What if your gifts had an expiration date??

We are all born blessed with our own special unique gifts. Gifts that ideally we are able to share with others. For some it is music or art, or design and engineering and for others it is our ability to communicate and touch another’s heart and soul. Each of us goes through the process of discernment as to what our gifts are, we search ourselves, we compare ourselves to others, we doubt and are paralyzed by negative thought forms that hold us hostage in our attempt to share our special gifts. And sometimes we find ourselves in a kind of holding pattern.. a limbo like state where life is passing us by and we still haven’t discovered our unique gift, and so we walk in a land of the unfulfilled.. waiting for the day when we wake up and have that defining moment of knowing. And what if that day never comes??? What if there was a cosmic expiration date??? Would you wait???…Its like being given a gift card at your favorite store and never cashing it in.  For me I never had a defining moment, instead my life unfolded in a particular way and then one day I knew that I was born to be of service in the healing of others. Just like that.. I knew what I was here to do.. and guess what… there was some resistance.. resistance in cashing in my gift card… my thoughts ran from ‘not me.. to ‘I’m not ready’ to’ I’m not capable, worthy, good enough’…. you name it…and yet there was still something inside of me that kept me walking forward to what is now my life’s path. 

I was doing an Akashic Record Consultation for a client and when I relayed to her what the Masters and Teachers were telling me about her gifts, she looked at me and said “that’s it?” .. “I thought it would be something bigger”.  You know what, sometimes its the simplest things that we do that makes the most impact. So don’t waste any more time not cashing in your gifts, just begin with what your heart is telling you to do, even if its just to smile at someone you don’t know each and every day and watch as your gifts grow in tandem with your desire to share more and more of them. 

What are the Akashic Records?

As we begin the 2^nd half of 2012 we may find ourselves feeling more and more of the energetic shifts that are upon us. For some of us it may seem confusing and chaotic, without rhyme or reason. You can get some clarity by having an Akashic Record Consultation to help you in knowing your soul’s purpose and how to best navigate these changing times.

Are you curious about what the Akashic records are?  This article from Edgar Cayce’s website is very informative. 

The Akashic Records contain the entire history of every soul since the dawn of Creation. These records connect each one of us to one another. They contain the stimulus for every archetypal symbol or mythic story which has ever deeply touched patterns of human behavior and experience. They have been the inspiration for dreams and invention. They draw us toward or repel us from one another. They mold and shape levels of human consciousness.  They are a portion of Divine Mind. They are the unbiased judge and jury that attempt to guide, educate, and transform every individual to become the very best that she or he can be. They embody an ever-changing fluid array of possible futures that are called into potential as we humans interact and learn from the data that has already been accumulated.

Biblical References: Book of Life

Information about these Akashic Records – this Book of Life – can be found in folklore, in myth, and throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is traceable at least as far back as the Semitic peoples and includes the Arabs, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Babylonians, and the Hebrews. Among each of these peoples was the belief that there was in existence some kind of celestial tablets which contained the history of humankind as well as all manner of spiritual information.

The first reference in Scripture to some unearthly volume is found in Exodus 32:32. After the Israelites had committed a most grievous sin by worshiping the golden calf, it was Moses who pleaded on their behalf, even offering to take full responsibility and have his own name stricken “out of thy book which thou hast written” in recompense for their deed. Later, in the Old Testament, we learn that there is nothing about an individual that is not known in this same book. In Psalm 139, David makes reference to the fact God has written down everything about him and all the details of his life – even that which is imperfect and those deeds which have yet to be performed.

Akashic Records or “The Book of Life” For many individuals this Book of Life is simply an imagery symbol of those destined for heaven and has its roots in the custom of recording genealogical records of names or perhaps early census taking. Traditional religion suggests that this book – either in literal or symbolic form – contains the names of all those who are worthy of salvation. The Book is to be opened in connection with divine judgment (Dan. 7:10, Rev. 20:12). In the New Testament, those redeemed by Christ are contained within the Book (Philippians 4), those not found in the Book of Life will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.

As an interesting corollary, in the ancient world, a person’s name was symbolic of his or her existence. According to Sir James George Frazer, author of The Golden Bough – one of the most extensive volumes on world mythology – there was such a bond between one’s name and one’s existence “that magic may be wrought on a man just as easily as through his name as through his hair, his nails, or any other material part of his person.” In ancient Egypt, to blot a name out of a record was equivalent to destroying the fact that the person had ever even existed.

Source:  Edgar Cayce A.R.E. website

 

Shadow play

I have to confess.. when it comes to relationships I am pretty much scared of my own shadow, and I am always the last to recognize it. Only in hindsight I am able to reflect back and see that yes once again my shadow has come out to play tricks on me so that I’m thinking it must be that other guy. It is HE/SHE that is pushing my buttons and creating conflict, not ME!!!  Except when I think about it.. whose buttons are being pushed?… mine.. so I must own the buttons.. and that it is some part of me that is pushing them.  The shadow can be very deceiving or in medicine wheel language..coyote.. and just when we think we are on to something good.. there it is.. looming like a cartoon character when the shadow is so big that it can take over the entire room. It can be very scary to come face to face with your own shadow and until you can recognize it, know it and love it.. it will keep you thinking that it must be that other guy. This happened to me with the last romantic relationship that I was in, my shadow scared me so badly I took the next available exit.. I’m outta here… realizing only later on that I had come face to face with the deepest, darkest part of myself.. the part that I have a hard time owning.. and that is my overwhelming fear..my fear that I won’t make it.. my fear that I will lose everything and everyone that I have ever loved… the fear that I will never be able to accept myself as I am… and the fear that I am unlovable…and that is HUGE!!..  Awareness is half the battle.. the more information I have about myself the more I will be able to know myself and recognize the shadow when it shows up, the other half of the battle is to accept and love myself, thereby accepting and loving  all of me including my shadow self.  I can not allow myself to think of the price I have paid for such expensive lessons, only that I am worth any price to get to the place of peace that I crave. In order to do that I intend to learn to play nice with my shadow and maybe in time my shadow will become my friend and not be so scary anymore.

The physicality of emotions

“We do not understand the true nature of the emotional body, but it is so intrinsically a part of the physical , not separate at all. We must allow emotions to be restored to what they are meant to be – freely flowing – by becoming fully conscious of the ways in which we prevent ourselves from feeling what we feel. We stop our emotions on a regular, thoroughly unconscious basis. We who believe we are conscious are just as susceptible to this as anyone. We’ve been doing this habitually for eons.. It is time to reclaim our emotional Selves.”~~Stephanie Azaria/Cosmic Path

Reading this quote this morning on Cosmic Path I was reminded once again of how important it is to check in daily with our emotional and physical body. When we ignore the emotional and physical bodies we are more susceptible to disease, illness, anxiety, fatigue, negative thought forms and feelings of apathy. These are the symptoms of the body trying desperately to get our attention. Emotions need to be heard and to be paid attention to. Many of us are so used to ignoring these cues that the body gives us that we are walking through life as wounded soldiers, not living the life that we desire and we don’t even know why.  Most of the work that I do through Spiritual Direction, Heart Centered Therapy and Somato Emotional Release addresses these emotions in the body so that they are given a voice in which to be recognized and processed and ultimately released.  As they are released the physical body is able to integrate them to allow the body to come back to homeostasis and feelings of well-being. This frees up so much energy in the body and mind that the end result is a person who experiences mental clarity, more energy, and feelings of contentment and joy. There are some things that we can do for ourselves that can be helpful in recognizing and processing these emotions such as; journaling, breath-work, body focus meditations, along with finding a practitioner trained to help us navigate through this journey. And it is a journey, one that takes us to those inner realms that are calling us to explore and discover parts of ourselves that we so often hide from.  So the questions to ponder are..who am I?… am I living a fully conscious fully realized life?… what emotions am I hiding from?.. what feelings do I continue to ignore?.. how is that affecting my life..my body.. my mind.. my spirit? Allowing yourself time to go within and ask these questions is one of ways we can begin the process of having deeper knowledge of the self.  And if you need some help, contact me on my website www.sacredlistening-sacredtouch.com, I am available for in person or long distance sessions.

Thru the Looking Glass

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Is it just a little bit painful, perhaps? Or is it intense scrutiny of the latest wrinkle or pimple or chin hair? When was the last time you looked at yourself with love in your eyes and in your heart?

We live in a world where looks matter, where comparisons are made every day. Even in our magazines we can see articles of  “Who wore it better?” and they have people actually voting and judging. We are doomed to feeling less than, not enough. We cannot change the world we live in and frankly why would we waste our energy trying. What we can do is begin a practice of loving ourselves by actually liking what we see in the mirror.. But first you have to look beyond those eyes that are trained to be critical. How do you do this?  I will tell you what has worked for me.. First view it as an experiment, with you as just the observer, then look only in your own eyes, no where else.  Take a breath,look deeply and let go of judgement and then let go again and continue to just focus on the eyes. You may not be able to look into both at the same time so just focus on one eye. Now connect to your heart, soften your gaze, and feel the love flowing through your eyes. It may not be easy the first time, that is why it is called practice. Keep practicing and before you know, you will begin to see the beauty that is in you, as well as the beauty that is in each other.  I see you and you are magnificent!!.. Love and Light…

How would you define progress??

One question and the buzz begins as Audi comes up with their campaign to use Social Media to expand marketing strategy.. My sister, Michele Lorito-Chase, who I always say got the brains and the legs in the family, answered Audi’s question with ” When a good idea becomes a building block for a better one”… and that makes sense to me in every way, even when it comes to spirituality.

The contest that Audi is putting on ends tomorrow with the prize of $25,000. going to the charity of the winner’s choice, my sister has lived her life generously, compassionately and has always been in service to those in need.. I say Audi has a shoe-in winner. I don’t know much about Twitter or Social Media, but I do know my sister who Audi hash marked #oldphone at #what progressis and she is their and my best bet. If you are on twitter, please post for ghostexectutive group and help Michele win for charity.

Blessings

John O’Donohue‘s blessing,

Beannacht

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colors,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.
~ John O’Donohue ~

(Echoes of Memory)