There but for the grace of God go I.

There but for the grace of God go I. It’s a phrase I’ve heard often, and maybe not given it as much weight as it deserves. If you look it up, the definitions include:

 1. used to acknowledge one's good fortune in avoiding another's mistake or misfortune.

2. variants: ‘it is only through God's grace or factors beyond my control that I have not suffered the fate of someone more unfortunate than myself’; typically expressing variously sympathy, understanding, or gratitude.

I’ve had a lot weighing on my mind and my heart lately. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day to really reflect on things that need some deep thought. Luckily however, I find myself having a couple of unexpected days off. Coincidence? I think not! 

When I have mornings where I do not have to rush, I usually spend a few extra minutes at the barn getting chores done, feeding, talking to the horses and the cat, etc.. it’s the perfect time to think. But my thoughts were not on this phrase this morning, not at first. That came later as I was finishing up. My thoughts were on the way the world has changed so much since I was a kid. How family dynamics have changed. Parents aren’t parents anymore, they want to be their kid’s friends. Discipline has become a dirty word. Everyone has the right to express themselves as they want, no matter how it affects those around them or society as a whole, unless they are expressing their religious beliefs.. God forbid! Political battles are fought and never won. And then there is the internet.. 

In my day, if someone had an issue with you, as kids, we took it out behind the school and settled it. But if you got caught, you got your butt kicked both at school, and when you got home.  If an adult had a problem with someone, they confronted that person, in person, and the problem was settled, or maybe not, but it didn’t linger in cyberspace for all of eternity, becoming like that old kids game where you tell someone something, then they tell the person next to them, and so on, and so on, until you get back to the beginning of the circle. Does the statement ever end the way it began? Rarely, if ever. Back then, it pretty much ended there. Today, it recycles over, and over, and over, being shared thousands or even millions of times. Sometimes the story is added to, or sometimes the story wasn’t factual to start with. But hey, if they say it on FB then it must be true, right?

And then there is social media shaming.. i.e.. people of Walmart or other like groups. Someone takes a snapshot of someone they don’t even know, but appears be an easy target, posts it on social media with a snarky remark, and wah lah. Instant cyber bullying for millions of people’s fun and enjoyment. If its not someone you know, you think it’s funny and you share it without even a thought that that is a person, with a family, friends, and good old fashioned feelings. Throwing stones, creating ripples, destroying lives. 

What about gossip? This often goes back to that kids game. Someone gets a tidbit of a story, embellishes it to make it a little more dramatic, pass it on. People might repeat that version of the story to someone in an actual conversation, then that person posts the embellished story on social media, adding a little more to make it even more exciting. Maybe its just to make themselves feel more important, who knows. How many times is that process repeated until the narrative no longer has any resemblance to what actually happened? And it happens so fast these days.  There was another phrase people used to use for gossipers.. “Tel-e-phone, tel-a-graph, tell __________ (fill in the blank). 

Next comes the judgement. Someone sits on their high horse, passing judgement on others, not considering the blur from that high perch, and not considering what is going on in their own barn.  I think judging others somehow makes themselves feel better about their own situations. If they can make the story bad enough, it shines less light on their own problems. Who cares who is getting hurt, as long as they feel better. I believe those people have darkness in their hearts that further drives the chaos in their lives. Hate breeds more hate.. it’s a vicious cycle. 

And finally, when people get tired of it or annoyed about the rhetoric, there is another phrase that gets thrown out there “Karma is a bitch”. The comfort in that is the feeling that eventually the person you are mad at will pay, and pay big. Actually I don’t believe Karma is a bitch. I believe she is more like Lady Justice. If you are constantly judging someone for an action or a mistake, or purposely creating harm for others, then eventually that will somehow play out in your life, either for you or someone you love. It’s not down and dirty, its subtle, its familiar, is similar to what you were judging someone else for. The good thing is, If you realize Karma’s lesson then you most likely will not have to repeat it. You will learn and grow from it. But often, that is not what happens, so the vicious cycle continues. 

As I am rambling all of these thoughts through my head, and thinking about things that are going on around me, both close to home and the shooting in Florida yesterday, as well as reflecting on how dangerous our own little town has become, that is when it hit me.. actually it was my spirit guides that hit me with the message.. finally, you have my attention guys! There but for the grace of God go I. Be thankful and gracious in what I have, even in troubled times, because others are not so fortunate. 

I don’t believe that every bad thing that happens to you is a result of Karma. I believe bad things happen to good people for many different reasons; be it a lesson for you, or someone close to you. A turn of events that is meant to change the course of other people’s lives, a rude awakening that is long past due. There are a number of reasons, but I believe there is always a reason. However, that is not the track I am on here, not at this moment. 

I am looking at the world around me and wondering “WTH?” Why are so many people so angry? Why do some live solely to inflict pain on others. What pleasure do they get out of hurting someone else? 

The failure is when we refuse to recognize that sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes they have a lapse in judgement, be it an action, an outfit, hairstyle or whatever. But who are you to judge? Unless your barn is super sparkly, don’t point out the manure in your neighbor’s stalls. We all make mistakes, we all have lapses in judgement, we are human, and mistakes are how we learn. 

I don’t question mistakes normally,  I question peoples responses to them. Do you react harshly, lashing out even when the situation has nothing to do with you, or do you reach out with kindness and understanding? Do you intentionally try to make the lives of others miserable, or do you seek to make the world a better place? It’s a choice. You make a choice to be happy, every day. Or you make a choice to go out and create havoc and heartache. Do you lift others up, or push them down and walk over them? Are you happy or are you miserable? The answer to that last question is most likely determined by the answers to the first few. 

If your defense to a negative action is that you “believe in something”, and you are trying to prevent it from continuing, your thinking is upside down. You cannot create a positive outcome to a negative situation with a negative action. It just doesn’t work that way.  You go out and you do something by learning as much as you can and then helping others. You change minds, laws, opinions and situations by sharing informed views, and by giving of yourself to bring about a better future.

One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa, and it fits here perfectly. She said “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”

Are you Anti-?? or are you Pro-?? Think about it and remember.. There but by the grace of God go you..

What are your New Year Resolutions?

Have you made any New Year resolutions?

C.S. Lewis said  “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” 

Each New Year we make a bunch of promises to ourselves for the coming year. This has been a tradition for, well forever I guess; but, how many people keep those promises? I know I usually don’t. Why is that? Why is it that we have all of these awesome plans, but we rarely follow through? It might be a lack of time management, or more likely it is a lack of a dedicated belief that yes, we can do this.

Another quote I came across while researching this blog post is as follows:

I hope that in this new year to come, you make mistakes, because if you are making mistakes then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world.” ~ Neil Gaiman 

My New Year resolution is to change the world I am living in, starting with where I am right at this moment in time.  I am not going to start grand. I will begin with small steps. I will work on letting go of worry and stress, and removing myself from circles that bring more of that into my life. I will make a point of getting out more and surrounding myself with positive, happy people who have the same ideas and values that I do. I will get back to my yoga practice, something I know is a valuable part of my life, and I will stop making excuses for why I am not doing that. 

As I release the negative thoughts and habits that I’ve been holding on to, I will create a time management plan, and stick to it, so that I can dedicate more of my time doing what I love; creating new classes and workshops to help others achieve their goals, dreaming big and following those dreams, creating art, listening to music, reading some really good books. I will stop being a work-alcoholic and start enjoying life outside of the daily grind. 

And now I will stop, right here as I believe that list is manageable. I will not start out by setting up unrealistic goal, or too many goals that I know I cannot possibly fit in.  That doesn’t mean that I cannot add more later, I can always add more, change it around and find new adventures. But for now, small steps.

I hope your New Year is filled with love, happiness and new adventure! Today really is the first day of this next new chapter in your life. Make the most of it! 

Namaste

Diana

Staying Positive in a Cyber World

One of my main focuses lately has been creating classes and teaching people how to develop and use their intuition. One of the main struggles however, is getting past the noise and chaos in the world. People spend hours every day scrolling through and trolling social media, posting, commenting on other people’s posts, reading the massive amount of information coming through their new feeds. And in times like this, especially during a political year, the information can be very hateful and negative. How do we keep from getting swept away? 

I believe that if one truly wants to start living a more spiritual and fulfilling life, they must first figure out how to be happy and stay positive. You need to learn how to navigate this fast and furious information age gracefully. Here are a few don’ts and do’s to help you get a grip on the cyber world and remain sane. These are things I have learned, sometimes the hard way, since I discovered social media.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

I am referring to “sharing” posts. There are many, many images appearing to be factual information flying around the internet, especially now. But before you hit that share button, stop and think:

Is it true? It only takes a few seconds to find out. If it’s not, don’t share it. Stop spreading false information. 

 
Is it nice? If not, why do it? Don’t do it. After all, what goes around really does come around.

 
Will it put a smile on someone’s face? If not, why share it? And on the flip side, if it is joyful and will put a smile on someone else’s face, share away. Otherwise, resist the urge to hit that button. 

Will it make a difference in someone’s life or change their mind to your way of thinking? It most likely will not, especially if it’s negative, so why go there?

Creating Drama

How often do you take to social media to share bad news or complain about something or someone? Do you air your dirty laundry about your family? Do you call someone out who you are feuding with? Do you post vague comments that are intended only to garner sympathy? Now ask yourself, does that really help anything? Yeah, you might get a few sympathetic comments, you might even get a few people offering to “have your back”, but does it really help or change anything? Do you enjoy being known as a debby downer or a chronic complainer? Even if you have a few close friends who always take your side, how many of them actually roll their eyes at yet another battle being waged? It might surprise you.

 All of this does nothing except keep you in a state of negativity, and spreads it around to others. It kills your joy, your happiness and it makes you unable to truly be thankful for the things you do have in your life. When you live in this state of constant turmoil, you create more turmoil for yourself and eventually you will no longer be able to see the good around you. That is very sad. 

Sharing mean, hateful or disrespectful pictures.

You know the ones. Pictures like the ones referred to as “the people of Walmart” or just random pictures that people snap of random strangers they deem to be inappropriate and worthy of being made fun of. First ask yourself, who are you to deem anyone else as inappropriate or worthy of ridicule? Remember that these are real people and the internet is a fast and furious machine aimed at sharing everything at lightening speed across the entire globe. Put yourself in their place for a minute, because the truth is, that picture might end up in their news feed before too long. What if it were you? What if it were your child, sibling, or even a parent? How would you feel? It doesn’t matter if you would never go out dressed like that or do something stupid like that in public. That does not give you license to make fun of someone else, period! Again, what goes around does eventually come around.


So how do we stay happy and sane?

What can we do? What can create happiness, fill you with gratefulness and keep your energy clear so that you can live a more spiritual and fulfilling life?

Post inspiring messages.

 

Sometimes we all need a little something to lift us up and keep our eyes focused on what is good in the world.

 

Share inspiring stories of love and courage.

We all love a hero. Even on your worse day, it’s hard to not feel better when we see or read about good things going on in the world.

Marc Gold - 100 Friends Project

Share cute and funny pictures and videos of kids and pets.

It’s pretty hard not to smile when you see an adorable baby or an animal doing something silly. You know what they say, laughter is the best medicine.

Follow inspirational people.

Be inspired by them to go out and do good in the world, and let them inspire you to be someone others want to follow.

Nick Vujicic, author Life Without Limbs

Post something nice on someone else’s timeline. 

Make random posts of kindness and encouragement to brighten another person’s day. One last time.. What goes around comes around. It works both ways. :) 

Be authentic with your words and your comments.

Don’t get caught up in the virtual world playing make believe. Own who you are. Be happy with where you are. Share it.. 

 
Be quiet.

You don’t have to comment on everything you read. If you find yourself being bothered by a friend’s constant negativity, unfollow them. Eliminate the negativity from your daily view. It really is that simple.

Wean yourself from social media.

Go out into nature, read a book, spend time with your friends and family without the constant interruption of your phone or computer. Put on some great music and dance. Volunteer for a cause you feel passionately about. Laugh often, smile always and love one another with all your heart. Remember there is a real world out there full of wonderful and amazing things. Don’t get caught up in cyber space. Most of it is not real.

Signs From Our Loved Ones

Signs From Our Loved Ones – Ways that try to let us know they are still with us and ok

Often after a loved one passes, they want to be close and let us know that they are ok. They give us signs such as a dream, a familiar smell or even a song.. Sometimes we are so caught up in our grief that we don’t notice these signs. When we do, we sometimes we wonder if it’s just wishful thinking.  But sometimes they give us signs that we simply cannot write off as coincidence or wishful thinking. Once you recognize these messages for what they are, you will no longer wonder; you will know because they will be clear and usually come through just when we need them.

Signs from our loved ones are usually personal and very significant. The key is to pay attention to repetitive signs. Watch for and be open to meaningful occurrences and communication from beyond the physical.

Following are a few of the ways that our loved ones try to communicate with us. If you have ever experienced any of these and wondered, wonder no longer. It’s very likely you have received a sign from Heaven.

Dreams

Often our loved ones come to us in our dreams. It’s one of the easiest ways for them to make themselves known to us. One way to tell that this is an actual visitation is that the dream will be incredibly vivid and real.  It will stay with you in detail when you wake up, and for days and years later. At first you may feel sadness due to the loss, but as you recognize these dreams as actual visits they will become very peaceful and soothing. 

It’s easier for us to receive visits through our dreams because our minds are not distracted by daily activity, and we are not as caught up in our grief. Also our vibration can rise when we sleep because our subconscious is less cluttered with external stimuli.

People often tell me that they don’t dream, even though they want to. They ask for their loved ones to come through in a dream, but don’t remember anything upon awakening. I believe that we all dream and we all receive visits from our loved ones, we just need to set up the situation to remember it. As you fall asleep at night, you can ask our loved ones to visit, and they often will. The key is to set an intention so that you will remember the dream. Be prepared with a journal and pen on your nightstand to write down anything you remember upon awakening. The more you do this, the more open and receptive you will be and that will make it easier to remember more and more of your dreams. 

Scents & Smells

Another easy for our loved ones to let us know that they are close is through our sense of smell. Our sense of smell is closely connected to our memories. They will send a unique odor that you will immediately associate with them. There will be no logical explanation of where the odor is coming from. It might be their favorite perfume, the smell of a pipe or cigarettes, a fresh baked apple pie or fresh bread. Sometimes the smell lasts only a moment, just long enough to get our attention. Other times it will linger and bring us a sense of closeness and peace.

Songs

Have you ever been driving down the road, or working in your office or home, and suddenly something will make you think of your loved one? Then a song comes on that was “your song” or “their song” or the words of the song clearly represent something about your loved one. It’s perfect timing, or is it?

We know they are around when their favorite songs come on at the right time with the exact words we need to hear. Often the same song is played in many different places throughout the day or over the next several days.  The song, coupled with the memory, is their way of letting us know that they are here with us. 

Thoughts and Feelings

Have you ever, just out of the blue, felt a presence like you were not alone?  Maybe it feels familiar, or in some way brings a sense of peace and love. When our loved ones are close, their love for us can often be felt.

Our loved ones can also put thoughts in our mind. You may get an image or think you heard a voice, and all of it just sort of pops into your head out of nowhere. That is our love one trying to let you know they are around.

I am putting these 2 things together because they are often signs that accompany one another. It’s easy to see why.  The thought of someone you love often brings up feelings of love and how they made us feel when they were still with us.

Other ways you might feel their presence is actually feeling them. You might feel a hand on your shoulder or a brush against your hair. It’s ever so slight, but you know, because of the feeling that gives you, that it really is your loved one there with you. 

 

Unexpected Gifts

Spirit often has a way of gifting us by putting something in your path. But remember, it’s not always a human loved one who will do this.

I have a close friend who lost her beloved dog in a very tragic way. She was left feeling deeply sad, depressed and very angry, and she was finding it very hard to bring herself out of this dark place. Within a couple of weeks a small, older and very frail dog stray dog wandered into her life, and her home.  Her intention was to help the old girl with food and vet care, and then find someone to foster or adopt her. As she went through the process of getting medical care for this dog, and began contacting various pet helper organizations, she began to wonder if her dog had sent this precious gift to help her through her sadness and to help heal her heart. Needless to say, the helpless, sick old dog found her forever home when she walked into my friend’s yard, and is now a very happy and healthy member of a family who loves and cherishes her.

Other gifts from spirit might be as simple as a coin or feather. Whatever it is, if it catches your eye and makes you wonder, it most likely is a gift from your loved one.

Misplaced or Moved Items
Sometimes when your loved one comes to visit, they want to let you know in a more physical way. They might move a picture, or your glasses; they may knock a book off the nightstand, or move a piece of jewelry. At first you might scratch your head or maybe think you’re losing your mind. If you brush it off, they may step the game up. Eventually you start to put the pieces together, and as you do the occurrences will slow down or stop all together. They have accomplished their goal, to let you know they are around you.

Numbers 

Sometimes we will see the same numbers over and over again. You will wake up at the same time every night, or something will catch your attention and you look at the clock or your watch and again, the same time. You might see the numbers on a license plate on the car in front of you, or even on a street sign or in the grocery store as an advertised price.

Our loved ones will show us numbers to let you know that they are around. They may show us important numbers that represent an anniversary or a birthday, so some other significant date. A lot of people put meaning to repeating master numbers (as in numerology) like 11, 22 or 33. If certain number resonates with you, then it very well may be your loved one letting you know that they are around. They show us the same numbers over and over to reinforce their presence

Electricity

Electricity is one of the easiest things for spirit to manipulate. Our loved one can easily flicker lights, turn on the tv or radio, mess around with your computer or cell phone. Because they are now energy, it’s easy for them to tape into energy. Most times, this is just a way for your loved one to let you know that they are around. 

Synchronicity

Do you believe in coincidence? Our loved ones may sometimes set up situations where things just keep happening and you begin to wonder if it’s more than chance or coincidence. Maybe they are trying to lead you into a new opportunity, a new job. Perhaps they are trying to help you get out of a bad relationship or meet new friends.

Not too long ago I was seriously thinking about leaving a job that was really dragging me down. I had worked in the industry for years, but things were changing and not in a good way.  I kept feeling that things just were not right, I would see things that didn’t align with my values, but I wasn’t sure that I could afford to just walk away. Jobs in my field were very hard to find and I was felt lucky that I had found this one. However, things were happening that kept making me feel more and more uncomfortable. I was looking for a sign to help me decide. Then all of a sudden I saw a video from someone I respected that spoke of how spirit will sometimes force you into negative or unpleasant circumstances to get you to see that you are in the wrong place. She specifically talked about how spirit will set up situations that will keep pushing you until you leave a job you don’t belong in, in order open up new opportunities for you. I saw 2 or 3 more references pretty much saying the same thing all within the next few hours, and then I got an email from a lady that I had done some work for the year prior, asking me if I was available to resume the work I had done for her, and take on more, in a field that I do love and allows me to help others in a positive way. I call that a quality sign. My decision was made and I quit my job. I do absolutely feel like all of these events were set up by Spirit trying to guide me to a life that would be more fulfilling and allow me the flexibility to do more of my spiritual work.

Perhaps you are wondering about changing jobs.. then you run across this post. Is it a sign?  Probably!  However it doesn’t have to be a job per se. If you are trying to make a difficult decision, ask for a sign. I am a firm believer that if you ask, you will receive exactly what you need.

Just remember, the same sort of synchronicity can occur in any area of your life such as love, travel or even getting a new car. Your loved ones can set up a situation where you meet someone just when you need to, help you stumble across circumstances that open up the opportunity for a vacation where you didn’t think there was one.. all sorts of things..   The key is recognizing the signs.

Visions

Even if you have never had a psychic experience, it is possible for our loved ones to appear to us. Most times it’s very brief like seeing someone in a mirror standing behind you, or even seeing them stand right in front of you.  You might wake up in the middle of the night and see your loved one sitting beside you on the bed and you wonder if you’re dreaming. You aren’t. You do not have to be a psychic or medium for your loved ones to show themselves to you.

A lot of times, the vision comes to you in your mind’s eye, which is how most mediums see spirit. It seems like a visual thought, but actually it’s your loved one appearing to you. It may feel like a memory, or you may feel like you are losing your mind or just imagining it. The key to knowing for sure is when the vision is accompanied with a full out feeling of their presence, and is so vivid you cannot deny the experience. When this happens, you will know that it is your loved one.

Indirect Messages

Although your loved one can no longer speak to you, they are very able to communicate with you. Sometimes you may actually hear your name being called, or a warning message like “stop”, but more often it comes as an indirect message.
 
Have you ever been driving a little too fast? All of a sudden you see something that makes you realize that you need to slow down. It may be a bird that flies directly in front of your car, or an animal about to jump onto the road. Sometimes these are messages meant to keep you out of harm’s way.

After my father died, I started receiving emails. At first I didn’t put it together, as I thought it was just spam mail. But all of a sudden I was receiving daily emails from a cigar company. Cigars? Then after a couple of weeks I realized it was my dad. He was known for 3 things.. his cowboy hat, his cadillac and mostly, his cigars. Once I realized it was him, and told him so, the emails stopped. Then I would only get one occasionally when I was stressed or struggling with something. It’s his way of telling me to stop and breathe. 

Babies and Pets

                                                                                             

Both young children and animals can see and sense spirit. If you walk into the nursery and see your baby looking at something that you cannot see, maybe even reacting in some way, the likelihood that he/she is being visited by a loved one is very high. Or if your dog suddenly jumps up and barks at empty space, or begins getting excited and wagging her tail at nothing, or your cat is watching something that it appears only he can see.. again, they may be seeing or sensing your loved your who has come for a visit.

Another way that your loved ones can communicate with you is through animals, birds and even insects. If they are not getting their message across, they will sometimes take drastic measures. I remember once my sister called because she had a cardinal that continually pecked at the window in her massage therapy room. It had been doing this for days, about the same time every day. I told her to look up what cardinal represents and see how the message fit in her life at that time. When she did, the message was clear and the bird stopped pecking at her window.

Now that being said, it’s not always a warning message when they send animals, birds and/or insects to you. Sometimes it’s simply a representation of who they were. Perhaps they loved birds.. you may receive feathers, or a certain bird might always appear just when you need encouragement. The same goes with any object that you might associate with your loved one, like coins, flowers or even rocks.

And so... These are just a few of the ways spirit can communicate with us. If you have had an experience, please feel free to share your stories with us!