When I began my animal healing practice several years ago, I worked for the second time with a sweet doggo who was excited to "see" me again and feel "the warm." When I asked for an explanation, I learned that the pet felt the energy as a warmth coming over them. And ever since, I refer to "the warm"!

I've been blessed (and awed) to experience this myself a few times. Decades ago I reached out to Spirit (by whatever name you choose to call it - I use Spirit or God) for help in a very upsetting personal matter. Immediately I felt as if warm honey was flowing over and through me, and as if a switch had been flipped, a deep sense of calm.

Many years later, I was experiencing a frightening situation at home. Talking with a close friend on the phone, she began to pray. My panicked tears immediately stopped, my gut relaxed, and a smile flowed over my face. Once again I was gifted with that Something from Someone that healed the situation.

I am still in awe that not only did I experience these two occurrences and more, but that I can share The Warm with my clients!

Many years ago, my closest friend and I were talking of our dreams. I said how much I'd enjoy being wealthy and she was shocked. She was raised that it was evil to seek wealth, and instead we should be of service to others. Knowing a bit about her family and their church affiliations I was not surprised, but I countered with this thought.

"You're struggling to make ends meet. You can't serve yourself, let alone anyone else, if you're in poverty. How many people could you feed, or house, or clothe, or educate, if you had pots of money?"

She responded that she had not thought of it that way, and I know that something in her spirit opened that day.

I know several entrepreneurs and practitioners in this holistic/ metaphysical/ well-being community who feel much the same way. "I'm not in it for the money." Well, why not??? Of course It is quite a different thing to be in it ONLY for money, for gain, for power. But how many more people could you support and serve if you had simply scads of cash? 

Aim for wealth, aim for expansion, aim for growth. Create a plan for what will happen when you do, what your dreams of service are. What we focus on grows, and that's how we create our reality. So take action now toward those dreams of service...what steps can you take now to get those pots of cash?

This PSA is being brought to you through the eyes of experience! Don't ignore physical sensations (I don't care for the word "symptoms"), but instead pay attention to what they may be trying to tell you.

Case in point: Me! I spent a great deal of my life in fear. Fearful childhood experiences, fearful school and then work experiences, fearful social experiences...and I never understood why. I was always told to "toughen up," shamed for my sensitivity, perceived shyness, and easily triggered emotion.

I've been reading a wonderful book by Dr. Judith Orloff, The Empath's Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, and it has changed my life. Now I understand! This book "appeared" just when needed (don't ya love when that happens!), as I'm going through a deeply self-reflective process, learning new systems and patterns of thought.

I spent my earlier life in fear because I was a highly sensitive soul in a very dysfunctional household, My mind, body and spirit are all hyper-tuned to energy around me. The result of this untreated life-long sensitivity as an empath resulted in some unpleasant physical reactions (off-balance endocrine system, especially adrenals; frequent headaches; tinnitus; IBS), which I now know are stress responses to energy overload. What a relief - I am neither a freak of nature or truly ill!

I've been working on this idea with a couple of trusted healers as well as my own intuition and guidance, and now I finally understand that there is nothing at all "wrong" with me! Rather, I am learning tools and strategies to ease the stress, tone down the body's response to energy, and change my perception/viewpoint of what is going on. I'm learning to see the tremendous blessings in being empathic, and far from needing to "toughen up," I would benefit by expanding my abilities and awareness!

I'm sharing this because I know for sure I'm not the only person who has or is going through this process. If you are experiencing physical results, do some research to find out what your body (an expert in its own state of wellness) is trying to tell you. Get bodywork, energy healing or spiritual counseling. Learn ways of moving the Qi (energy) through your body with QiGong, Tai Chi, Yoga, dance. Meditate - definitely meditate! 

Accept who - and HOW - you are, and rejoice in all that you can be!

One of my favorite CDs is a recording of a Celtic musical of Peter Pan. A highlight for me is a lovely song-poem which includes the line, "And those who trust shall grace attain."

This got me thinking...what is grace to me? And can it be attained? Can it be bestowed?

Most Christian religions teach that grace is "the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings." I disagree with this completely, because I do not believe in the concept of salvation or that some outside force decides whether you are worthy of blessings. (If you believe, otherwise, you're welcome to continue to believe that. I'm not trying to convince you otherwise!)

My definition of grace is that undefinable connection with Spirit (God, Allah, Universe, whatever your term for a higher power). I believe that this connection can be reached whenever you allow yourself to go deeply within, through prayer or meditation (which to me are the same thing), to that realm of no-thought. That space that is composed of only BEing. When you are in that zone, you are in grace.

And so, in a very real way, I believe that you can attain grace by entering into that "BEing" space. As the song says, when you trust that you can indeed reach that state, and then trust that your experience there is very real, that's where the magic happens.

In my view, in this lovely space of co-creation you tap into your blessings through this state of grace. Blessings are the result of the connection and the inspired action you take, trusting in the creation and the outcome.

No, I'm not talking about what car you drive to a meeting or what you're wearing! I'm talking about how YOU show up to others as YOU! Do you put on a mask or do you show your true self?

I grew up as a very talented people-pleaser, and so that's how I showed up...as whatever others wanted me to be. I paid close attention to cues so I would know how to adjust for the situation. I had no clue who I really was, at the core.

As I gained life experience (i.e. I aged!) I learned that it was not only very uncomfortable to work so hard at pleasing others and never myself, but it no longer worked! The time had come to show my true colors. I discovered in the process that others much preferred that authentic self, with humor and wit, love and compassion, confidence and strength. When I saw those qualities in myself, I saw them in others - funny how that works!

I am now part of such a large, caring community of holistic and metaphysical people. For the most part, we all show up as we truly are, hearts exposed. That by no means implies we're doormats or overly vulnerable, but it does mean that we are not afraid to be authentic. 

I recently met a woman who showed up as domineering, mean, abrupt and rude. I was shocked as I've been unaccustomed to dealing with that kind of energy. I don't know whether that is authentic for who she truly is. I can't judge, but also it is not important to me - it's doubtful I'd see her again. But it got me thinking about what seeds she's planting with that energy.

I choose light seeds!

Now there's a provocative question, and one which has been argued for millennia. Can you have spirituality without religion, or vice versa?

My own feeling is that religion acts for some people as a framework for their spirituality, ​a pattern or structure. One is not dependent on the other - one can be spiritual without needing or wanting the framework. And one is not wrong and the other right.

I know deeply spiritual people who choose a very structured spirituality, with strictly observed rituals and often, dogma. And I know deeply religious people who do not require much of the structure, but enjoy the rituals associated with their chosen religion.

I often wonder about those who strictly follow a particular religion because it's "what they do." I used to work with a woman whose church was undergoing major upheaval in their doctrine. One day she told me that "now we believe this instead of that." I never understood that - she was told what to believe by an outside authority, rather than by her own relationship with the God of her choice.

In my own spiritual life, I am deeply spiritual, with a very deep relationship with my God and Spirit, with no interest in ritual or structure. I follow my own path, appreciating and understanding aspects of several faiths. I remember that same woman once questioning me about that, saying, "You can't just pick and choose what to believe." I beg to differ!

Whatever beliefs or tenets you follow, or you don't follow, I encourage you to think and explore for yourself, for what feels right to you. The God-In-You knows what is best for you.

Are you old enough to remember the popular toys from the 1970s, Weebles? They were plastic figures with a weighted bottom so when they were tapped they'd wobble but not fall over, much like the later punching bags that are still available.

What on earth does that have to do with Abraham, and who the heck is Abraham anyway? "Abraham" is the name given to the energy channeled by Esther Hicks (Abraham-Hicks.com), and is one of the originators in our time of powerful teachings about how we create our lives.  For decades, this collective consciousness has guided millions of people around the world through concepts such as co-creation, law of attraction, and intention. I've been studying this work for a long time now, and recently was thrilled to be able to attend an Abraham workshop live.

Although I am still reeling from the wealth of knowledge I obtained that morning, the key concept that struck me is that of wobbling.  When we set an intention ("I want to...") followed by a condition ("...but...") we create an energetic wobble between the two. Wobble, confusion, creates a block between you and what you want. As I learned from Abraham, key to clear conscious focus on your desires is staying with the "I want."

Try it yourself. Throw your left hand into the air and say "I want" and state one of your goals.  Immediately throw out your right hand and say "but..." and state a condition ("but I don't have it...but I don't know how...."). Notice the strong shift in your body? Now once again throw your left hand out and firmly state an intention. Do it again. And again. That's the key to manifestation - a firm stance, no wobbling!

I'm often asked where my business identity "Lightseeds" came from.  Quite literally, the seed of the name was planted in me during sleep.  I woke one morning several years ago with the word firmly planted in my consciousness.  Over the next weeks, my business concept solidified and came to fruition.

But what does it mean?  I think the quote from Leo Buscaglia above says it all.  Every minute we're alive, we're spreading seeds - whether of light or the absence of light is up to us.  I choose the light, and so do my beautiful clients.  Every smile we send, every healing, every energy exchange, every handshake, every uplifting post, no matter what kind of transaction with another person, we are spreading more seeds, enabling the other person to then continue to sow.

Ever think your life doesn't matter?  I beg to differ.  That clerk you smiled at this morning was hurting.  The comment you just left on Facebook meant the world to someone who read it. The friend you just offered to help is now in a better position to help someone else.

And so it continues...seed after seed after seed.