Thursday, March 31, 2011

Email Rants

I hate getting chain-mail emails.  You know -- the ones that say something like, "If you pass this on to eight people in the next ten minutes something great will happen, and if you forward it to fifteen people, then a secret wish will come true."  Some are more ominous.  "Please keep this email going; if not, you'll lose money."
How many of you have gotten that stupid email about the five Saturdays in July???  It claims that if you forward this email with a simple, generic calendar fact then you'll receive tons of money.
Really?
And there are still atheists in this world?
How can one person seriously believe that by reading a prayer, poem or fact and then forwarding it, she'll magically receive money?  For what?  Really people? Come on.  Did you know that if you sacrifice a chicken on the altar of the rain god, it will rain?  Okay, that's a stretch, but not by much.
I find it fascinating to examine our society's belief.  We constantly vacillate between belief in a god or gods and goddesses, questioning the existence of a supreme power in the face of natural catastrophes and evil acts done daily by men and women.  But we don't question the power of sending an email to a random person on our contact list?
Worse than these emails are the ones spreading hate and fear.  This week alone, I've been warned of credit card theft at restaurants, identity theft by people claiming to be calling about jury duty, and an ominous email warning about a rapist waiting in gym parking lots.  Then I get the political forwards filled with fear and hate.  Obama's doing this wrong, or Bush ruined everything for us.  
So after receiving one particularly fearful political email from a friend, this is what I sent back:


There is a rhythm, a rhyme and a reason to this great poem called life. All we have to do is concern ourselves with the one word we'll contribute to this mysterious river. What is your word? Don't let it be hate, fear, anger or worry. I'm praying that we'll concern ourselves not with the triviality of politics but with the sacredness of our purpose, our word. My word is BELIEVE; I hope yours is TRUST.

Love to all who read this,
Samantha Fey



When I showed it to my husband (a political enthusiast and avid email forwarder), he said, "I don't get it.  What does that have to do with the horrible state of affairs in America?  Are you becoming a hippy?"
I just smiled because I guess some people will never get it.
What's the point of this blog?  A) Don't send me forwarded emails.  And B) Think before you buy into all the garbage, superstition and anger out there in internet land. We can't end it, but we don't have to participate in it.



Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Show Up and Do the Work

I recently started teaching a new class -- Introduction to Literature.  It's a great class, but it's not easy.  When the students saw the five page literary analysis outline they'd have to complete for each paper due, they got a bit scared.  One person told me he was dropping the class (which he promptly did) and another student raised her hand and said, "Is it feasible to pass this class?"

I smiled and said, "Yes, the majority of students do pass this class.  You just have to do two things: show up and do the work."

And as I said that, I thought how much that advice applies to life.  So much of what we go through, we fail at because we either don't show up or don't want to do the work.  I meet people every day who opt out of their life challenges either through drinking, drugging, complaining, avoiding, resenting or living in the past.

But we're here to pass a really hard class.  Some of us will fail, some will get passing grades, but some of us will soar with high A's.  And just like my English class, it will be fun at times (next week when we're studying poetry, I'm going to make them finger paint illustrations to a poem they've written), it will be exciting (we have debates on love, death and faith), and it will be meaningful (we'll be reading Faulkner, Shakespeare and Hemingway to name a few), but it will be hard (did I mention all the papers, quizzes and the final exam?)  Life is like this -- filled with ups and downs, twists and turns.  It doesn't matter if you're happy with this outcome or that one.  The key is learning from every twist and turn and then learning to be happy in each of these moments.  Easy? No.  Important? Immensely.

Life is school.  Plain and simple.  Some of us are in Kindergarten, others are in high school and some are in graduate school.  I do believe there are older souls who are here as teachers.  Make no mistake, just because I call myself a Psychic Teacher does NOT mean I consider myself an old soul.  I'm more like a Sophomore -- I think I know a lot more than I actually do :)

Here's what I do know -- we're not in this school alone.  We have fellow classmates, great teachers, tutors, principals, and counselors to help us get through and pass each grade.  We're also given instructions on how to complete our assignments every day.

Did you ever have that teacher that gave the quiz with these directions: If you're reading the directions like I've told you to, you do not have to complete this quiz.  Just write your name on the top and turn it in?  Gosh, those teachers got such a kick out of pulling that one on us.  And, for me at least, it worked. Twice.

That's how the universe works.  The directions are there; sometimes we just forget to read them.  Listen for your instructions.  Be patient.  Show up.  Do the work.

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it" -- Thomas Jefferson

"The big secret in life is that there is no secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work." -- Oprah Winfrey

And if you'd like to extend the metaphor from the classroom to the stage:

All the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players;
they have their exits and their entrances;
and one man in his time plays many parts,
his acts being seven ages.

As You Like It Act 2, Scene 7
Shakespeare

Show up. Do the work.  You'll be glad you did.





Sunday, March 27, 2011

Chakra Balancing

If you're feeling a little tired, unbalanced and stressful, try a chakra balance.  Choose 7 chakra stones --

Root -- red jasper, red tiger's eye, garnet
Sacral -- carnelian, amber
Solar Plexus -- citrine, yellow chalcedony, yellow jasper
Heart -- green aventurine, emerald, watermelon tourmaline, malachite, rose quartz
Throat -- blue lace agate, celestite, blue chalcedony
Third Eye - sodalite, labradorite, lapis
Crown -- amethyst, sugalite

Place the crystal on its corresponding chakra and, beginning with the root chakra, breathe in each color.  So for the root chakra, breathe in red.  Then breathe in orange, yellow, green, light blue, dark blue, purple and finally white.  Then bring your attention back to your root chakra.  Picture a red fan spinning.  Imagine flooding it with ruby red light.  See any dirt or debris coming off the red fan as it spins faster and faster.  Do the same with the orange fan, yellow fan and so on.  Make sure each fan is the same size and spinning in the same direction.

When you're finished with this imagery, just lay with the stones on your chakras for about 20 minutes.  Finally see yourself encased in a beautiful white light.  When you're ready, slowly take the stones off starting with the root chakra stone and finishing with the crown chakra.

For more information or pictures of these stones, go to my website www.thecrystalchick.com and click on How To Use Your Chakra Bag.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Who's Your Animal Guide?

Many people believe we're each assigned animal guides who help us navigate the many turns and bumps in our life path.  While I do believe this is true, what I find even more helpful is paying attention to the animals that come and go throughout your journey.  Nature speaks to us all the time.  What is it saying to you?

For example, when I was re-opening my intuitive gifts, I kept seeing butterflies.  For months and months, I would see literally 50 to 60 butterflies a day.  Mostly, I'd see the plain yellow ones, but occasionally I'd see the beautiful monarchs.  I knew what the butterflies were telling me.  "You're in the cocoon; soon it will be time to fly and get out their with your intuitive abilities."

 A friend of mine was going through a difficult separation, and he did not want to get mired in the ugliness that divorce can sometimes evolve into. But then he kept seeing a fox.  First in his yard, then running across the road by his work.  He saw this fox over four times in one week.  The message was clear.  "You don't have to fight ugly, but you do have to be clever and prepared." After avoiding the subject for weeks, he finally made the painful decision to file papers and hire a divorce attorney.

Begin to pay attention to the animals, birds and insects you see throughout your day.  Sometimes, they come to as signs from our loved ones.  Other times, they're here to help us make important decisions in our life.

Here are some meanings of some animals that may keep appearing in your life -- whether in person, in meditation, your dreams or through various media outlets:

DEER's Message: Wait. Now is not the time to rush in to anything.
The deer is a symbol of grace, elegance, and patience.   If you're fighting with someone or if someone is bothering you, now is not the time for a confrontation.  The deer asks you to turn the other cheek, to take the high road and to be patient.  The deer asks you to forgive and forget.

BUTTERFLY's Message: Change is coming.  The butterfly, newly changed from its caterpillar existence, comes to us with a message of change and transformation.  The butterfly is telling you to expect change, to embrace it, and to prepare for a transformation.  If you're feeling scared to make a change, the butterfly appears to remind you to spread your wings and soar!

FOX's Message: Approach your problem from a new angle.  The sly and clever fox is here to remind you that you need to look at a problem in your life from a different lens.  It's time to think outside the box.

OWL's Message: Trust your intuition! The wise owl is here to tell you to listen to your inner voice, pay attention to your dreams and start to trust your psychic abilities.  The owl also asks, "What aren't you seeing?  What do you need to pay attention to?" And he reminds you to trust your gut.

HAWK's Message: Widen your vision! With its keen sense of sight, Hawk can see a panoramic view of its world.  The hawk asks us to view our problem from a wider perspective, to look beyond the surface. It can also be a message that your inner sight is opening up as well.

WOLF's Message: Join the Pack. Because the wolf survives and thrives by its pack, the message of the wolf is often to get out there and embrace a community of like minded, supportive people.  The wolf asks you to be a team player and to work with a spirit of cooperation.

BEAR's Message: Own your Power! Bears can be smart and calm, patient and maternal but strong and fierce.  Know that you have the same qualities in you.  Sometimes bear reminds us to be a mama bear and look out for a family and friends.  Other times, bear asks us remember our strength, inner power and courage.

LION's Message: Don't be afraid. If you're seeing lots of images of lions or tigers, it's a reminder to take charge.  Drop fear.  Now is the time to pounce and make that change knowing that you have the confidence, courage and ability to do so!

DRAGONFLY's Message:  Enjoy the Moment.  With its short life span, the dragonfly is here to tell us to relax and find joy in the moment because life is short.  The Japanese view the dragonfly as a symbol of victory, and the chinese see it as a symbol of luck and prosperity. The dragonfly lives in two worlds -- air and water.  So often the message of dragonfly is to seek balance, to look past illusions and embrace your maturity and the lessons learned.

HUMMINGBIRD's Message: It's time to let your heart heal.  Enjoy life! The hummingbird lives on nectar and spends its life seeking the sweetness of life.  Hummingbird reminds you that life is meant to be enjoyed.  It's time to move on from a painful situation, to put the past behind you and seek out the sweetness of your life.

Look up and around you this week and always.  Pay attention to the nature that is all around us.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Live Your Dream

I met a lovely client today whose dream is to sell cakes.  She's worked in a bakery for years, creates her own recipes and can decorate cakes better than Martha Stewart.  She said baking is the way she relaxes; it makes her feel happy to see her creations put a smile on someone's face.  This came up in our reading because I saw her opening her own business.

"Oh no, I don't think I could do that."

When I asked, "Why not?" She explained to me about her love of baking and her extensive training but said, "I could never do that.  I'm too afraid."

I'm too afraid.

How many of you have said no to your dream because you, too, are afraid?

It is scary to pursue our dreams and risky too.  Often we won't get support from our family and loved ones. We might be walking away from a good job, nice benefits, secure retirement plans.

When I decided to start doing readings, I was terrified.  I had a great job teaching English in a small and supportive college environment.  I had great benefits, a good group of friends around me, I was well liked and respected by my students.  The hours were great too.  Monday to Friday 8 -2.  But I had a bigger dream, something that involved more than teaching students how to write research papers and marinate in Shakespeare's amazing words.  I wanted to connect people with their deceased loved ones; I wanted to prove to people that life does continue on, that God is real, there is an after life, and a reason and a purpose to everything that happens in our life.

I started out slowly.  Just one Saturday a month.  Then I moved to Fridays and Saturdays.  After a year of that, I switched to part-time teaching and began doing readings three times a week.  It was invigorating and scary.  People peppered me with questions dripping in doubt.

"What if it doesn't work out? Can you get your job back?"
"Will you get social security if you work for yourself?"
"How will you get benefits?"

These were all good and valid questions, and I think I handled them well.  I still teach one class every semester so I can keep up-to-date on teaching trends so that if I needed to, I could get my job back.  Yes, I will get social security because I pay taxes on my readings.  Luckily, I get benefits from my husband's job, and I sock away a percentage of my income every month into a Roth and 401K so that I can retire one day if I want to.  But here's the great thing about following your dreams: I don't think I ever will want to retire because I love what I do so much.

So while it is scary to pursue our dreams, it can be done properly with careful planning and preparation.  And the alternative -- not following your dream -- is much, much worse than your fear.  It's like a slow death to work every day in an environment that doesn't ignite your passion.

I haven a wonderful friend who decided to follow her dream shortly after giving birth to her daughter Ella.  She creates the most amazing baby blankets, burp cloths, soft blocks and more.  Can you imagine creating a business while nursing a newborn?  Somehow, she's done it and she's getting more and more successful with each passing year.  Just last month, she got to travel to New York City to meet buyers.  Let me tell you, she is on her way.

If she can do it, and I can do it, well, I just know you can too.

I read a great article years ago that I share with my classes each semester.  It's called, "Fifty Things to Do Before You Die." It's about creating your bucket list and actually following it.  I love the last line of the article: "If you want your ship to come in, build a dock!"

Start building your dock and soon your ship will come in.  And if you can release fear and hop on that ship, you'll travel to some amazing places.

Check out my friend's website if you're in need of some beautiful baby accessories:

http://www.ellajean.com/

Happy Dreaming!!!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

What's Your Mantra?

Every year or so I try to pick a new mantra -- a goal -- to which a lot of my attention and intention flows.  I think this is important because it helps me to select the lens through which I view my days and encounters with others.  Some of my prior mantras have been:

Use me dear God to do your will

Help me, dear God, to see your divine spark in everyone I meet

Every day help me to hold down the light in my corner of the world.

My mantra this year is: Help me to be of service Jesus with a willing spirit, a patient mind and an open heart.

I wrote this down and taped it to my bathroom mirror so that each morning and every night, I can remind myself to stay focused on my path of service.  It's not an easy mantra, and I don't always fulfill it.  I often get impatient and sometimes my spirit would rather just stay home with a good book, but I'm happy to say that many days I do fulfill this mantra and for that I'm very grateful.  I don't want to be a rolling stone, a leaf blowing in the wind.  I want to be a sailboat with a strong sail and a steady compass.

What's your mantra? Where do you want your thoughts and intention to flow this year? Try coming up with your own mantra, and you'll start to see amazing changes in your life.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Mental Illness

I did a reading for a lovely woman recently who had lost her sister.  I'll call her sister Jenny and I'll call my client Grace.

ME: "Jenny says she's with your mother.  Did your mother have a mental illness?"

GRACE: "Yes.  She was in and out of mental homes most of our childhood."

ME: "Jenny is saying that mom's mental illness has been lifted. She's showing me a clear plastic casing around your mom that was lifted off of her upon arriving in heaven.  Jenny's smiling because she says it's such a joy to finally get to know your mom as she really is.  Your mom is really a lovely soul, a very bright light."

I could tell Grace didn't know what to make of what I was saying.  I tried to explain it to her the way Jenny and my guides were showing it to me.

ME: "If you think about it, didn't your mom and her behavior make you a better person?  You're incredibly strong, you can endure and face many challenges, you're independent and you definitely know how to stand on your own two feet. That is your mom's gift to you.  She chose to incarnate with this mental illness to teach you these lessons.  It's really quite a sacrifice on her part."

GRACE: "I never thought of it that way."

Neither had I.  It still amazes me as I sit here writing this.  I wonder if it's true for all mentally ill people or just some?  I don't know.  All I know is that Grace and Jenny's mom is a highly evolved soul who chose to live a life of chaos and pain just to teach these ladies some very important and difficult lessons.

I really believe that we're all here to learn one thing -- LOVE -- in all its many facets: joy, passion, compassion, forgiveness, empathy, surrender, trust and on and on.  I love my job because I learn so much from every reading.  And most of what I learn leads to more questions.  Why do we have to learn lessons the hard way? I mean I get that we have to experience something ourselves to truly understand it.  Pretend, for example, that you have to explain to an alien what Christmas is.  You could show the alien It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, even A Christmas Story and read all the books on Christmas, but the alien wouldn't really understand Christmas until he smelled the scent of fresh pine trees, felt the joy of giving and receiving gifts, experienced the solemnity of a Christmas service, put out a plate of freshly bakes sugar cookies for Santa and smelled the freshness of the first snow. I get that.  But I still wonder, couldn't Grace and Jenny have learned the lessons of strength, forgiveness, compassion and independence in gentler ways than a childhood lived walking on eggshells?

And what kind of love, strength and compassion does the soul of the mother need to have to agree, volunteer even, to live a life battling this mental illness just to teach her daughters these lessons?  Amazing.

I will forever enjoy the journey of seeking, the mystery of not knowing and the joy of experiencing it all.

Perhaps Rainer Rilke says it best:


"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart.  And try to live the questions themselves.  Do not seek the answers that cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them.  And the point is to live everything.  Live the questions now.  Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing, live along some distant day into the answers."
                                                                                               

Friday, March 4, 2011

I Need a Reading ASAP!

I see this subject headline in my email in-box about five times a day, and it always makes me laugh.  One client came to see me this week, and said, "I'm here because a friend referred you.  She said she'd been coming to see you for five years, and I said why? Why would you need to see a psychic?" The woman shrugged, pulled her shawl closer around her and said, "So when can I schedule another reading?"

I don't think she got the humorous irony of her statement, but I understand the sentiment.  It's hard to understand why someone would come to see a psychic, but once you go and get the validation and confirmation you seek, it can feel wonderful and, well, validating.

Still, the energy of those I NEED A READING NOW emails turns my stomach.  We should always be in touch with our own intuition to the point that we don't get that fearful.  I'm the mailman. I am here to deliver the message from your guides and loved ones.  Period.  But you can cut out the middle man, i.e me, very easily.

How?  Follow these easy steps that I call LET GO.

L -- listen in silence

E -- enjoy the stillness

T -- trust what you're receiving

G -- go within by breathing deeply

O -- open your chakras and receive

If you're feeling so panicky about a situation that you feel you must speak to a psychic, know this:  Something is wrong.  Go within, trust, breathe and then maybe call me.  If you have to ask a question such as "Does he really love me?" or "I think he's cheating" or "I think my boss might fire me." Please know that by the very nature of your question, you probably already know the answer.

Here's a sampling of what I received this week:

"Please call me ASAP.  I need a reading now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I'm available any time tonight.  No time's too late.  Please respond to this email now.  It's urgent!!!!"

"If you really care about people, you'll email me back right away. I really need a reading NOW!!!!"

Three different people sent me those emails just this week.  Yikes.  What do they expect? One was on a Friday night.  I was out to dinner with my family.  Should I have rushed home, put the kids to be and called this person.  "Hello? It's Psychic Sam to the rescue.  What can I do for you?" OOh, I like that image.  Wouldn't that be funny?  I could get a cape and everything.  Instead of a head thing, I could wear a gold star over my third eye.

But seriously, all the answers to your problems really do lay within.  We just have to learn to trust.  Sometimes, most agonizingly of all, we're not meant to know the answers at all.

So, please, if you feel you need a reading ASAP!!!!!!!, don't call me.  I'm not the intuitive for you.  Maybe you could try 1 - 900 - Psychics on Call.  But if you're looking for validation, confirmation and some guidance as you journey along the path of your soul, then call me.  Psychic Sam to the rescue!