I'm currently taking Denise Linn's Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader Certification Course and love it! Each week we listen to the lesson on air or via MP3 to learn about sacred space, energy, oracles and oracle reading and more. We also are given a weekly homework assignment and, in class two, this posed a problem.
Part of our homework assignment was to create an altar just for our oracle cards. Our class workbook provided a treasure trove of ideas on altar creation. I wanted to create my own altar but was a bit at a loss. The place my altar will go is currently under construction!
We are in the process of completely remodeling the room which is to become my reading room / office and making an altar before we're done painting, wallpapering, doing the trim and cleaning just didn't make sense.
We are in the process of completely remodeling the room which is to become my reading room / office and making an altar before we're done painting, wallpapering, doing the trim and cleaning just didn't make sense.
Luckily enrollment in the course allows all students to participate in Denise's closed Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader FaceBook group. It is a great community where some really wonderful ideas are shared. Case in point, a portable altar-on-a-tray by one of my classmates idea shared by one of my classmates. This, I thought, is perfect for me!
I set up my altar on a tray I had picked up at a flea market. It has a border of butterflies which are symbolic of transformation including blue butterflies (see image below) as well as especially meaningful to me. I included all of seven main chakra colors as well as some of my favorite stones and reading decks.
There is amethyst for psychic abilities, celestite for divine energy, kyanite for attunement and a tumbled piece of prehnite (underneath the reading cloth in this picture), given to me by my dear friend Tara, for psychic knowing and unconditional love .
The light blue votive holder is for communication and the orange, red and yellow in the second candle holder represent optimism, courage and being true to myself. In addition to Denise's Soul Coaching® Oracle Cards, I included two of my other favorite decks, a small purple incense holder, frankincense incense (which was also a gift) and my favorite card reading cloth.
I do want to add something for the element of water (I think I have air, earth and fire covered) so I will have to be on the look out for a small shell or dolphin charm. I have no doubt that it will come.
I love that no matter where I decide to read (which is often on the floor) I can put down this little altar and create sacred space. And I believe that I will give this 'moveable feast' a permanent place on the fixed altar I have yet to create!
My first reading in front of my new altar (on my future as an oracle card reader) follows:
It is a little hard to see but I love that this spread shows Adventure, Miracles and Joy, as well as that I'm leaving behind Conflict & Despair, reaching for the stars and becoming the Counselor - a card I never received before. It is so appropriate too because this week we are talking about our spirit and oracle guides and there she is with her hands on my shoulders!
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| Love this message! |
I'm participating in this lovely course until December 2nd. And while tonight does complete the second class, all previous sessions are made available for immediate MP3 download throughout the course - so it is not too late to join us!
I loved both classes one and two. And I found that while each covers several different but related topics, they also share a common theme - and that is one of clearing.
In class one (Creating Sacred Space) Denise gives some great information about clearing your deck, yourself, your client and your reading space. As Denise has written extensively on Feng Shui, and creating sacred space (as well as other spiritual topics), she is a fantastic resource for this material.
Space clearing is a timely topic for me personally and I'll be applying all the information given in setting up my own reading area and office. I'm also planning on ordering Denise's book, "Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home" to help me with my pre-holiday cleaning and organizing!
Class two (Clearing the Channel) talks about clearing deep blockages with an emphasis on past life regression. Denise is knowledgeable about, and has written on, this topic as well and I found the guided past life meditations experienced in class two to be especially effective.
In class one (Creating Sacred Space) Denise gives some great information about clearing your deck, yourself, your client and your reading space. As Denise has written extensively on Feng Shui, and creating sacred space (as well as other spiritual topics), she is a fantastic resource for this material.
Space clearing is a timely topic for me personally and I'll be applying all the information given in setting up my own reading area and office. I'm also planning on ordering Denise's book, "Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home" to help me with my pre-holiday cleaning and organizing!
Class two (Clearing the Channel) talks about clearing deep blockages with an emphasis on past life regression. Denise is knowledgeable about, and has written on, this topic as well and I found the guided past life meditations experienced in class two to be especially effective.
In addition to the weekly class, an in depth pdf workbook provides detailed information corresponding to each session. For classes one and two the work book supplies specific clearing techniques and rituals, a past life questionnaire, past life regression script, altar creation ideas, the history of the oracle, and more. I found the workbook is well thought out, comprehensive and attractive.
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| Card I'm attuning to today! |
The oracle cards utilized in the course are Denise's own Soul Coaching Oracle Cards® which I have just recently purchased. Each includes a softly colored image, positive key word and an affirmation.
There is a nice energy to this deck and I will have more to say about it as I get to know it better. Our ongoing homework is to work with each card individually and record our impressions in our course journal (provided via pdf).
I am having fun with this assignment and enjoy learning about how others are doing through the closed FaceBook group reserved for students of the course.
There is a nice energy to this deck and I will have more to say about it as I get to know it better. Our ongoing homework is to work with each card individually and record our impressions in our course journal (provided via pdf).
I am having fun with this assignment and enjoy learning about how others are doing through the closed FaceBook group reserved for students of the course.
Also, of particular importance to me - the Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reading Certification Course is filled with beautiful and effective guided meditations. There is something magical about the way Denise transports us to ancient Greece to recall our possible previous incarnations in the role of ancient oracles. And I'm pleased that I'll be able to revisit this, and other, beautiful meditations in MP3 format anytime I choose!
Please note that classes 1 through 6 are pre-recorded (with live intro and Q & A sessions with Denise Linn offered at the beginning and end of the course). I intend to make it a point to listen to the broadcast however whenever possible. For me, there is an energy to working simultaneously with others that's uplifting. That said, the downloadable MP3s are quite convenient!
For more about the course, please check out my previous blog post: Denise Linn's Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader Certification Course & Me!
For more about my progress with this wonderful course and the pictorial transformation of my work space, please check back <3
New Etsy Listing: The Goddess Tarot with Hand Decoupaged Box & Two "Temple Blue" Candles (from MysticEmporium on Etsy)
October 24, 2013
I decoupaged this tarot box by scanning and printing out the cards from the beautiful Goddess Tarot Deck and then creating a design. This particular box is sold but I will be listing more for the winter holidays!
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| New Set: The Goddess Tarot for sale @ MysticEmporium |
The following pictures are taken on the top of the mountain behind our house, on a small parcel of woods that lies between us and the development. If I could have one thing it would be to buy it and keep it as is forever.
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| Bella at the top. |
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| Birch behind a turning maple. |
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| A perfect Autumn sky. |
I am thrilled to announce that I am going to be participating in Denise Linn's Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader Certification Course and couldn't be happier!
I'm especially exited about Denise Linn's course because I feel quite strongly that it will provide me with the tools I need to help clients and callers along the course of their own soul path. And this is the way I love to read.
The Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader Certification Course airs weekly for eight weeks. Students are given the option of listening live, via MP3 download or in their Hayhouse account.
The course began with an introductory session airing on October 16th. Lesson One followed on the 21st. So I will be listening to both those episodes prior to Monday's class which is going to make for a lovely rest of the week and weekend! I will also be ordering Denise's Soul Coaching® Oracle Cards which I have been interested in for some time.
I will be talking about Soul Coaching® here in this blog, as well as on the radio show (no longer available). As the weeks pass, I'll share a bit of what I'm learning and began to incorporate what I'm learning on the radio show.
About The Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader Certification Course (from the Hayhouse site):
Become an oracle card reader! This online certification course gives you
the tools that you need to become a clear channel for readings.
In this transformational online certification course, acclaimed healer, author, and teacher Denise Linn, creator of the Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Deck, shares her wealth of expertise on tapping into your inner wisdom so you can activate your intuition and gain the inner tools that you need to explore and expand your oracle card reading skills. She'll even give you tips and insight on setting up your practice as a professional oracle card reader.
Over your eight lessons with Denise, you will:
In this transformational online certification course, acclaimed healer, author, and teacher Denise Linn, creator of the Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Deck, shares her wealth of expertise on tapping into your inner wisdom so you can activate your intuition and gain the inner tools that you need to explore and expand your oracle card reading skills. She'll even give you tips and insight on setting up your practice as a professional oracle card reader.
Over your eight lessons with Denise, you will:
- Activate your “Inner Oracle”.
- Learn your connection with ancient oracles in the far past.
- Understand why you, as an oracle reader, are needed at this time in history.
- Clear inner blockages that have come from your past lives to become a clearer oracle.
- Discover how to powerfully clear your aura for more accurate readings.
- Learn methods to clear, attune, and energize your cards.
- Discover how to use cards for remarkable daily insights.
- Find out how to call guides from Spirit to empower your reading.
Denise also shares her special expertise as a world-respected coach and
workshop leader to help you build your own successful oracle card
reading practice. Your clients will be exhilarated as they find the
truth buried within themselves to the deep questions of their lives.
I am so excited about this course!
To participate in The Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Reader Certification Course and receive your Soul Coaching® Oracle Card Certification please register through Hayhouse here. For more on Denise Linn please check out her lovely website at DeniseLinn.com.
And please check back for updates on this wonderful new adventure :)
In “Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming,” (affiliate link) Dr. Stephen LaBerge uses a phenomena he calls dreamsigns as a trigger event for conscious (lucid) dreaming. With a practice, a dreamsign alerts the dreamer to the fact that he is dreaming. Once aware of the dream state, the dreamer can consciously participate and even direct the events of the dream.
LaBerge recommends the keeping of dream journal and suggests setting a
clock for the early morning hours to help facilitate dream recall. I
was doing this for sometime with good results but found it necessary to
put the practice on hold temporarily. I am resuming tonight and going
forward with the program.
I have reviewed my dream journal this morning and identified my dream sign style.
LaBerge identifies three basic types of dreamsigns. Each is a clue
that what is occurring is not our ordinary waking reality and can
become, in the words of the author, a neon light flashing the message in
the dark that the situation in which we find ourselves is one that we
have dreamt.
Inner Awareness: A peculiar thought, strong
emotion, unusual sensation or altered perception which would not occur
in our usual waking state, This can include inappropriate or oddly
overwhelming emotions, feeling of paralysis or out of body states or
magical thinking. Examples follow.
- Thoughts: “I’m trying to figure out why the furnishings are from another era and realized this is an odd thing to be thinking about” (unusual thought). “When I realized I didn’t want to crash the car swerved back onto the road” (magical thinking).
- Emotions: “I am filled with extreme anxiety and remorse” (over whelming emotion). “I am so angry at my sister over a minor event that I throw something at her” (inappropriate emotion).
- Sensation: “I seem to lift out of my body” (OBE). “It feels like a giant hand is squeezing me” (odd sensation).
- Perceptions: “I could see perfectly without my glasses” (not usually possible). “There were hundreds of colors that I had never seen before” (not usually possible).
Action: The dreamer, a dream character or an object
in the dream do something unusual or impossible in waking life. This is
an actual dream event as opposed to a dream thought.
- Ego Action (dreamer): “I’m riding home on a unicycle” (unusual). “I was under water but had no problem breathing” (impossible).
- Character Action: “The hairdresser refers to a blue print to cut my hair” (unusual).
- Object Action: “A large flashlight floats past” (impossible).
Form: The shape of the dreamer, dream character or
that of a dream object is oddly formed, deformed or transforms. This
may also be applied to setting. Includes anomalies of hair and dress.
- Ego Form: “I have very long arms” (oddly formed or deformed). ” “I turn into a butterfly” (transformed).
- Character Form: “Her face changes to that of another person as I look at her” (transformed). “Contrary to reality Gs hair is cut very short” (anomaly of hair).
- Setting Form: “I open the closet door and step out onto a wide terrace surrounded my ornamental gardens” (my dream – oddly formed). “I get lost because the streets are not as I remember them” (transformed or oddly formed).
- Object Form: “I see a tiny purple kitten” (oddly formed). “My purse turns into a steamer trunk” (transformation).
Context: The place or situation in the dream is
strange. The dreamer may find himself somewhere that he is unlikely to
be in waking life, involved in a strange situation or playing an
unaccustomed role. Objects or people may be out of place or the dream
may occur in the past or future.
- Ego Role: “We’re fugitives from the law.”
- Character Role: “My best friend, T., is now my husband.”
- Character Place: “My friends from high school are at the office meeting.”
- Object Place: “My bed was in the street.”
- Setting Place: “I’m in a colony on Mars.”
- Setting Time: “I am in my first grade class.”
- Situation: “A commercial is being filmed at my house.”
Dr. LaBerge recommends that the dream journal is examined after 30
consecutive dreams and that a dreamsign inventory be taken. I have done
that and found most of my dreamsigns to be contextual (ego role,
character role, setting place) or oddities of setting in regard to form.
As I reacquaint myself with my dream journal I plan to set the alarms
for 5:30 AM everyday and immediately ask myself about my dream and
write an entry at that time. Later after I have made some tea, I plan
to record the dreamsign, perhaps at the back of the book.
Will share any interesting dreams (most aren’t especially 
here!
here!
*Most the example given as well as all of the definitions come from
Dr. Stephen LaBerge’s wonderful book, “Exploring the World of Lucid Dreams" (affiliate link).
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This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy a book using one of my links, I may receive a small commission at not cost to you.
Can't wait to use this lovely journal. My gift to me!
On the last birthday of the blog (which happens to be my birthday as well) I talked a bit about how the blog started and what it had become. This year, I want to talk about what keeping this blog has done for me.
When I started The Mystic in August 2010, my life was very different than it is now. I had just made a difficult and traumatic career transition and money was in short supply. People close to me were either largely absent, frequently unwell, or going through their own personal traumas. And I felt very much alone.
While I knew that something was missing, traditional religious practice just wasn't filling the void.
And then I found New Age spirituality. It offered something no other spiritual practice had. In embracing it, I found the freedom and tools which made defining my own path to spirit possible. For this, I will be eternally grateful.
This blog became my way of focusing on what I was learning and my way of sharing what I found resonant. It held me accountable. It helped me to grow. It allowed me to clarify my beliefs and chart my own course. And somehow, over the course of that, I became a better person than I had been before.
I have a long way to go. But I do understand where I want to be and much of what I need to do to get there. In the coming year, I will continue to review contemporary New Age materials but there will be other posts as well.
My backyard though not really (legally) mine and well outside of my ability to protect. Still in this space between what was and what will be - we walk, take deep breaths and look out from one mountaintop to another. Beyond the the trestle and past the curve of the river, just out of view of this picture, is the land that once belonged to my grandfather. Land that I won't see up close again. Everything changes but the moment is always eternal. I'm grateful for all that offers.
A spot along our path. This area is home to several crows, a small flock of turkey vultures, rabbits, two very happy woodchucks and a raccoon. I wish them well.
A surprising patch of purple-pink and an absolutely perfect Sunday morning!
Catch me as a guest on Christiana's Psychic Cafe with host Christiana Gaudet as we discuss tarot, angel cards, spirit and more! Great insight on angel card reading by Christiana, as well :)
2024: I have been going through my old posts deciding which to republish and which to leave as drafts. I debated a bit on this one because it is a remnant of my one old psychic readings and I still have mixed feeling about that time of my life. But I decided to share this particular post because I still pray for Reginald.
The Reading
The idea in this psychic exercise was to get 10 pieces of information on a deceased individual. The information below is what I came up with.
Name: Reginald
Age of Passing: 54
Cause of Death: Trauma, violent, crushing lower jaw. Alone or not at home when he passed. Not killed in a battle but may have been attacked. Grief at not being with family.
Description: Tall, strong, shaggy reddish hair. Beard, belt, tunic, sword. High-boned face. Colors bright orange-red and green. Strong sense of a powerful, very upright presence.
Mental Makeup: Stern, sharp mind, strong, loyal, bright, exacting, curious, considered, serious.
Home: Second floor or higher tower room: scrolls, maps, stars, observing sky directly. This where he studied what he described to me as "ancient wisdom, even then." Also a large open room on first floor, exposed timber, plain. Big hearth /fireplace, stone.
Closest Relative: Children and wife (who was blond). He loved her deeply.
Friends: Strong, rough men. In some ways he did not really have much in common with them. Also brothers. He was loyal even when loyalty was not deserved.
Greatest Challenge on Earth: Not especially challenged. He felt up for any challenge. Being loyal to those who did not deserve loyalty was really not an issue for him - honor is on you, not them. Only real conflict was that his interest in learning and study was not really part of his station in life - something he could not share widely or devote himself to entirely.
Political or Humanitarian Figure Most Admired: A King or Duke. Wallace. An older teacher or tutor (very wise)
I had seen his face with photographic clarity (which is unusual for me) and heard the word king but I had the sense he was a leader but not the actual king (perhaps this was a clue to his name).
It seemed to me that Wallace might be William Wallace. I wasn't sure about that as Reginald, however, which was not, to my ears, a Scottish name. There was something about stirling too, but I failed to write down how that came up.
Anyway, I decided I should research the info I received.
The Research
What follows it the short version of my research. A longer, and to my mind more interesting, annotated version exists but is way too long to share here. I hit upon the name almost immediately after googling Reginald, Scotland, Knight.
Name: Sir Reginald Crauford, Knight
Born: Abt 1248
Place: Loudoun, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died: 1297 (apx age 49)
Married: 1275 to Cecelia (most likely) nee Swaine of Dannish descent (blond?)
Children: Sir Reginald Crauford, Knight (1296 to 1307)
Office: Sheriff of Ayr
Ethnicity: The name Crauford is of Norman origin
Extended Family: Reginald did have at least one brother. His sister Margaret was the mother of Sir William Wallace, the famous patriot. The Craufords rallied with Sir Wallace in his fight against the English.
Contemporaries: Sir Reginald was a "firm friend of King Robert the Bruce."
Manner of Passing: Sir Reginald Crauford, Sheriff of Ayre, was murdered by the English at the Black Parliament of Ayr c. 1297. (The Scottish nobles murdered at Ayre were lured to a meeting then hung. This event did not happen when Wallace was a child a la Braveheart but when he was an adult. Wallace was apparently warned of what was happening at Ayre, avoided Sir Reginald's fate and later avenged his death, along with many others.)
Colors: Pic of a historical reproduction of the Crauford tartan follows (stated colors red and green). (Note I did not see Sir Reginald wearing these colors but rather as an association.)
Home: Fireplace consistent with the time, Tower is historically correct
Stirling Connection: There was a battle of Stirling fought in 1297 which Wallace led. I am not sure if this was before or after Ayr or if Sir Reginald was present.
What was of great interest to me in this reading was that all pieces of information fit a real historical figure with several significant life events accurately represented. Details such as the Crauford colors, home, fireplace (a relatively new but very popular advancement in Sir Reginald's time) and clothing seem to be consistent as well. While I like history, I have never read anything about Scottish history and certainly wasn't familar with Reginald Crauford.
This is my first historical reading and I found it very validating!
Please check out the following images:
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| Historical Reproduction of the Crauford Tartan |
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| Crawford Castle Motte and Bailey |
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| Loudoun Castle Ruin (I'm not sure if Sir Reginald ever lived here but like the pic above, it has a tower) |
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| Wiliiam Wallace (the clothing of the day) |
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| Norman Fireplace Popular in Sir Reginald's Time |
This month, just a couple of weeks short of its third birthday, The New Age Review broke 100,000 all time page views. And, while I know there are blogs out there getting this many page views in a week or even a day, I consider 100,000 (100,222 as of this morning) a milestone.
I remember checking my stats in the early days of the blog, and seeing that no one had visited the blog. I remember how exciting it was when even one or two people read an entry and the sense of validation and purpose I felt when those numbers, oh so slowly, began to grow.
I wrote those early posts because I needed a place to talk about what I was learning and because I believed that somebody out there might need to be led to the books and resources that had helped me so much. When people commented and emailed me to say that something I had shared helped them, I was ecstatic.
In spite of that however, The New Age Review isn't really about reviewing the material I write about. It's about experiencing it.
Put another way - my reviews, or the best of them at any rate, are largely experiential.
I made a decision very early on about the way I would review things. I decided that while I would acknowledge material not resonant for me, I would not write pointedly negative reviews focusing largely on criticism.
Not everyone understands when I can't (or won't) do a review. And luckily I can usually tell if something is going to work for me or not. But even when I can't I stick to my process because it fits my review style.
Working and applying the material in order to report back on that process only works if that material resonates. Taken this idea a step further, I think that experiential reviews provide a clear picture of how a given resource works. And why.
Sometimes the resource works because it triggers a new idea or approach to something. Sometimes, it is an agent of change or transformation. Both of these are good.
Sometimes the resource works because it triggers a new idea or approach to something. Sometimes, it is an agent of change or transformation. Both of these are good.
Not everything I write here is review oriented however. Over time, much of what I share is simply my experience as I attempt to evolve into somebody better.
Lately, this had led me to think about changing the name of the blog but this morning I decided I wouldn't. And it occurs to me for the first time, that The New Age Review DOES review metaphysical resources very nearly exclusively. Some of these resources just happen to be the direct influence of spirit and the lessons the universe so generously provides.
As my approach to spirituality becomes more and more experiential it's likely that my reviews will as well.
Is there a difference between an OBE (out-of-body Experience) and a dream?
Yes and no.
Not all dream experience occurs in an out of body state and not all OBEs happen when we're asleep. But they can overlap. In my opinion.
Dream State OBEs
I believe that dreams can take us out of body. While some of my own suspected dream OBEs have been profound, others have been dark and unpleasant.
Dreams of flying may be out of body experience. When I was a child I dreamt of flying so often that I developed my own technique (a little like the way a dolphin swims) for controlling my speed, altitude and direction.
OBEs in Meditation
Possible OBEs can also occur during meditation (or in the hypnogogic state immediately before sleep). When this happens to me I feel as my consciousness is traveling, or flying, over great expanses of shining water.
To me, these journeys are something between spiritual experience and a true out of body state. By this I mean that, while I feel part of my consciousness may have projected, I don't think that a full energetic body-spirit separation is achieved.
Full Split OBEs
In 2015 I was given the opportunity to study with (and interview) astral projectionist and teacher Robert Bruce. It was then (using the Hemi-Sync recording developed by OBE adept Robert Monroe) that I achieved my first partial body-spirit split (as described here).
This experience was a revelation because it convinced me that the complete separation of our physical and energetic bodies really CAN be achieved.
Unfortunately, I lacked the discipline necessary to go further - at that time. Now, thanks to the encouragement of a good friend (who shares my interest), I've decided that I'm going to begin to work with out of body states and lucid dreams again!
See Denise's own home and listen to her thoughts on home alignment:
For more about Denise Linn, please check out her website at: DeniseLinn.com!
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I have always been sensitive to energy. And by energy, I don't mean energy in the material sense (as in thermal or electrical) I mean the invisible spiritual essence of things - a quality more easily sensed than defined.
This kind of energy, while frequently subtle, is not always so. Some people, I am sure, sense the energy of everything they approach, while others seems oblivious to the strongest of influences. I fall in between but well toward the sensitive end of the spectrum.
I sense the energy of the living (and sometimes the dead) as well as most spaces to varying degrees. Positive places such as forests, gardens, sanctuaries, libraries and certain homes affect me strongly. Their resonant energies have a fine but palpable vibration which speaks to me spiritually, emotionally and even physically in a language which is not far removed from that of music.
Negative spaces and people affect me in a very different way. Generally speaking I find that dirty, cluttered areas, large groups of people, some small groups, institutions, anger, resentments and general negativity cause variable but almost always unpleasant reactions in me. And it seems that I am getting more instead of less sensitive to this type of dissonance.
Case in point, my trip to the New York and New Jersey on Sunday. We traveled into the city, had lunch at a wonderful vegan Chinese restaurant and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the many beautiful medieval exhibits as The Cloisters Museum (pictured above and below). There were a fair amount of people around all day but I held up well until the way back, when halfway through the city, the energy clobbered me.
All at once, I was exhausted. Bone tired. And more than a little demoralized. Even though my daily at home to do list is far more demanding on multiple levels. Today, back in Northeast PA, I got hit again as I spent the afternoon trying to work my way through the mess left behind after moving out of our old house. By the time I got home, I felt nauseous, jangly and very discouraged.
I am disappointed in myself for not handling things better on a personal level but I also acknowledge how difficult all of this can be. Something I did not do back when I was trying to be as oblivious to all of this as everyone else apparently was!
Dealing with all of the energies and pressures of everyday life can be overwhelming and is sometimes particularly so for those of us who are sensitive by nature. Some can be avoided and I, for one, intend to think long and hard about any future trips to NYC.
PMH Atwater is one of the original researchers into Near-Death Experience and a pioneer in the field. She is a noted authority on NDE, after-effects of NDE, reality shifts and transformations of consciousness. She has experienced three NDEs herself and interviewed over 4000 NDE experiencers. Her work has been sited in the respected medical journal The Lancet.
Atwater has authored numerous books on spirituality and NDE including "Children of the Fifth World," "Near-Death Experiences: The Rest of the Story," "The Big Book of Near-Death Experiences," "Beyond the Indigo Children" and many more. What makes "We Live Forever" different is that it is Atwater's own story. In she describes her own Near-Death experiences and the life events which shaped her research and philosophy.
Surprisingly, "We Live Forever" is the first PMH Atwater book I have read even though I have read more than a few books on NDE. How I missed Atwater's I cannot say, except that perhaps "We Live Forever" was the book I was meant to start out with.
Atwater is a respected research writer but she is also a gifted, sometimes poetic and highly quotable story teller. Her accounts of her personal psychic experiences, her grand daughter's Myriam death, and the events of Atwater's own death are both convincing and moving. What I loved most about "We Live Forever" however was the wealth of spiritual information it contained.
Drawing from decades of Near-Death research as well as the direct experience of three NDE's, Atwater provides highly compelling and detailed information about spiritual realms, the soul, opportunities for soul growth, Near-Death events and their aftermath and the reason why we are here.
Of particular interest to me, and something I intend to explore through Atwater's book "Future Memory," are Atwater's ideas about time.
I have never, I believe, conceived of time as linear and even as a child I suspected that people think of time as a straight shot only because our physical life follows that same apparent trajectory. Cycles were everywhere in my observation and I conceived of time as cycling or possibly spiraling like an infinite slinky. This model was not linear but did not include any sort of backwards or forward motion either - which made things like precognition (which I still see in terms of possibilities) very hard to explain.
The idea of simultaneous existence as portrayed in Jane Robert's Oversoul Seven always struck me as an interesting but impossible idea. Reading Atwater's description of her third NDE and the strange synchronicity between that experience and the work of Stanford physicist William Tiller made me think about time and the possibility of layered dimensions in a different way. And I am appreciative of books which generate that kind of thinking.
I am also very interested in exploring Atwater's new book "Children of the Fifth World: A Guide to the Coming Changes in Human Consciousness" which discusses the apparent leap in the intuitive, creative and abstract thinking in children, increases in autism spectrum disorder's and Cayce's fifth root race.
I am also very interested in exploring Atwater's new book "Children of the Fifth World: A Guide to the Coming Changes in Human Consciousness" which discusses the apparent leap in the intuitive, creative and abstract thinking in children, increases in autism spectrum disorder's and Cayce's fifth root race.
Sadly my interview with PMH Atwater is no longer hosted on line. But you can check out her book: We Live Forever: PMH Atwater on Near-Death Experience.
The Gift: Hollywood Looks at Psychic Phenomena, Card Reading, a Small Sourthern Town, & the Ethics of Spirituality
March 29, 2013
The Gift, 2000, directed by Sam Raimi and written by Billy Bob Thorton & Tom Epperson stars Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Keanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribsi and Hilary Swank. I was attracted to it because of the subject matter (card reading).
Setting: Blanchett (Annie) lives a somewhat marginal existence as a card reader in a small southern town. This movie is well filmed and has a very authentic feel to it.
Cons: Annie is asked to help solve a missing person's case - predictably - and there are some decidedly over the top scenes. A difficult movie to watch at times. Adult topics, sexual content and violence.
Pros: Realistic setting. Well acted. Cate Blanchett is quite good in her role, as expected. Swank is very good in a supporting role (also expected). Keanu Reeves is surprisingly believable as Swank's abusive husband. Giovanni Ribsi does a wonderful job of portraying Buddy, a troubled client of Annie's and the center of a significant subplot. I hate spoiler reviews so I won't go into the subplot other than to say it raises some interesting questions about ethics as they relate to card reading and mediumship.
Setting: Blanchett (Annie) lives a somewhat marginal existence as a card reader in a small southern town. This movie is well filmed and has a very authentic feel to it.
Cons: Annie is asked to help solve a missing person's case - predictably - and there are some decidedly over the top scenes. A difficult movie to watch at times. Adult topics, sexual content and violence.
Pros: Realistic setting. Well acted. Cate Blanchett is quite good in her role, as expected. Swank is very good in a supporting role (also expected). Keanu Reeves is surprisingly believable as Swank's abusive husband. Giovanni Ribsi does a wonderful job of portraying Buddy, a troubled client of Annie's and the center of a significant subplot. I hate spoiler reviews so I won't go into the subplot other than to say it raises some interesting questions about ethics as they relate to card reading and mediumship.
It began in childhood and paralleled a general obsession with spirit in all of its forms. I was then, and still am, a good guesser (once accused of cheating after acing a test on a book I had not read).
There were certain things I couldn't quite explain. From an early age, I was able to sense what I now think of as the energy of a person or a place, and sometimes heard paranormal activity.
On several occasions over the course of my life I experienced vivid and unusual phenomena in meditation, in dreams and while on the edge of sleep. These included seeing and sometimes communicating with passed loved ones. In my dream diary I continue to record spiritual instruction received during sleep.
And of course for many years I read cards both for friends, over the psychic phone lines and in my own home card reading business. Still, I do not consider myself psychic in the usual sense of the word. But I'm beginning to wonder if I need to believe in my own potential a bit more in order to improve.
Either way, I am interested in learning more about psychic ability and will be sharing some of what I learn here, beginning with the four main categories.
Either way, I am interested in learning more about psychic ability and will be sharing some of what I learn here, beginning with the four main categories.
Telepathy - the ability to hear or pick up on the thoughts of another person. It is the most common psychic ability.
Clairvoyance - the ability to see images of an event or events that occurred in the past, present or future. Images may be literal or symbolic.
Precognition - is the ability to see the future. Can be experienced in a variety of ways with the most common occurring in and around dreams.
Psychokinesis - the ability to move objects with the power of the mind. This unusual psychic skill may be related to poltergeist phenomena.
I will be writing more about this in a future post!
I made this dream catcher at the last meeting of the Sacred Circle women's group. One of our members was nice enough to show us how to do the weave. Mine is a little off but I expect the next one to be better.
Our circle is based in NE PA. We meet two times a month. One meeting is an arts and crafts night and the second is a metaphysical study group. The study group is a new addition and we'll be having our first study meeting this Thursday.
I am really enjoying all aspects of our group. Not so long ago it was common for women to work together as a team. In my grandmother's big farmhouse, for example, all the women would clear the table and do the dishes together. One would wash and rinse. Another would dry. A third would put the dishes away.
There was laughter and conversation and the work was never overwhelming because it was shared.
We began our new home search in late 2011 following the last flood evacuation I resolved to ever participate in. We did not have a lot of money - far less than any house meeting our criteria was likely to cost but we found one anyway. The downside was that it needed loads of work! We moved in in 2012 with only the bedrooms and den finished (and the downstairs bathroom in progress) and wrapped up the living room and loads of odds and ends after we had settled in.
Delayed by other (really big) projects, we have just finished our home office and are now starting the kitchen. As is so often the case my attention is focused on what remains to be done (front hall, upstairs bath, kitchen, and assorted bits and pieces) instead of what all we have accomplished. So I wanted to take a moment to remember the work that has been done here. Current pics of our home office follow with a shot of the original room at the end of this post.
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| Lots of sun! Everything is in place -except for my stained glass heron suncatcher. I'll post that when I get it hung! |
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| Ice on the window sill and a bit of the woods behind the house. |
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| My grandfather's old glass fronted book shelf and my grandmother's rocker. Broken auction lamp awaited repair. The door here was salvaged. This room like many in the house, had no door when we moved in. |
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| More ice and if you look very closely you can see the eastern sky above the next mountain. My view of sunrise. |
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| Still more ice. High ground and the patch of woods at the top of our little mountain. Elevation: 776 feet. |
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| My seat and the laptop on which I write these posts. Two Ollie's Bargain Mart desk chairs. |
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| My grandmother's rocker and the rug from my partner's family home. This is where my meditation corner will be! |
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| My collection of oracle cards and tarot. Old Underwood typewriter to remind me of what I'm here to do! |
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| Old wardrobe - picked up at the Salvation Army for $17 and refinished for office supplies. Auction house carpet in need of vacuuming :) |
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| Side yard and hedges and the view such as it is. When I'm sitting down I mostly see sky. |
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| Close up of my cards and my portable altar. |
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| Another view of our desk. A thirty-five .dollar steal at the local Salvation Army! |
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| The original space - a one time 2nd floor apartment kitchen. Chopped up for plumbing, this was the only wood floor we couldn't restore. I installed the new floor myself. Not easy but not impossible either! |
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