Sunday, July 29, 2012

Celebrating a Miracle

Seven years ago today, my husband was shot in the line of duty.  I ran into the medac who reached him first that evening just this week.  Every year during the week before the anniversary of the shooting, I will run into someone from the team that night who helped save his life.  I don't find that coincidence but something else, something more magical at work.  The medac, who's now an ICU nurse, said he writes it on his calendar every July 29 as Mike Fey Day.  I like the thought of that.  Then he looked at my daughters and said, "Your daddy is a very strong man." He turned back to me and said, "We were just talking about that night and about how many miracles had to occur for him to live.  We all agreed that God was present that night."

I have no doubt that God was indeed present that night.  And seven years later I am so grateful that he is still here to be by my side as my husband and to be here as the great father that he is to our three daughters.

This experience has also taught me so much about the power of forgiveness.  The man who shot my husband tried very hard to kill him that night.  He shot him in the neck, and when backup arrived, the shooter had his gun pointed to Mike's forehead trying desperately to unload it as the gun miraculously jammed again and again and again.

I have forgiven this man again and again and again, and yet my forgiveness tends to misfire too.  There are times when I'm reminded of what this shooting has taken from us, and I get angry all over again.  Still, I am a work in progress and I am trying and getting better at this forgiveness thing each year.  Today, after church I walked back to the chapel and lit a candle for this man's soul and prayed that the light of this candle would lead him to a better place, a place of healing and maybe even forgiveness.


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

What Do Animals In Your Dream Mean?

I received an email recently asking about animal dreams.  The person said he keeps dreaming about riding a horse through a forest.  I told him that since horse symbolize self-confidence and forests symbolize new growth, the dream probably meant that his self-confidence would soon help him blaze a new trail of success.  If you find yourself dreaming of animals, here what it may mean:

Horses: Self Confidence and Strength.  If the horse is riding free, you're feeling great.  But if the horse and bridled and scared, ask who's stealing your thunder in your present life.  Who's taking away your confidence and making you feel trapped?

Cats: Independence and self-reliance.  If that cat is happy and purring, it means you're happy and secure with who you are.  If the cat is meowing or lost, ask yourself where you may be neglecting yourself.

Dogs: Loyalty and Friendship.  Dogs symbolize our relationships.  If the dog in your dream is fighting or biting, who's attacking you in your present life?  If a dog is following you in the dream, who's hounding you now?

Tigers: Ambitions.  If you dream of a tiger, you might be secretly hunting for a new career.

Birds: Freedom.  If the bird in your life is flying, you're feeling great and in control of your life.  If it's caged, reflect on where you feel restrained in your current life.

Rats: Betrayal.  If you dream of rats, you might be feeling as though someone has betrayed you.

Spiders: Conspiracy.  Is someone at work conspiring against you?  Do you feel trapped in someone's web?  You might if you dream of spiders.

Ants/Bees: Fatigue.  Often when we dream of these worker bugs, it means we're feeling exhausted at work.  Time to plan a vacation!

As with any dream interpretation, you have to look at what the animal or insect means to you.  If, for example, you have a huge fear of spiders, then dreaming about them would represent a time to face a huge fear in your life.

It's important to write your dreams down.  Keep a dream journal and you'll soon find yourself remembering more and more of your dreams.  Happy Dreaming!

Monday, July 16, 2012

I Hear You

Last week, I received a beautiful gift in the mail.  Someone sent me a card with a photo of the mailbox on the beach I shared with you all in my blog entry about facing fears.  I wrote that shortly before my surgery when I was trying to come to terms with all my fears and something about that mailbox with its prayers to God and messages of hope inside really spoke to me.

Someone, some wonderful person who reads this blog, anonymously sent me a card with a photo of that mailbox and inside were stamped the words I HEAR YOU.  I can't think of a better thing to have written, and it really makes me wonder -  isn't that all we need to know?  That someone has heard us, has been there with us through the ups and downs?  I once had a client, who was going through a painful divorce, say to me, "I just need someone to witness my pain so that years from now I won't think this was all a dream." I knew exactly what she meant.

Maybe that's why I write this blog.

Sometimes when I share a few tidbits about a reading with my husband, he'll say, "Wow, you really saw that?" And I'll think, yes, I did.  I am really talking to a person who is now deceased.  And it kind of scares me.  When you really think about it, it's pretty miraculous.  Some days, I look at the angry scar across my breast, and I have to remind myself that this really happened.  I had cancer.  Many times, I look at my family and think, Mike and I created this and it's really wonderful.  But most days, I'm just going through the days.  My moments are filled with reaching out to clients, playing with my kids, paying bills, trying to have an adult conversation at least once a day with Mike, trying to find time to read or meditate.  But it's really rare that I reflect on all these big moments in my life.  So to have someone send me that card.  I HEAR YOU.  Well, it meant the world.  It says to me that I matter, that my experiences, my joys and my pains, might possibly mean something to someone.  Isn't that all we want?  Oprah said that we're all simply seeking validation.  Maybe she's right.  But I'd like to think that what we're really seeking is connection -- the belief or hope that we're all connected, that we all matter to each other.  Everything we are and everything we experience effects those around us and because of that we have a purpose.

So to that lovely person who sent me that card: Thank you.  You made my day, my week, my summer. You've inspired many around me to send out their own cards to others which is great.  And, because my daughters and I went to that mailbox and sent up a prayer for a safe surgery, my daughters now believe that God has written me a card.  So thank you for giving those little girls something very tangible to hold onto with their faith.  I am sure it will see them through their own ups and downs in their futures.

I am feeling very grateful as I write this.  I love writing this blog and I love reaching out and connecting with all of you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Be Your Own Psychic

Your intuitive ability is a muscle and just as we need to exercise our body and mind to strengthen and improve them, we also need to exercise our intuitive abilities if we hope to reach our full potential.  Following are a few fun exercises you can try to increase your intuitive muscle.

1) Place two stones in a bag -- one black and one white.  Ask yourself a yes or no question, close your eyes and pull a stone.  Black means no; white means yes.

2) Before meeting someone new, say their name aloud three times and try to picture what the person will look like.  Try to guess hair color, height and what color shirt he or she will be wearing.

3) When you wake up in the morning, take a few moments to center yourself before your feet hit the floor.  Breathe deeply and imagine the day unfolding as you hope it will.  Try to guess how many emails you will have when you get to work.  Ask your intuition who will be the first person to call you.  When you get in the shower, imagine the water becoming a healing shower of white light and feel it cleansing you of any and all negative energy from within and without.

4) When you go to bed, take a few moments to go over your day and review where you followed your hunches correctly and where you didn't.  Make note of your feelings throughout the day.  Were you given intuitive nudges?  Did you follow them all?  Select a crystal to place under your pillow and ask your guides to give you instruction while you sleep.

5) Lie down, close your eyes and scan your body.  Mentally focus on each body part, then your organs and then your chakras.  Notice if you feel any blockages or see any colors. Gray, black or brown areas can often indicate a blockage.  When you're done scanning your body, imagine a beam of white light going through your body beginning at the head and slowly scanning down to your feet cleaning and clearing away any negativity, blockages or imbalance.

6) Create an imaginary sacred space.  For me, it's a crystal cave.  My crystal cave is an amethyst geode looking giant cave at the top of a large mountain.  Inside my cave are two pillows, candles, and a crystal clear bridge that leads to the other side.  Some people imagine a temple as their sacred space, some pick the beach.  Others create a boat for themselves.  Be creative and have fun.  But make sure to create a space that you can go to quickly and easily for information, advice and meditation.

7) Learn how to ground yourself.  Imagine tree roots coming out of the soles of your feet and going hundreds of miles down into the earth.  Or you can picture an anchor line coming out of your lower back and going deep into the earth to ground you.  If you're really feeling disconnected, walk outside by yourself.  Breathe the air, take your shoes off and feel the ground beneath you, touch the grass, flowers and trees and really listen to the sounds of the birds and insects around you.

8) Practice opening and closing your chakras.  You always open from the root to the crown and close from the crown to the root. Some common visualization techniques include imagining flowers opening and closing or windows or doors.  Some people like to picture lights coming on and shining out.  Others visualize shades opening up.  I like to remind people that our chakra centers sit inside our bodies and shine out in front of us and behind us, so don't forget to visualize the colors shining out both in front of and behind you.

9) Think of a friend you haven't talked to in awhile.  Picture that friend in her home.  Send her the thought, "Call me."  Picture the words and send them right to her head.  Then visualize this person sitting down on a chair or couch in her home and picking up the phone to call you.  If this person calls you within three days of this exercise, it means you're a good sender of information.  If you call someone and they say to you, "I was just thinking about you!" That means you're a good receiver.  Most psychics are either a strong sender or receiver.

10) Practice meditation every day.  Take at least 10 minutes to sit in silence, breathing deeply and going within to feel centered and in touch with your higher self.

11) Join an intuitive development circle.  Check out your local metaphysical store or Unity Church for classes.  If you have four or more like minded friends, start your own circle.  Begin each circle with a grounding and white light protection exercise.  Then open your chakras and practice different techniques such as psychometry, muscle testing, automatic writing, and pendulum work.

12) Get in touch with your nutrition.  Pay attention to foods that seem to deplete you of energy and to foods that make you feel good. Drink lots and lots of water.

13) Get a dream journal and write down your dreams each morning.

14) Practice guided meditation techniques to meet your guides and angels.

15) If you need help making a difficult decision, go to your imaginary sacred space and picture two or three doors.  Let's say that you've been offered a job in California and New York, but you don't know which one to take.  In your sacred space, picture two doors.  On one, it says, "California" and on the other, it says, "New York."  Tell yourself, "When I open the California door, I will see what that choice will bring me."  Imagine yourself opening that door and let your mind go.  What do you see?  How do you feel?  Pay attention to everything.  Even if you just see a color, that means something.  Green means growth, for example, whereas red can mean passion and energy.  Repeat with the New York door.

And, lastly, don't forget to read!  Read, read, read everything that interests you on the subject.  For some of my favorite books on intuitive development, click here. Practice, practice, practice and awaken the intuitive you're being called to become!

Crystal of the Week: Iceland Spar Calcite

This beautiful clear stone, also called Optical Calcite, is a great stone for awakening latent psychic abilities.  It's an energy amplifier and is especially good for opening and balancing the chakras.  It works to clear away old, negative thought patterns and helps you to attract more positive energy.  Many crystal therapists recommend Iceland Spar Calcite for Law of Attraction work because of its ability to help the wearer release old negative thought beliefs that are no longer working.  Optical Calcite works great in crystal grids as it will help amplify the energy of the other stones.

If you have a fear of opening up to your psychic abilities, Iceland Spar Calcite will help you begin to clear away those old fears and awaken your third eye.

This crystal will help raise your vibrations and lift your consciousness to realize your true soul purpose. It absorbs the energy coming to the wearer and transmutes it into positive energy.  It also helps break down one's resistant to change while increasing confidence and courage.

I recommend meditating with Iceland Spar Calcite over your third eye to help clear away any old negative thought programming about your intuitive abilities.