I had visiting Japan that I’m breaking it down into a few parts! It felt like I walked into the future and the past at the same time during our packed 2 week visit. Japan’s way of life brought some surprising shifts in perspective for what’s possible in the world. There’s a quiet dark side also not to be overlooked. OVERALL EXPERIENCE I loved Japan for many reasons, but first its beauty in nature and the calm in people’s nature really stood out: The Japanese people seem to have successfully integrated the value of calm in their deep respect, and politeness that’s evident with their treatment of one another and nature. There’s great care taken of the beautiful gardens around the thousands of temples and shrines. It’s clean everywhere because the simple idea of “if you make a mess, you clean it up” or self-responsibility is ingrained. There are no janitors in schools!  Doesn’t it make sense that kids clean their own classrooms? Imagine if all children accepted they are supposed to clean up after themselves everywhere they go, what kind of adults would that create? Discipline is a strong value & there’s an unspoken way everyone is operating on the same page. Everyone is trusted to do their part and collectively these shared values of calm, order and respect creates a level of outer beauty where the whole of society benefits. A CALM WAY of LIFE It seemed like the Japanese have learned the art of not taking someone personally or feeling offended. It reminded me of the harmony, discipline and rules I grew up with in my own family. I never heard anyone shouting at anyone. I also didn’t grow up in a household where anyone shouted at someone though sometimes voices got raised! No one got annoyed or reacted angrily during our visit even when we got confused navigating the train system & our passes suddenly stopped working. We were simply helped and were back on our way.  We spent one day with the most wonderful guide who drove us around Kyoto. I’ve never driven with anyone so patient and calm through busy streets! I asked him if he has a daily meditation practice given the thousands of temples and shrines in Kyoto. He chuckled and said “no”. It was clear, this man did’t need additional time to meditate – he was already living calmness! He shared that everyone follows the custom of soaking in a hot bath daily   – like brushing your teeth! It surprised him that in the West, most people only take showers. There is evidence that regular soaking in hot water improves circulation, pumps more nutrients and oxygen through our bodies while displacing toxins and likely contributes to what makes Japan one of the healthiest and longest-lived populations in the world. I didn’t see any homeless people. Bikes were not locked up and very young children walked to school on their own. Japan has a virtually 0% homeless rate. It was nice to see many elderly people riding bikes, working and able to ride their complex train system! What’s remarkable is how much bigger with more variety & higher quality everything is. Basics like transportation, quality of food and waste disposal are more advanced and it’s all so organized! I remember seeing anything “made in Japan” was synonymous with high quality, and now I understood why. The whole atmosphere feels less hurried, more harmonious with less stress compared to the West. I see how the energy that is Marie Kondo came from here. When we walked across Tokyo’s busiest intersection – Shibuya Crossing (up to 2,500 people) – I was surprised to hear birds singing playing on the loudspeaker! They know that sounds in nature calms the mind to keep everyone safely moving along. INTEGRATING the BEAUTY OF NATURE in Your Life Staying connected to nature is one of the best ways to stay connected to your spiritual path. It’s why I decided to make a significant investment in our outside space a few years ago. Friends and family would often ask “are you going to finish your basement?” It felt like a “should”. We barely spent time there. Your heart knows where to put your resources. I could feel a garden, a place to read, eat, gather for conversations for many years .. if you are open to allowing what you desire vibrationally, when you are ready – divine orchestration will happen. I believed this kind of space would bring immeasurable value to our family. Our backyard is now a sacred place to connect and be at one with the sights and sounds of nature. Can you carve out your own sacred space to be connected to Beauty in Nature? It’s so vital for your soul. This week I had this surprise show up sitting at my desk looking outside my office window: Doves!! The universal symbol for peace. It’s what living judgment-free gives us – inner peace, and what feels instilled when you visit Japan.  The Japanese are very disciplined and work extremely hard, and I believe living from an inner calm provides more space for creativity and greater success. The Sadly High Suicide Rate Although Japan has incredible strengths, there’s also very little space for emotional expression. It’s like there’s great harmony that produces results, but at the cost of emotional authenticity. Our emotions are one of our most important inner guides. We all hear about Japan having a high suicide rate. According to Chat GPT, it’s approximately 15 per 100,000 in Japan compared to slightly less at 14 per 100,000 in the U.S and 11 per 100,000 in Canada. Europe’s suicide rates are in the 9 to 11 range per 100,000. The danger of not expressing ourselves emotionally can be the suppression of inner pain that can lead to wanting to escape from life. Being mentally healthy is so important, and an essential ingredient is feeling connected to Spirit through nature. How can you add a part of nature to your every day ritual? Stay tuned for Part 2…

2 weeks ago I left Canada on a family vacation to a country I’ve been very curious about: Japan. Last night we flew out of Japan just after 5 pm on Sat May 13th & landed back in Toronto at 4:44 pm on Sat May 13th. Just in time for Mother’s Day back home. Time is a funny thing. Japan is 13 hours ahead of Toronto and it’s a 12 hour direct flight. Navigating the time change, and the perspective shift that Japan’s Spirit, and culture offered was breath-taking. Truly, I hardly know where to begin. My biggest takeaway was the importance of creating SPACE in your life. I noticed spaces built in everywhere in Japan where there is little space given its huge population. Multitudes of zen gardens, the AirBNBs in Tokyo and Kyoto, 2 Ryokans (traditional style Inns) in Narita and Hakone, and our final night at a Prince Hotel. The practice of being in the NOW moment where time disappears requires space to BE Present. It’s impossible with a cluttered inner mind in a cluttered outer space.  Japan is known for its hard work ethic, and like anything – too much of anything is not healthy, yet there’s also a calm there that allows people to enjoy life with less stress. I’ll be sharing more takeaways and pics, but today… CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY!! Since it is Mother’s Day today around the world (Japan too!), I first wanted to recognize the sacred relationship of Mother’s everywhere with their children, and you with your own Mother. What I took back from Japan was the beauty in Mother Nature at a whole new level. Here’s a glimpse of the vast gardens at Naritisan Temple on our first day. I could see the temple from our window, and hearing the early morning bells ringing in Narita felt magical. For Mother’s Day I wrote an article for Your Tango on some ways I’ve learned to enjoy this beautiful, and at times very challenging experience of being a mom: 6 Ways The Right Kind Of ‘Mean Mom’ Shows Her Daughter Love It was inspired from a column I read as a teen in an Ann Lander’s Column called “The Meanest Mother in the World” (see below). Finally, if you’ve lost your mother, I know this day can be very difficult.  My dear friends Binu and Brenda recently recorded a special podcast for Mother’s Day. I hope you find their episode on Brenda’s She Flourishes podcast helpful. It may also be valuable if you’re looking for ways to support a friend or family member who has lost their mother, or if you’ve lost a parent. Here are some of the topics we discuss in this special episode: How to cope with the difficult emotions that can show up on Mother’s Day. Creative ways to honour Mother’s Day when your mom has passed. Making space to grieve and allow both the positive and the difficult emotions that can show up on Mother’s Day. Enjoy this day of celebrating, honouring, and valuing a vital role – motherhood in your relationships as a mom, daughter or son and with Mother Earth in nature. Divine nourishment is everywhere when you have the space to cherish and respect it’s presence.

Each year when Easter rolled around, I’d find myself reflecting deeply on the “death and resurrection” story, which I best understood in these words: “I once was lost, but now I’m found..was blind but now I see..” During these “spiritual occasions”, I get immersed in my spiritual work and signs and synchronicities flow off the charts! Here’s some recent examples because when these “little miracles” happen, there’s a consistent feeling of AWE (a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder) that allows me to keep trusting my path no matter what. I want you to deeply trust the inner path you are following and experience your sense of wonder. I tend not to follow outer rules or expectations anymore, nor do I have 7 easy steps, but somehow I find myself experiencing what I want most of all. When you remind yourself that the biggest regret upon death is NOT living a life true to yourself – your inner voice has a little more space to rise, and be heard.   Once you notice your voice and trust it’s leading, another level of reality opens for mysterious opportunities to show up more consistently. Signs and syncs are here for you to PAUSE and practice asking “what do I need to pay attention to in this moment”? Be still and listen and you’ll get nudges to go within for your true answers from Spirit. Is there a message here for me? Listen and trust what you sense intuitively from the feelings in your soul’s heartstrings with less emphasis in your head trying to “think” of answers. Whatever comes from your head has limited capacity for growth since that’s where all your old ways of thinking exist including old habits and any limiting beliefs that haven’t been working for you. In the quiet of the early morning I can hear swallows singing loudly in my office. This morning I interrupted my husband who was talking about our upcoming trip to Japan “wait, shhhh … do you hear the swallows?” He stops talking and almost immediately says “No”. I was like “wait, what? How are you not hearing them?” (They’re so loud in my ear!) “Ok .. slow down.  Can you please stop thinking about Japan, and try to listen”, I say with my most encouraging voice. I’m also realizing no wonder he doesn’t hear what I say half the time! He takes a proper PAUSE …”oh – now I hear them – they are saying it’s friggin’ cold out here and my tail feathers are frozen!!” We laugh and I remember it was his sense of humour that first attracted me. Kidding aside, remind yourself that releasing your cluttered head opens your heart to hear more. These two parts of us don’t speak the same language. When things are humming along, I take the signs & syncs as a bold whisper to keep going with what can still feel uncomfortable. Discomfort, just like building your muscle is your signal you are growing in that moment. Moments that add up. If you’re ever feeling stuck or confused – ask questions like “what could that mean right now for me?” Trust the answer will arrive if not right then, sometime later. A Sign in Artwork from 27 Years Ago I was reflecting on how the cross is the iconic symbol of Christ Consciousness. If you were murdered on a cross, is that the memory you’d want everyone to remember you by? How you died and not how you lived? We’ve been given the “good news” of a kinder, more compassionate loving kind of God by many spiritual leaders throughout history. I took a photo in Rome at the Vatican when we visited Italy for the first time celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary several years ago: I had stopped to look at this artwork that read “the Resurrection of Christ”. An image we rarely see of Jesus appearing outside an open doorway. How often do you see and hear of a “doorway to …”? A portal, channel, gateway, an opening… I suddenly remembered the first artwork in our home I’d chosen as a wedding gift from my sister-in-law whose husband co-founded a custom framing business. I was excited when she handed me a catalogue filled with hundreds of prints saying “pick whatever you like!” However, for anyone who knows me, too much choice for home decor is not a fun exercise. I eventually picked this one – an open doorway. Back then spirituality wasn’t even in my vocabulary! I was working as a Vice President of finance and admin at Ricoh – far away from my soul. I now noticed for the first time – 27 years later – the semi-circle above the doorway. I’d recently moved this print into our front hall entrance. Suddenly I instinctively turned to look above my own front door: The sun’s rays in both is a sign for me. In specific moments, the sun comes streaming through different windows in my home when I’m in stillness and a sudden feeling of “AWE” pours over me. The sunlight shines right on my face and into my eyes where I’m literally forced to PAUSE. Slow down to see more. Pause to hear more. Jesus was never in a hurry and got alot accomplished : ) Sunrise in my living room – April 6th, 2023 8:54 am Sunset in my office – April 7th, 2023 Good Friday The light is always here waiting to be noticed. The signs are a constant source of hope, and infinite possibilities available to all who are ready to listen. Take time to notice yours.

Have you ever thought about Nature’s greatest miracles? The first time I experienced a miracle was in the quiet aftermath of birth – relaxed, rested and happily back at home. My first child was here – a whole perfect human being. He felt like Nature’s greatest miracle. “We made you”, my husband would say jokingly. This profound reality shifted something in me that took years to fully understand. The Miracle of Nature is Our Mirror Have you stopped to see the miracles in Nature lately? For many years, I confess – I did not. When you see a flower bloom, watch a sunrise or a starlit sky – is it miraculous for you or simply something nice? Here in Canada, the Northern Lights in Alberta were recently captured by a dear friend’s niece on her iPhone: Do you feel the marvel of the colours in our night sky? Can you see an angel on the right? There was a time when I didn’t notice the beauty of freshly fallen snow blanketing the trees as I rushed around with my 3 little ones in tow. My first life coach, Lisa Garber, described me affectionately back then in her book “Becoming a Mother on Fire”: “One of my coaching clients used to wear me out when she would check in at the beginning of our group coaching meetings. I could not believe what she did in a day, a week, a month! As a stay-at-home mom with 3 children and a husband who worked long hours, she did everything for everybody…she was totally stressed out and thought it was normal. All the other members in the coaching group agreed with her.” We all thought that’s just the way it is being a mom! Once I began doing my inner work (got clear on my values, what fulfilled me, and how the Universe really worked), I felt lit up .. “on fire”. I was beginning to live more aligned and choosing fiercely in ways that worked better for me no matter what others thought. I learned to say “NO – thank you” to what no longer resonated for me. I stopped following expectations, and began trusting my own still small voice. I lost people in my life (not without pain) who I needed to say good-bye to, while others quietly drifted apart. It opened the space I needed to attract the people who surround me now where I feel aligned, and can totally be myself with – laughter, tears and playing full out. Back then, I didn’t notice the birds singing or appreciate the miracle of nature. (If you want to experience nature’s miraculous intelligence, watch Fantastic Fungi.) Of course, I could see and hear nature all around me, but my very disconnected soul mind mirrored a disconnected sense of nature. It Starts with Your Thinking “In As a Man Thinketh, James Allen wrote that a man’s mind was like a garden which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild, but whether cultivated or neglected, it would produce. If no useful seeds were planted, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds would fall into the land, and the results would be wrong, useless, harmful, and impure plants.” ~Og Mandino, The Greatest Miracle in the World Universal intelligence has become confused in recent times. There’s a false divide that’s been created of THIS or THAT that’s resulted in an US versus THEM perception. Intelligent thinking needs to run wild not from neglect, but allowed to roam freely with our imagination to produce true spiritual abundance.  What we’re seeing today is a loss of our creative Spirit confined to tight rules of conformity justified with what appears to be “intelligent thinking”. The freedom of the human Spirit is necessary for us to evolve as creative intelligent souls through eternity. Back then, I hadn’t made the connection around my responsibility for creating my thoughts that leads to creating my life, first introduced in The Secret. It was the seed that led to a much deeper understanding of universal spiritual energy and how we co-create valuable experiences that contributes to our collective evolving humanity. The Miracle of Nature Today when I step out in nature, everything about it feels miraculous. When you first heard there are no two snowflakes alike, did you ever try to examine them up close – look up at the bazillion flakes coming down and think “really? … not one of these is the same”? What we physically see cannot take in what’s happening in the miracle of nature. Only your spiritual eyes can take this in: “Snow crystals are sensitive to temperature and will change in shape and design as they fall from the cloud and are exposed to fluctuating temperatures. To have two snow crystals or flakes with the same history of development is virtually impossible. Each winter there are about 1 septillion (1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 or a trillion trillion) snow crystals that drop from the sky!” ~Library of Congress Each of us has our own personal history and develops our own sensitivity to what we get exposed to as we move through our limited time here. You are unique in exactly the same way, and being rare is what makes you valuable. How you grow will depend on the quality of your thoughts, and your ability to recognize yourself in the miracle of Nature. Understanding You as a Miracle of Nature Several years ago, I was sitting on a plane coming to the end of Og Mandino’s book “The Greatest Miracle in the World”. I’d already read his first classic “The Greatest Salesman in the World”. This second book included himself as Og, busy promoting his first book, which kept me wondering “is he telling a true story about a wise old man named Simon he’d really met?” When I came to the end  .. there is a letter from God to You. No words can describe the overwhelming emotion I felt reading these …

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Are you still figuring out this thing called love? Love can be the most complicated and the most exquisite experience of our lives. The soul is a piece of this puzzle, and of course our Spirit. Some wisdom I’ve learned so far about the most one of the most important questions ever — what is love? I used to hear how you have to love yourself before you can ever really experience love. What could “I love you” mean if you don’t love yourself first? It sounded logical, but I still didn’t understand how you could love yourself since you are you – unless there were 2 of you… That was before I discovered I was a “spiritual being having a human experience not a human being having a spiritual experience.” Me being spiritual means I am carrying a divine fragment of Spirit within my mind so there really is “2 of me” here! Who AM I includes what was given to humanity over 2,000 years ago …  the “Kingdom of Heaven is within you”. It was the awareness that changed everything for me. God is the higher ideal of divine LOVE that’s already part of you. You are LOVED already, but to feel & know this love, we have to go within and harness this connection. Here’s a profound Lesson on Love: The Infinity of Love If you picture in your mind the symbol used to represent infinity — a figure eight on its side — you’ll see that when you write this symbol, it contains two semi-circles enjoined, having no end, but which also contains an intersection where the two semi-circles meet. This is the cycle of eternity where the infinite and the finite meet, where God reaches down to man and where man reaches up to God. This is also how the River of Life flows from paradise to the worlds of time and space, and back again, in an endless procession, and in an endless exchange of love — the perfect love of the Creator for His children and the perfecting love of His children for the Creator. It is difficult for your imperfect, finite mind to understand this infinity of love. You may understand how to feel it another person, a child, a parent, a spouse, a friend, but how do we understand how to love our Creator Father when He seems so far away from us, so intangible, untouchable? How do we really know if we love Him, and how do we know if it is reciprocated by Him? The answers to these questions, my friends, are relativities to our understanding of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. This infinity of love is something that becomes more real to you as you ascend by faith and as you bridge the gap with your Adjuster through the living experience of doing the Will of God — by allowing the exchange of this powerful emotion to flow in both directions. With love, there is trust, and this trust only comes with increased communication, with loyalty, and with devotion. When we reach out in faith to our heavenly Father with childlike affection, we trust that we are secure in our standing, and that we shall achieve the prize of God-like perfection through our father-like actions. When we show kindness, mercy, and tolerance of imperfection to our brothers and sisters, and on into each succeeding life station in our journey toward paradise, we will finally understand the infinity of love, where the intersection of imperfect love becomes perfected love, and where we receive the embrace of the Universal Father. The value of knowing perfect love is not in the achievement of intersection, but in the journey — the astonishment, the struggles, the triumphs, the joy of adventure, and the discovery of what it means to know and to do the Will of the Creator — to be participants and partakers in the creation of the cosmos and the realities of sublime grandeur. Those children whose parents were deficient in providing this most basic of spiritual needs may find it difficult to express it as a growing adolescent and then adult. Love IS a spiritual reality and because your cultures and societal memes separate spiritual realities from material realities and give emphasis to the “seen” while dismissing the “unseen,” there are myriad interpretations of what it actually is. A child may be “loved” by its parents, but only to the degree that the parents understand what it is. Some adults believe that by providing only material needs to a child is to “love,” and so the child perceives the security of its parents by having its physical needs met yet is missing the deeper spiritual significance of true nurturing. It is the dysfunctions of this understanding of love, or the absence of it, that confuses so many and creates this false sense of self-hood—a disconnected spirit—a separation from God (reality), and so the ego compensates for the absence of this emotion and attempts to protect the heart by making the self “important.” This is why we need to have affection towards everyone on this planet, for it is not only in alignment with the Will of God, but it is the one thing that draws the soul into unity with God. To move a whole planet into “Light and Life” requires a greater understanding of love by all its inhabitants. To love is to understand—to understand is to know the character of God—to know His character is to “be” the light of love to others. ~Opheilus and the Circle of Seven. Your true “soul-mate” is this divine part of you – your eternal partner that leads you to real love and for me is the true meaning of “loving yourself“. “Devote your life to proving that love is the greatest thing in the world. Love is the ancestor of all spiritual goodness, the essence of the true and the beautiful.” ~Christ Michael (Jesus) speaking to John after he’d arisen. “Seek after those values of Truth, Beauty, and …

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If you wish to transform your life in 2023, here are the 4 pillars that you need to strengthen… At the end of each year I hang out with 3 soul sisters I’ve known for nearly 2 decades. It’s part of a year end tradition that includes 4 pillars to create miracles and transform your life in 2023. Amidst the pure joy, laughter & crazy delicious food, we take time to reflect and create the first key element of what I call my “Soul Map” for the year:  Your Soul Theme It’s one word that captures how you want to BE in the new year. In order to achieve what you want, who do you need to BE more of? Some examples are alignment, joy, calm, and focus. It’s like your secret compass for the year ahead gently guiding you through tough moments and encourages you to step into what may feel uncomfortable. Looking Back  We first reflect on the past year sharing how our current soul theme played out in 2022. What happened? How did we handle? What did we learn? Mine was “ownership”. It meant stepping into ownership of what spirituality means for me and getting creative on sharing the “hard to believe” soul pieces. A soul theme calls you to step into new territory. Be a little bolder. Do what feels hard and scary. It asks that you surrender, trust and go. Once you decide on a theme, your unseen guidance team (angels, Master Spirits, celestial teachers, past loved ones etc.) will place subtle or not so subtle opportunities for you to experience. Their purpose is to help your soul to grow while you’re here. You may not recognize opportunities unless you are slowing down to pay attention and can trust your own vibration for what feels right despite what everyone else is doing. The more connected you are to your inner compass, the more often you will experience amazing signs and uncanny synchronicities. It’s like you’ve been sprinkled with Magic Soul Dust that allows you to see and hear what you couldn’t before. My 2023 Soul Theme The soul theme that came up for me was FLOW. It doesn’t always show up right away, but some things were already leading me here and it seemed to pop in as if it were whispered in my ear. It had me thinking of balance and growth – giving/receiving, Yin/Yang energy, and how our outer world keeps reflecting your inner world as you tap deeper into your own truth. Once you choose a word, suddenly its meaning will find itself working its way into your life. It’s like how they say a book writes itself. I added this message to my screen saver to remind me of FLOW: Is there a word that feels like it’s calling you grow? What state of being are you wanting to experience more of to transform your life in 2023? What feeling are you seeking? 2. Your Morning Ritual My early morning ritual includes playing a song while doing sun salutations to connect my mind body and soul with Spirit (my divine fragment). I have a personal name for my “Higher Spirit” that I encourage you to find so you can develop what I believe is the most important relationship you have – you with your Divine self. It’s this conscious connection with your fragment of God that is a gateway to creativity. This part of you is “impersonal” meaning it doesn’t have personality because it takes on yours through your life experience here, but it is also “personal” to you! One day way into the future, on the other side, the “Greater Plan” is for you to be “as One” or fused with your fragment of God. When I take time in stillness to connect each morning, my will connects with God’s Will to help me adjust my thoughts towards the highest vibration of what is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere present to create what I desire. “Thy kingdom come, Thy Will Be done” … I never understood these words meant, but today I have such respect for keeping our “free will” sacred. The freedom to think for yourself is a spiritual birthright so whenever powers of control, imposition or dictatorship appear in ANY form – be on guard of agendas that may appear to be “good”, but are really darkness (unbalanced egos) in disguise. For prayer to work (practice of asking and receiving), it’s your thoughts you are developing through your internal divine relationship for desired changes to come to fruition. Morality and ethics come from a much higher place we can all tap into. Our journey here is learning to trust your vibes or listen to your intuition, which recognizes you are connected to something much bigger than you. The spiritual quality of our thoughts or willingness to choose how to think using our imagination and creative power determines who we become and the life we can experience on earth and the hereafter. When you make a decision to daily connect and communicate with the highest will of what IS love, truth, beauty and goodness – your life becomes that which you are. Music – An Avenue of Divine Connection A few songs on my TA playlist are “Eternal Flame” (the Bangles), “I Believe” (Nikki Yanofsky), “Believe in Me” (Paul Janz). I can imagine the lyrics coming from my Divine self or Cosmic Compass, and experience a feeling of total AWE or unconditional love. The most powerful love songs secretly speak from our true soul-mate – the divine part of us that is love. Learning to love yourself requires taking time in stillness to bring yourself into alignment with your true self. This year one of my soul sisters suggested we have a song to go with our theme, and a few songs came pouring in for FLOW .. “Let the River Run” (Carly Simon) & Come Sail Away (Styx). Your guides often speak to you through music and lyrics – as …

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