Migrating is not just for the birds...

While it may seem as though I had abandoned blogging, I really didn't.  I started a second blog on Wordpress http://imrappaport.wordpress.com/ in 2011 that I had intended to use strictly for Tarot-related topics.  Unfortunately, over the past two years, I found myself so busy that that I did not have time to write, or blog for that matter.  So, there were not many entries in either blog.

As I start my own personal new year, I am making a lot of changes in my life.  One of them is to get back to blogging at least once a week.  While I like to write more than a simple thought or paragraph, I realize sound bites of wisdom and information are also good.  So you can expect some short and sweet posts in the future, too.

My primary focus has been and will always be Practical Tarot.  Information comes to me from a variety of sources:  angels, guides, ascended masters, common sense, Tarot, family members and friends who have crossed over, life experience, and my clair senses -- clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and the one I always forget to list -- claircognizance.. 

Back to the subject of migration...
 
Please follow me to my Wordpress blog http://imrappaport.wordpress.com/ -- which is no longer just for Tarot.  I have posted a new entry there earlier today, Enjoy!

FYI:  This is the last blog entry I am posting here. 

New Year's Thoughts

Depending on your sense of humor, we have a new year.  I see this year as a chance to make positive, healthy changes.  Of course, we can always keep on doing what we always do -- muck up potential opportunties.  I forgot what television or cartoon character used to say, "Time's awasting."  You know what, we do waste time.  Then again, there are times when we have to wait for things to happen.  Either way, life is all about how you spend your time and how you can change toxic thoughts into healthy thoughts,

What do you want to do?  Me?  I welcome change, even though there will be times I find myself kicking, screaming and fighting it.  What keeps me grounded is the "Wizard of Oz."  Not the book -- the movie.  Remember when the wicked witch wrote the words "Surrender Dorothy" overhead?  Surrendering allows the Creator to take our thoughts, wishes and dreams and make small miracles happen. 

The memories of my childhood still brings a smile to my face.  I cannot divorce myself from my past -- my childhood -- the dreams I had and disillusionments that often followed.  I would not be the person I am today if all of these experiences did not occur.  I am the sum total of the changes that occurred in my life as well as the choices I made.  You are the sum total of your experiences as well.  It is good to remember and remind yourself of where you came from and what you have accomplished, rather than be concerned about what you still want to accomplish.

The new year, start out fresh -- like newly fallen snow before someone tromps on it and the cars make it slushy and dirty.  As a child, I remember wanting to run outside and make angels in the snow.  The sound of the crunch of snow under my boots and the caress of the brisk air of a cold Chicago winter are still locked into my brain and memory.  I cannot turn the clock back, but I can remember.  Then reality hits.

I have gotten older.  Many, too many, of my high school and grade school classmates have transitione into the spiritual realm.  These are people I consider my family.  Why?  We grew up together.  We shared experiences -- likes dislikes, dreams, and oh, all sorts of things.  Children and teenagers do that. 

We do not live forever in physical form.  Our bodies are not designed that way.  We are like our automobiles -- our parts wear out and sometimes need to be replaced.  We have a finite period of time on this planet.  Why don't we all focus on what we want to change and embrace.  Life is short.  We do not know how much time we have left here.  This is a new year.  This is the year where I'm going all out.  I'm going to live my life fully, completely and do a ton more of writing.  I was put on this planet to share thoughts, ideas, and be spiritual teacher -- ok, with a Tarot deck in my hand as well.

My new year's goal, yes it is a goal, to do consistent blogging, writing and sharing my wealth of knowledge and the wisdom gained.  What is your new year's goal?  Tell me. 

Perfection -- nah!

What is perfection?  Everyone has their own answer to that question.  What makes something perfect?  How knit-picky, analytical or critical do we have to be before we say -- enough!  How much input from others, you know a critique that occasionally borders on an insult, should we take to heart?  How many people, who we value as authorities, have been honest with us throughout our lives? 

Twenty/twenty hindsight is our best teacher.  I bet if you look back at your life you will see at least one incident of having been knocked down and kicked (not necessarily physically) by someone you loved or respected.  I would also bet that you may have thought or believed that you deserved it, and then possibly beat yourself up over it.  On the other hand, it may be quite possible that you may have had the awareness to say, "What the ...?"  Age has a wonderful way of showing us the wisdom we have gained through living, and if we are willing, provides us with more opportunity to say, this is as good as it gets.  I'm fine with what I've done.

So, what is my point here?  It's all about self esteem/self worth. 

Many of us go through life beating ourselves up trying to please others, do our jobs, create art in some form, or anything whatever, only to have someone trash us.  The problem is, we often accept other people's opinions of what is good or perfect.  Perfection is as subjective as art.  Everyone has an opinion.  Some we agree with and others we do not.

Everything we do depends upon the standards we set for ourselves or those we abide by, depending on the situation.  What is important is we should be happy with whatever we have done whether or not someone else is happy with it.  OK, so we are graded, judged, appreciated, reprimanded, etc.  That is a fact of life.  We should do our best at any given moment.  If we are having an off day, we can blame it on an astrological aspect or some cycle.  Even better, we should just take responsibility for what we did or didn't do as well as we normally would.  Life's like that.

The most important thing to remember is we have the ability to see what we went through, whether the person who committed the act of trashing us ever realized they were doing so at the time.  Jealousy does exist, but why should we live our lives worrying about the negative stuff.  "Don't sweat the small stuff."

Not every day is perfect.  Not everyone behaves perfectly.  Isn't that terrific?  I think so.  Perfection to me is having things come together and being able to make people ... and myself happy.  If it works, this is excellent, nah, it's Perfect.   

When I grow up I want to be...

When we are children, we often make all sorts of wishes. We wish on a star, on a four-leaf clover, include them as part of our prayers, and through other means. If we look back (20/20 hindsight), these wishes are eventually granted. However they may not be granted immediately or they way we expect. They may take dozens of years to come to fruition. How do I know this...I've been reading Tarot cards and Palm for over 30 years.

Here's an example of four of mine that have come to pass:

Wishes No. 1 and 2 - I wanted to be a teacher and I also wanted to be psychic like my dad. When he was alive, I used to say, "If I had one quarter of his abilities I would be thrilled." My dad used to tell me, "The student should surpass his/her teacher." While I thought I might actually teach school, it never occurred to me that I might teach unconventionally -- Tarot in the continuing education department of a community college. Bingo. It has come to pass, not necessarily the way I envisioned it. But it happened -- both wishes granted.

Last night I experienced the gifts of a young woman -- a Reiki practitioner who works with Archangels Michael and Gabriel. She was directed to register/take my Practical Tarot II - Minor Arcana class. With no actual knowledge of Tarot, her intuitive gifts blew me out of the water. Her abilities remind me of when I first started reading Tarot -- full on intuition with very little knowledge of the cards. She's amazingly clairaudient. I know she will bring great joy to the world as she continues on her path. I am blessed to learn she was directed to me. What an honor from the angels. - Wishes 1 and 2 granted.

Wish No. 3 - I wanted to be a nurse. While I didn't make it into nursing school, which was probably the best thing in the world, I discovered that my intuitive abilities with/without Tarot -- ok clairaudience, allows me to provide information for people who are begining to heal, or need input as they continue to heal from their emotional issues. When I was 18, I was a trance medium. After my father died, that was the end of my mediumship abilities, or so I thought. For the past four months or so, I have been communicating with people who have crossed over during the course of my Tarot/intuitive work. There are times when the information I receive, along with the character and personality traits of loved ones, amazes me. Now I truly understand the power of the gifts of John Edwards, James van Praagh and Theresa Caputo, the Long Island medium. My gift works differently than theirs. I still provide messages, but somehow, I have to hold a Tarot deck in my hand...and I also do other types of readings -- not just crossover work. So, while I may not be a nurse, I am definitely one who ministers to the well being of others. -- Wish No. 3 granted.

Wish No. 4 - I wanted to be an actor. Well, I did pursue it as a career, in Chicago when I was in my 30s. I had a few good print jobs and voiceover bookings. The improvisational and scene study classes I attended provided information that has been beneficial to me in many ways. For example, from improv, I learned to "be in the moment." If we live in our heads, we are not really living. There is a time for imagination and fantasy, but for day-to-day living, staying grounded and present is necessary. Through scene work, I realized that conflict provides for the growth of individuals and the clearing up and creation of karma. While emotional outbursts makes for great entertainment -- drama, in real life, temperance and understanding is what is needed. To quote my mother, "Maturity is the ability to exercise self control." -- Wish No. 4 granted...I am an entertainer, not necessarily an actor.

So, I have gotten all four wishes in one -- not necessarily the way I expected, but perfect for me just the same.

To sum things up, I am an instrument of angels and others. My wishes were granted and on that level, I am at peace and content -- living in the present and living passionately.

Are you willing to share your "when I grow up story... and how it turned out?"

Angels on Earth

My friend, Cindy Gardner, channels information from angels -- the archangels, other angels, and people's personal angels. An amazing gift! My intuitive gifts allow me to channel information from various sources -- angels, guides, relatives, and friends who crossed over. I usually don't always know the source of the information I provide until after I remove my foot from my mouth.

What prompted me to blog today about angels was how they work through us. The divine angels choose someone in human form to carry out their work. In essence, all of us are capable to carrying out the acts of angels. I remember reading about Clara Barton and Florence Nightingale when I was in grade school and how they were perceived as angels. So, for me, angels used to be about people who gave of themselves to help heal others.

Today, I view earth angels as people who provide help when someone is in need -- any kind of need. A simple act of kindness -- random acts of kindness fall into this category. There were many times in my life where strangers stepped in, seemingly "out of nowhere," and provided assistance to me.

One Thanksgiving Day, when my little Honda Civic and I were driving to Sedona to visit my friend Barbara I was taken under the wings of angels...

I was zipping along a reasonably deserted freeway when I heard a "knock knock" on the roof of my car. It's really easy to speed on an open road. My speedometer started to climb past 80 mph when I heard the first knock knock. I remembered I had a patched tire and needed to slow down. I did. About ten minutes later, my car was zipping along again and I heard another "knock knock." I remembered I needed to slow down because if I did not, my tire might blow. So I did. Once again, I my car was zipping along when I heard a "thunk-thunk" near the front wheel on the driver's side. I thought, "Oh cripes, my tire's gonna blow!" I could "feel it."

I moved over to the far left lane, and sure enough, my tire blew, however, my car stopped perfectly. Whew! When I got out of the car, I noticed the chrome piece around the tire was missing. That was the "thunk-thunk." There were minor skidmarks on the pavement. I was very blessed. I popped the trunk and pulled out the jack and mini spare.

I asked "God can I have an angel please?" I heard a voice in my head reply, "I already sent you one." I realized that was how my car stopped without spinning out of control. I shouted, "Can I have another one to change my tire?" Within ten minutes a trucker from Wisconsin stopped changed my tire. Apparently, another trucker saw me he picked up the message. Another angelic moment in the Mohave Desert. To top off two assists from angels, I was given a third. I was two exits (less than ten miles) from Rip Griffin's Truck Stop. My Honda received a new tire and I arrived safely at Barbara's three or four hours late.

To summarize, angels exist and we all have moments in our lives where we act as angels or do their work. Be an angel today and do something nice for someone -- anyone! I try to do this every day.

Did you get the message?

Most of us know what it's like when our intuition, guides, ancestors, angels, etc. try to help us, right? We often stumble, literally, seeking information or answers to our most burning questions, but fail to make the connection. I learned to acknowledge that we get what we need when we need it and that "getting" tends to save the day, bail our bottoms out, and pave the way for new opportunities, or better ways of handling current or ongoing situations. This is a "truism," at least in my world it is.

Then, I had an "aha moment" the other day. While speaking with a close friend, and without divulging a private conversation, I made a major connection -- Free Will. Part of the conversation revolved around listening to guides, or intuition if you prefer that word, and why they don't tell us directly what to do. Actually they do in life-threatening situations, but not when it comes to other choices we need to make!

Here's the message that I would like to share with you: When my guides tell me something, it is generally in the form of these types of questions:

• "Why don't you do ____________?"
  
• "Are you sure you want to say that?"
  
• "Are you sure you want to do that?"

I equate these conversations to the words of wisdom uttered by the Scarecrow in the "Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy couldn't decide which direction to take when she came to the end of the "Yellow Brick Road." He suggested two choices -- left or right. Dorothy ultimately chose her path and the Scarecrow came along to guide her. Guides are always with us.

The missing piece has always been the fact that we have free will. Too often, we keep making the same choices we always have, or some variation thereof. This may or may not take us where we want to go, or we take a mis-step from time to time. Maybe it's time to choose differently -- and wisely. A new perspective might take us somewhere else -- to a new experience that may enhance our lives. Dorothy ended up in Oz. I don't think I want to be filed neatly under "R" in the "O-Z" filing cabinet. I want to get to the Emerald City -- my Emerald City. By understanding that my guides really tell me what to do, I need to...

• To trust the questions they ask me,
• Get out of my own logic,
  
• Know that I have the wisdom to avoid doing something "stupid," and
  
• Know that I must make my own choices.

Sometimes it sounds like my father's voice channeling through my guides. Could my father be working with/through them? I did say ancestors, didn't I?

It is all about FREE WILL. The one thing I strive to do as an intuitive is to present all sides of a situation and possibilities to my clients without taking their power away from them.

The answer you may be seeking may often arrive in the form of riddle or a question. Know this and choose wisely. The information is there. The choice ... yours!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today would have been my father's 96th birthday. I had an emotional moment yesterday...and today. One of loss and remembrance. Rather than wait until Father's Day, or the anniversary of his crossing -- June 26th, I want to celebrate his life on the day of his birth.

Because of his love, wisdom, philosophical nature, willingness to roll up his sleeves to help someone in need, and genuine desire to be a "Mensch," I took his words to heart. He was my first spiritual teacher. In his mind, pursuing my passion, at that time, acting, was unacceptable to him because he didn't want to see my heart broken. However, developing my intuitive and mediumistic skills, participating in his meditation circle, and playing with Tarot cards was very much encouraged.

I once said, "If I had one-quarter of his psychic gifts I would be extremely blessed." Now that I am the age he was when he encouraged me to pursue this path, I realize I have surpassed my teacher in many ways. He enjoyed being the armchair psychic for a small group of individuals. An armchair was was not enough for me. I had to be the performer, even if it was not on the stage. I ventured out into the world with a mission to change the image of psychics, something I don't think he would have ever done. I will continue to entertain, enlighten, and empower as many people as I can using my gifts until the day I can no longer function. I know he is proud of me, even though he is not physically here to tell me that. There are times I "feel" him around...and that, is the best feeling of all!

My present to him, posthumously, is remembering how much he has influenced my life. So, Dad, the acting training helped me be a better entertainer, speaker, and teacher. I'm pretty fearless in the spotlight and grateful for having followed in your footsteps -- sort of.

A few years ago, I found a typed snippet among his clippings. I put it on my refrigerator. It says, "When money is lost -- nothing is lost. When health is lost -- something is lost. When character is lost -- all is lost." I think I would like to replace the word character with the word integrity. My father was a character who read people's character...and so do I. He was a man of high integrity and I am grateful to have learned from the best!!

Faith

When all else fails, there is faith. The other day, when I emerged from a meditation, the memory of a conversation I had with a former neighbor of mine popped into my head. As with all things that "pop" for me, it leads me down a road that includes memory rushes of various related incidents from my life. Without disclosing a private conversation with the Internet world, I can say that I was and still am in awe of my former neighbor's faith in God.

While the world is filled with many different religions and belief systems, the one constant I find is nearly everyone believes in some sort of a Creator -- a higher power. I like that concept because it allows for everyday miracles and provides a sense of faith -- a belief that if things are good, we are blessed, and if things are not good, we are blessed because we learn to appreciate what we have, the experience, and know that things will change and improve. They always do. This is my belief.

As I have gotten older, I have become more tolerant and understanding of people's beliefs, but I have become less tolerant of closed minds. Getting back to my day of faith, I realized, at least for me, that the word faith is very important today and every day. Without faith, negativity creeps in, fear takes over, and our light dims. Faith illuminates the darkness. I chose this card from Sasha St. John's Gentle Wisdom from the Faerie Realm deck because it reminds me exactly about trusting and having faith even when there is no indication otherwise.

Faith keeps us alive, hopeful, optimistic, and able to handle whatever comes our way.

Faith is what helps us over the hump when we are afraid of the future or the unknown.

Faith is the word for today and every day.

Faith is our ability to believe when there is no local or tangible reason to believe.

Faith is trusting that you can thrive, even when it seems as though the deck (Tarot or otherwise) is stacked against you. It's only a cycle.

Faith is the one word that you can grab onto to support you when nothing else is there to do the job.

Faith is the bridge, the conduit, the connection to the future.

Faith is the star in the sky that twinkles -- the one you wish upon.

Faith is what is needed when you have nothing to encourage you to to continue to trust.

Faith is what it takes to move forward even when you don't know where you are going. The Creator does, and if we embrace our ability to have faith, we can manage our fear of the unknown. Everything will be all right, no matter how it seems at the moment.

Am I a bit redundant? Possibly. Does it matter to me if I am redundant? No. What matters to me is, "Did I remind you of something wonderful to latch onto today?" I hope so.

KEEP THE FAITH, BABY!

Flexibility ... like a rubber band

The word for today is Flexibility. When it comes to work, relationships or anything that involves dealing with people, we need to exercise a certain amount of flexibility, tolerance, and acceptance in order to get along. As in life, we all have areas where we don't bend much. Think about a rubber band for a moment. They come in all sizes and shapes. They all have a purpose. So do we.

When I was in grade school a few of us used to play rubber band jump rope. I always had a thing for rubber bands -- they amused me. Here's a link down memory lane: http://www.topics-mag.com/edition11/games-jump-rope.htm.

A few days ago I had a new group of students in my Tarot I class at SMC and found myself letting people know how flexible Tarot can be, and how flexible I can be -- up to a point. One of my students had read a lot of books on Tarot and asked me, "Aren't you supposed to wrap your cards in silk and put them in a wooden box?" I just love those questions. My answer was, "Many people write that in Tarot books. Does that work for you? I have decks in boxes, Gevalia coffee cloth bags, a Crown Royal bag, Tarot bags, and all sorts of other bags and boxes. Your deck your rules; my deck my rules."

He was stunned by my answer. Why wouldn't he be? I didn't agree with what he read. He also said, "I read that you should not let anyone read with your cards." I replied again, "Your deck your rules; my deck my rules. Whatever resonates with you or works for you should be fine. It's all about you, not what someone else says you are supposed to do. Let me repeat this again, Your deck your rules; my deck my rules."

I explained to the class that I have some decks that I collect, and some decks that I don't let people handle because they are signed by some of my friends (the artists Arnell Ando, Robert M. Place, Julie Cuccia-Watts, and a few others) that I treasure. There are also two or three decks that I read with that I won't let anyone use. However, I also have a bunch of decks that anyone can handle. I'm a teacher. However, if anyone rifles or "poker shuffles" my decks, I become rigid and my rubber band personality breaks. Rifling decks wear them out faster. Easy does it and my rubber band snaps back into place.

So, my question to you, dear reader, is simple, "Do you know how flexible you are and under what conditions?" We all have our areas of "no problem" and "absolutely not." You just read about one of mine!

Full Moon in Virgo - Wha???

Having stopped blogging for a while for various personal reasons, I wondered what would get me started again. Is it the Full Moon in Virgo today? Is it because the moon's transit hits my natal chart in such a way that I feel compelled to blog? More than likely. Seriously, can astrology have that much of an impact on my life or anyone else's. Yes. How does a full moon impact you? This particular follow moon?

Astrology does make sense. When I look at the various incidents that occurred during the past two years, I cried out at the top of my lungs Sh-t!

Is this particular full moon smacking a you hard? All I know is the whole world is in a state of chaos, and transitions are occuring on micro and macro levels in a volatile manner, much like Tarot's "Tower." Astrologers can look at various charts of countries, people in power, etc. and explain what is going on, and why better than I ever could. I ony know a bit of it from what I intuitively pick up from energy flowing/not flowing, and an occasional flip of at least a half-dozen Tarot cards.

My own life as of late is positioned to make some sort of transition. I'm still weathering the storm by exercising discipline, trust, flexibility, action, and surrendering when I can do no more. This method works for me. Do you have a better way? I'd love to know. Tell me. Post it.

My mother used to say, "All things come to he who waits." My father used to say, "You need to follow through." They both were right to some degree. Aha, it is all about the balance of energies.

For me, this Full Moon in Virgo reminds me that I need to balance my perfectionistic self with my active go-for-it self. My image for today is Bruce Lee at his greatest -- kicking ass for the greater good.

Whatever you do on this full moon, look to see what thoughts, ideas, dreams, prayers, and plans you put into the universe during the last new moon. See how they played out, and then refine your action list for the next new moon. There is nothing more wonderful than seeing your dreams and plans come to fruition.

My favorite expression is "God/Goddess/Creator didn't bring me this far to drop me on my head and abandon me. He just wants me to shift, transform and become the complete person I was meant to be. I still have no idea how long that takes. Oh, yes, it takes a lifetime. Let this full moon be a wishing moon for you too. Let me know your thoughts. Post them here!

Relationships - Finding Lost School Friends

There are times when we reminisce and look back at our past relationships. I do not mean love relationships here, I mean old friendships from Grade School, High School, and/or college. Can you count at least one friendship from each school you attended that has followed you throughout your life? Can you count more than one? Can you kick yourself for losing touch with people you cared about due to procrastination, family interference, educational, career, or life choices? If you can freely admit that you miss some people, or want to know they are OK, please read on.

I met many people throughout my life who do not like to attend their high school reunions because they do not have good memories of those years. I must be the eternal optimist. I have always gone out of my way to be a friend to anyone who needed one -- even if they tossed me aside after their crises had passed. It was at a reunion that I really learned my worth as a human being and how many lives I impacted in a positive way, even if I was not the most positive at the time.

I have always been fond of reunions because it allowed me to reconnect and catch up with a few people -- if only for one night. I also reconnected with a few friends that were very dear to me, but due to life choices we had made, we lost touch over the years. Also, I made friends with people I never had a chance to get to know when I was in school. I really find that I am truly blessed in the number of people whose lives I have the privilege of touching in a positive way.

Take the time to search for someone you lost touch with who meant something to you at some point in your life. Whether you just need to reconnect one time or bring this relationship forward, use the Internet to Google them. Maybe they are Linked-In, on Facebook, or listed on Classmates.com.

I reached out to someone today that I haven't seen in over fifteen years. I hope she reaches back and we have time to catch up. Will our lives be better for the contact? I do not know. I just want to tell her, "Hey, I think of you from time to time and I hope you are happy!"

My message to you is simple ... take time to reach out to someone today ... in a positive way!

Relationships - Asking for Help

Just a quick post today. Are you someone who forgets to ask a friend for help when you need it? Are you the person who would give your shirt off your back to someone who needs it? Did it ever occur to you that one day someone might give you theirs? Are you ashamed to ask someone for help? If you are, more than likely fear keeps you silent.

If you are are a giver, have you learned to receive yet? If not, today may be the beginning of is a special day...as is everyday. Today should be the day you decide or affirm that you will ask for help when you need it. If the person you ask is unable to help in the way that you feel you need it, did they reach back in some way? If the answer is yes, you found a true friend.

When you hear the words "God never gives you more than you can handle," do you wholeheartedly believe it? You need to. Living is about having faith and knowing that if you have extended a hand in the past, someone may extend one to you. While it may not be in the way you expected, it will be in the way you need.

When you need help, do not be ashamed to share your journey with someone or ask for assistance. We are all here to help one another. While we may not always be in the most positive mental or emotional space all the time, do know that those thoughts and feelings are what binds us together in friendship.

Reach out to someone you love, or consider a friend who needs your help, and make their day brighter. If you are not having the best day, reach out to someone so they may help make your day brighter.

Life is to be lived and shared. As my late father used to say, "We are all on borrowed time. Make the most of the time the Creator has given you.

Relationships - Blessings from God/Goddess/Creator

Today, I would like to focus on the blessings we receive from God/Goddess/Creator. We are in the middle of a Mercury retrograde that provides us with one humongous, sneaky wallop. Some retrogrades are mild, some are overtly destructive, and others are...well they are all unique. This is a time when communications get snarled, relationship end, jobs end, relationships start, jobs start, computers act up (and I've had them crash and a few have literally burned), and all sorts of communication snafus may arise.

The day before Mercury went retrograde, I felt on top of the world, that I could do anything and the energy was light and perfect. The next day, I was knocked literally on my bottom. Thus, the flow of energy. So, as the avid surfers in SoCal are looking for that perfect wave, I am just riding the wave of energy moment by moment, day by day.

This past weekend, I was in San Francisco having a wonderful time at SFBATS. I enjoyed the company of my peers living in the wonderful world of Tarot. We explored many different concepts, uses, and the history of Tarot, etc. I felt like I was back in the loving, caring arms of old and new friends. When I looked over my notes from a few of the workshops I attended, I discovered that there were gaping holes in my notes and most of what I wrote down did not make sense. Retrograde? You betcha.

Mercury retrogrades are noted as optimal times to clean up old business and take things low and slow. They should be welcomed because they have a purpose -- to bring us back to ourselves and our humanity. Some of us find it a little difficult to stay focused during these weeks. It can be hard to not let our past come and bite us where we sit. Staying positive and optimistic is not always easy when we look down that dark tunnel with a speck of light at the other end, but we manage.

Today was a special day for me. While taking care of some personal business of mine, I became a bit emotional and shared my thoughts and feelings with the wonderful person on the other end of the telephone. I had spoken to her in the past and I know she deals with a lot of people, so I didn't expect her to remember me personally. I'm just a name and an account number. I thanked her after she put in a request to expedite my application. I don't remember what I said next, but she told me, "You always make me laugh and it brightens my day." I asked her, "You remember me?" She said she remembered my name because the last few times we spoke no matter what my day was like and my concerns, I always made her day. I do that a lot and I don't realize the impact I make on people. I like to make people feel better -- lift their burden. My father wanted me to be a mensch. I guess he got what he wanted, posthumously.

When you open your heart and share your spirit with others, you can make a difference in the world. By performing acts of kindness and support, when someone needs it, you will find that when you are in need, someone will give back to you.

Use this Retrograde energy to remove any people from your life that are toxic so that God/Goddess/Creator can replace that negativity with love, understanding and joy. Sometimes we need reminding that as difficult as life can be at times, a little light shines through and someone gives back to you.

Tell someone you appreciate them today ... and every day.

Relationships - Misunderstandings

Do you realize how important it is to be and have a good friend? Assuming you are there when your friend needs you, are they there when you need them? What happens if you either deliberately or inadvertently say or write something to your friend that hurts their feelings?

Taking it another step further, what happens if you tell your friend the truth and it's not what he or she wants to hear? Perhaps you shared your feelings and your friend misinterpreted your words and intentions? Maybe they reached out to another person for their opinion, and a wedge was then put into your relationship, possibly destroying it forever? That hurts very deeply, I am sure. If your fears and issues had not entered the picture, would this relationship continued to go on unscathed? Probably not. More than likely something else would have come up over time to test this relationship. The issues in relationships are always there. Misunderstandings always happen. It's how we handle them that matters. Take care of yourself and take your time when dealing with your desire to express yourself. You should be able to live comfortably with the results of your verbal or written choices.

My mother used to say, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I think she may have been right. No one likes confrontations. No one likes to be wrong. No one likes to feel that they have been taken advantage of, not been given a chance to apologize and have that apology accepted, or be given a chance to explain what they felt, what they did, and why.

The best thing you can do is to be thankful for the experience, understand that possibly your trust and fear issues may have gotten in the way, and maybe there was a good reason everything turned as it did. That's the hardest thing to accept because you may not have the answer to that for some time.

My intuitive and practical suggestions would be to accept that your relationship is no longer the same. This would allow both of you to find your own way in life -- focus on your own stuff and allow each of you to grow in different directions. Over time, you may realize that you had spent more time helping your friend achieve their dreams, and you had let your own languish, or was it the other way around?

Perhaps down the road, enough time and distance will allow you both to reconnect in a positive and forgiving way.

Is there a solution for this? I think so. I recommend learning to be comfortable in your own skin. These types of things will always happen. Own up to your words and know that as long as you live your life with honesty and integrity you can find peace in knowing you tried to do the right thing. In time, perhaps your friend may realize that you were only trying to express yourself, and you wanted to let them know how you felt. In the meantime, say a prayer or two for all of you, send them your love and good wishes for their journey and be grateful for having traveled that road on your journey through life.

Relationships - Mothers

A few days ago, I celebrated the 19th anniversary of my mother's death--her crossing over to the spiritual plane--the other side, if you will. I miss her, but at every turn in my life, there is some glimmer of her having been here. I look in the mirror and see traces of her looking back at me. In my behavior, personality, character traits--good and bad, I see her, too. I am the product of her genetic code to some extent.

I have been ruminating about the role mothers play in everyone's lives. Over the years, I have read cards and palms for hundreds of thousands of people. I have heard many people talk about their mothers and not all of what I heard was favorable. Not all of it was unfavorable either. Our humanity is what makes us who we are.

Now that I have reached the age where I embrace the concept of wisdom and cronehood, I see the relationship between a child and a mother in many different perspectives, and I can understand the various roles a mother (woman) plays in the lives of others.

Some of the roles mothers play are: friendly, loving, nurturing, suffocating, non-existent, toxic, drug- and/or alcohol-addicted, abusive in some way, supportive, aging, ill, and inspirational. Feel free to add your thoughts to this. What role your mother play in your life? Did it change as you did--as you grew older? If your relationship with her wasn't the way you wanted it to be, can you now accept the fact that she did the best she could?

Mothers often they deprive themselves or make sacrifices for their children. I know that there is an art to having and maintaining balance in your life if you have children or are a caretaker to an elderly parent or relative. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to mothering someone; it is a trial and error sort of thing. Babies do not come with instruction manuals.

Were you raised by the woman who gave birth to you? Were you abandoned? Adopted? Raised by a family member? Were you abused by whomever raised you? Did you raise yourself? What was your situation? Have you grown to be a positive contributing person to society as a result of your upbringing? I hope so.

Your obligation in life is to take the lessons you learned from the person who mothered or raised you, without blaming them for your shortcomings. Praise them for what they have done to help you become the person you are today, even if that was by abandoning you or abusing you.

My mother was a blamer. There are times, I blame people for things in my life. When I catch myself doing this, I stop, apologize, and ask to be forgiven. I hate being a blamer. However, I know that when someone has done something to me and I want to blame them for what happened, I look at myself to see why I allowed the situation to evolve the way it did and why I feel the way I do.

I acknowledge that I am a direct product my mother's programming and the programming of all people I encountered in my life. While I wish I had been more street-smart and less naive when I was growing up, I forged relationships based upon what I learned from her directly and indirectly. My lack of awareness when I was younger prevented me from making certain decisions. I have accepted the fact that I am the way I am. Any changes I make now depend upon how I re-program myself. I am a work in progress.

My mother knew how to squeeze a penny until it cried "please let me go!" She was beyond frugal. I am less frugal, but I also learned how to not deny myself things that I really, really want because of her. I learned to value things and I know what is necessary in my life and what is not. I understand her better now, and I have have a strong knowledge of life cycles--how things shift and change, and how we need to adapt and go with the flow.

While there is much I still need to learn, I credit my integrity and survival instincts to having been my mother's daughter, and I take responsibility for my actions. Unlike my mother, I am a square peg and I will not fit into a round hole. I will not make myself ill trying to please another person. I accept myself as a product of her belief systems and standards. I have also chosen to re-write the beliefs and standards that no longer serve me.

Regardless of your mother's shortcomings, addictions, issues, fears, etc. it is up to you to change your life for the better, and do the best you can with what you have experienced in order to live your life for yourself. Surround yourself with loving, supportive people and let the others go away, or send them away. How you handle these situations are unique unto you. Do the best you can with positive thoughts and work through your pain and anger. I know it is best to focus on positive thoughts and experiences only, so you can attract positive energy to you. What if you cannot? How do you process your pain, feelings of abuse and betrayal until you get to the point where you can let it go? Please comment and share them here.

Relationships - Staying Too Long at the Fair

I love to use the quote, "I stayed too long at the fair," when discussing relationships during the course of a reading. Four of the reasons people stay in relationships too long center around fear, love, trust and control issues.

Everyone in a love-oriented relationship wants to feel loved and secure. The desire to live happily ever after takes a lot of work, but there are times where no matter what you do, a relationship needs to end. How do we know when it is time to pull the plug? Is it easy to admit that a relationship is no longer viable? Can we acknowledge that we failed? Most people do not want to admit failure because that implies guilt and blame. If we can get past our emotions and not play (or stop playing) the blame game, we may realize that even though we love someone, we may have to say goodbye because our relationship no longer works. We are no longer happy.

Did we change? Is our partner resistant to change? Did we both change and discover that we no longer want the same things? People are unique and complicated. Relationships are like jigsaw puzzles. Each piece will fit perfectly next to two or more pieces, but all of the pieces need to be present to create a complete picture. The more complicated the picture, the longer it will take for us to put all the pieces together properly. There are people in the world who do not have the patience to wait for things to come together. Others discover that not all of the pieces will fit together--an important piece is missing. I like to refer to this situation as an eight of cups moment. In Tarot, one of the simplest interpretations of this card is: walking away to seek what is missing. Searching for fulfillment or taking a chance so that one can find what one needs.

When is love no longer enough to keep two people together? There are some people who know when to leave a relationship before it gets ugly. Others leave when it gets ugly, and there are a few who stay no matter what.

Depending on your age or life experiences you enter into relationships for reasons that are unique to you. I know the type of man I would have chosen as my significant other in my early twenties is not the type of person I would choose today. We change and evolve. We become wiser. If our partners change and evolve in the same direction that we do, we are most fortunate. If not, then we enter the market again and search for the next suitable partner. This should be an adventure--a quest to find love. It is not an easy journey. This may be why some people stay in unhealthy relationships.

Life happens. We lose jobs. If our parents are still alive, we may need to become their caretakers. Children still need a good education in order to succeed in the world. Sometimes we may need to go back to school in order to re-educate ourselves because the work environment has forced us out of our comfort zone. Perhaps we were not really comfortable but we were marking time--waiting for our next opportunity. Often we stay in jobs we hate or that make us ill because we need financial security. Even our nest eggs (if we have them) may take a hit when the economy dips, or we lose our jobs. We worry about our future and those who depend upon us. We need to persevere because that is what we must do. No one has it easy all the time. We should never give up living when life deal us a particularly difficult hand. However, when it comes to relationships, we may have to give up. Knowing when to call it a day is not always easy.

Where am I going with this line of thinking? To the heart of the matter. It does not matter how much you love someone and how much they love you. If you are not getting what you need from a relationship, you need to take a moment to figure out what you want and what you are willing to settle for or accept from your partner. Have one or both of you stopped communicating? Are you the one who is closed off? Do you find yourself eating more, drinking more, smoking more, needing anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication because you are not getting what you need in this relationship? Is your partner doing this?

If this sounds like you, you need to make a list of the advantages of staying in this relationship and the advantages of leaving. Do the same thing with the disadvantages of both. Write down what is keeping you tied to your partner besides love or the amount of time you both have invested in this relationship.

Are you trying to control the outcome or fix this relationship by yourself? Is that what your partner is trying to do this? Recognize that when one person is finished, the relationship is finished. Stop trying to convince yourself that the other person can change. The only person who can change is you.

If you are in a situation where you may need to end a relationship, here are a few more things to think about. 1) Would you be happier with or without this person? 2) Can you get what you want from this relationship? 3) Are you able to give your partner what they need without resentment?

I hope these thoughts are helpful to you or someone you know who may be staying too long at the fair. If you have any ideas, comments or thoughts about this chapter in my Relationship Insight Series, I look forward to hearing them, responding to them, and I may possibly include them in a future blog entry.

Relationship Insights Series

What is the number one topic that people ask a psychic or professional Tarot reader? The obvious answer is love and relationships. Over a period of weeks, I will blog about various relationship issues that people encounter. Feel free to comment or email me with specific relationship-oriented questions, and I will provide information for you to think about in my intuitive, practical, no-nonsense manner in a future blog. Feel free to agree or disagree with me and offer your comments and insights, too. Those of you who know my work as an intuitive know that I can cut through the bull, present any situation for what it is, and provide more than one way to look at any situation so that you can choose the course of action that will best suit your life and personality.

Here's an example of what to expect in upcoming blog entries:

When I read Tarot cards at an event last year, a young woman asked me, "Can you tell me how my relationship is going to end?" I answered, "Did you want your relationship to end?" She stopped her dead in tracks. The stunned look on her face then turned to awareness.

How often do we let our emotions, fears, insecurities and doubts rule our lives? Probably far too often. I am certain you have heard people tell us that the energy we expend comes back to us--the positive and negative. While the manifestation process is not very complicated, what we often put into it is mixed energy. So, why are we surprised when the universe grants our wishes and we end up with things we don't want mingled with things we do want? We shouldn't be. We need to remember that everything comes about in its own time, and in the form that will best assist us in our personal growth.

Using the young lady mentioned above as an example, her fear that her relationship would end took precedence over what she really wanted to know. I felt that she wanted to know the following two things:

1) Am I going to live happily ever after?
and
2) Is my relationship is going to end?

I asked her, "Did you want me to tell you how to make your relationship flourish and what areas you need to work on to improve it? She said, "Yes." I proceeded to do just that, and I reminded her that her partner also needs to work on the relationship.

Her desire to live happily ever after and her fear that she might lose him created the compound question. Compound questions do not generate clean readings with Tarot or any other form of divination. Short, sweet and to the point generally works best for prayers, manifestation and when consulting a professional intuitive.

Stay tuned for the next installment in my Relationship Insight Series. Perhaps I will use one of your questions.

Open Hearted

Today I asked for guidance from Sasha St. John's Gentle Wisdom of the Faerie Realms inspirational cards. (You can find her artwork and this deck at http://www.sashastjohn.com/) The first card I drew was Opportunities, but since I am in the process of creating beneficial opportunities and letting inappropriate opportunities pass me by, I asked for another card -- one in which I could focus on for inspiration and healing. As always, when I take a moment to focus, whatever deck of cards I choose -- Oracle or Tarot, it always supports me. The card that appeared on cue was entitled "Open Hearted."

I live Open Hearted. I need to protect my heart and emotions every day. Why? Because I am just hard-wired that way. I am a professional intuitive. I care about people who come to me for whatever reason. I want to help them. That is what makes me who I am. The Internet has provided us with an opportunity to find nearly anyone that we lost touch with over the years. What a wonderful gift we have been given -- the ability to reconnect with people from our past. On the other hand, sometimes we need to disconnect from people in our life, too.

Living with an open heart can create problems, because sometimes we hurt the people we love. Relationships are difficult because we have issues, hot buttons and wounds, and sometimes we let them get in the way. Today I lost a friend. I let her down in her time of need. What she may never know is that her pain was also mine. I let her terminate our friendship because I could no longer watch her make mistake after mistake. I turned into my mother. I am a know-it-all bitch. Oops. Did I make a mistake? Probably. I tried to share my wisdom and experience with her and explain why certain people do what they do, but she was unwilling to see my point of view. I still love her and will always have her in my prayers. I wish I could talk to some people in a way that does not hurt either of us, but being silent and not commenting is difficult for me.

I may be a strong person, but being an empath is not easy. I can be abrasive at times and I spew and vent and complain because that is how I get rid of the pain I feel from being an open-hearted, loving person. While I know this behavior is not considered healthy, I know it helps me release the pain I absorb. People who know me, know that I mean well and they understand that there are some things about me that I cannot change. It is not that I am unwilling to change, there are somethings that I just cannot change.

When I read for people who have relationship issues, I remind them that you cannot make people change. People will change if they want to, or if they can. When a relationship runs its course, it is because it has reached an impasse. I reached that point today. I could have accommodated my friend and made her feel good, but I just couldn't do it anymore. It was too painful for me to just listen and be "positive" because my realistic, practical side took over. I cannot change who I am. I acknowledge this fact. I can modify my behavior to a certain extent, but there comes a time when I cannot bend anymore. My close friends accept me as I am -- good, bad and indifferent, and I accept them exactly as they are, too.

The reason this friendship has come to an end is that I could not be the type of friend she needed/wanted. There are some personality traits that I possess that can be modified, but for the most part, I cannot walk on eggshells in any relationship for a long period of time. My close friends and others who know me, know my faults and understand that sometimes I am not a pleasant person. How does one protect an open heart? You do the best you can and hopefully that is enough. I would like to know how you protect your open heart and not feel such intense pain. Please share your thoughts and ideas with me. Thank you.

Reflection on Self

The word reflection keeps popping into my head today as does the story of how Narcissus spurned all of his male and/or female suitors and was punished by the Goddess Nemesis. She made him fall in love with his own reflection. Realizing the beautiful boy he was looking at in the pool of water was his own reflection, Narcissus took his own life. Why do I mention Narcissus? I mention him because the movie, fashion, and advertising industries keep bombarding us with images and words that tell us we are not thin, rich, successful, attractive, or desirable enough. Low self esteem sells products. Simple.

Why do I mention this aspect of reflection? I mention it because when we look into a mirror, we generally do so to make certain that we look presentable before venturing out into the world. Can you pass a mirror without taking a quick look at yourself? If so, how many times do you pass it before you take a look? Looking in a mirror can provide you with a reality check. Does your reflection represent how you feel inside? Or is it distorted? What do you think when you see your own reflection? Are you pleased with your appearance? If not, you should stop dwelling on what you perceive to be your flaws. Everyone is unique and beautiful. Find something about yourself that is attractive. Chances are you will begin to feel better, stronger and happier once you see yourself in a different light. If you like what you see, then pat yourself on the back.

When we reach a certain age, we change. It is inevitable that we will become older versions of ourselves, and in some cases we will turn into our parents to a greater or lesser degree. We can stay young forever in our minds and hearts if we choose to do so. There are days when I feel ageless, and then again, there are days when I feel old. This is a fact of life and it is OK. Of course, there is Plastic surgery and its non-invasive treatments if someone wants change their external appearance. Superficial changes may make someone feel better about themselves, but it will not change what is going on inside of them. If we change ourselves from the inside out, we are doing the work we need to do. We need to keep learning and growing and changing. I believe that reflection is necessary for introspection--before action.

Most of the time, when I look into a mirror, I look beyond my appearance. When I do this, I start reflecting upon my past--specifically, what kept me from doing what I wanted to do when I was younger. I remember how my issues and my parents' programming prevented me from fully embracing life. They wanted to protect me. I was so sheltered and naive. I occasionally feel the pain and loss of many missed opportunities, but then again, I reflect upon the choices I did make. I am thankful for the person I have become. Know that your life experiences contribute to making you the person you are right now. You can change any aspect of your self except for those things that are hard-wired into you. However, you cannot make someone else change. They will have to change if this is what they want to do. Remember this. Reflect upon that fact that you can only change yourself and monitor your actions.

Reflect back on some of the decisions you made in the past that impacted the lives of others. Think about the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." Can you recall at least one incident in your life where you made a decision to do something unselfishly and helped someone? If you did, you helped make their life better. In that instance, you were an angel. You helped create a small miracle.

Now, take a moment to look at the decisions you may have made recently regarding your own life. If you haven't made any decisions yet, are you are at a turning point? If so look at your options. Write them down. Do a storyboard or flowchart of where each option can take you. If you reflect on your past choices and experiences, you may be able to see things more objectively and clearly. Your life has taught you many lessons about yourself and the people with which you interacted. Trust what you know, and in a short while you will be able to transform your life. Little by little. Do not be in a hurry. Time and delays can be extremely helpful. If in doubt, reflect back to a similar situation in your past. You will do well.

One more thought on reflection...

When you look into a mirror say the following: "Mirror mirror, who am I?" The mirror will not answer you. You may not recognize yourself, but a small voice inside of you will direct you to start healing your wounds and work on the issues that block you from your childhood and young adulthood. Trust that your inner child will help you do your work.

Be mindful of your thoughts

My friend, Cindy Gardner, an intuitive living in Washington State channels angels. During a conversation we had a few years ago, she said, "When you ask the angels for help, the response is instantaneous." She was right because they responded immediately when I asked them for a universal message, today. In a flash I heard the following: "Be Mindful of Your Thoughts!"

When you say a prayer, to whom do you direct your request? Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, Goddesses, Saints, Angels, Archangels, or some other entity? I notice that I am inconsistent when I direct my prayers out into the universe or ask for divine help. The direction of each request tends to be organic. The statement, "Be mindful of your thoughts," is very simple. What you think you can create, you can. Sometimes the end result may not be exactly what you wanted.

Whenever you find negative or dark thoughts creeping in, recognize the power contained within them. Feel the darkness for a moment. Contemplate where obsessing or focusing on them will take you. If you don't like that place, think about how you can shift your energy so you can bring yourself out of darkness and negativity into the light, loving embrace of the wings of an angel.

It is almost impossible to ignore negativity, especially when it appears front and center in our lives. We just need to find a way to balance the light and dark energies. Every day, I am aware of my thoughts as well as those of others. We cannot escape into a fantasy life, but we can have our fantasies to escape into for a brief moment or two. Wishes and fantasies can come true, but we must be mindful of how we create them.

Six and a half years ago, I said, "The only way I was going to adopt any cats while Dante (my then 19-year-old cat) was alive was if they showed up on my doorstep and were black, Siamese, gray, or gray tabbies with white bellies." One morning, I discovered a starving gray mother cat with four kittens--two Siamese and two grays on the balcony behind my resident manager's apartment--all long haired. I should have said short haired. All kittens and their mom ended up with loving homes. Looking back in retrospect, I should have been a bit more specific in my thought and request. I have never regretted adopting the two Siamese boys for a moment.

Be mindful of your thoughts...and words! Angels listen and the gifts you receive may not quite be what you really want, but it can be a small miracle and eventually you can see the value in those gifts. You have the ability to transform, learn and bring into your life what you want! Be more specific and watch the conjunctions and negative verbiage.