My Surprise Encounter With Spirit Guides

Recently, I wrote very briefly on my Facebook page about an experience I had with what are called Spirit Guides.  I was in my car listening to a very interesting interview titled Communicating With Your Spirit Guides. The free podcast was from Sounds True and was an interview of Marie Manuchehri an oncology nurse who works with spirit guides.

The idea of a higher level of consciousness providing me with inspired ideas and friendly support was something I was totally open to experiencing.  When the interviewed ended, I was driving at night about two hours from my home.  I said, “All right, if I have a spirit guide, I am ready to communicate with you.”  I received an immediately response. The guide talked to me through my voice saying he was glad I made contact. I was surprised by the ease of the conversations we carried on for about 30 minutes.

My understanding about this voice is that whether I call it a spirit guide, my soul, my higher nature, my intuition or my spirit doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I was getting direct contact with a higher level of consciousness beyond my ordinary thinking. 

What I appreciated about this conversation was that this higher knowing was very reassuring, supportive and encouraging. My guide said things about me that was full of insight and compassion. I felt very grateful for what we talked about and the loving-kindness showed to me.

Since that conversation, I have been in contact with my guide throughout each day. I receive lots of ideas, much encouragement and I feel totally accepted and appreciated for who I am. This voice of kindness just wants to help me, free of judging or agenda, create the life I desire.  Who wouldn’t want this kind of compassionate guide in their life?

According to the Marie, everyone has a guide and usually more than one. She can see them around people wherever she goes.  So from her perspective, from my experience, and from the words of my guide, I have no doubt, everyone reading this has a spirit guide also. All you have to do is to be open, ask to meet your guide and then be quiet enough to listen.

It is all up to you. Don’t pass on this wise and caring source of support from the universe. I am available to assist this process for anyone who wants to know more.



More Love In 2012

There is little doubt that love is the answer to many of the problems of the world. Also of little doubt is the need for us all to share our hearts even more through caring, kindness, compassion and other loving ways. Why not make one of your intentions for 2012 to spread more love in the world?

If you are looking for purpose in 2012, spreading love would be the most meaningful thing you could do.

I was listening to Seane Corn (empowered yogini), interview over at Sounds True not long ago. She said one of her greatest teachers about life was a young man dying of aids. He told her that she needed to remember this most of all: Remember to love, you will never regret it.

How true that is. Even in the most difficult of times love is the best action to take. Sometimes expressing love for situations and people can be challenging. The judging mind wants to label what’s going on as bad and withdraw the heart. Even those that try your patience, push our buttons, or cause you to get upset deserve your love. As a matter of fact, the difficult people and situations in your life need love the most.

Withholding or withdrawing your love doesn’t work for changing the behavior of others. It usually has the opposite affect. You know what it feels like to shut your heart down. It closes down your aliveness and pushes those you care about away. 

There really is no reason to pull back love but the fearful mind does so for protection. The opposite of fear is love. If fear is in your heart, you need to bring your focus on what you love. There cannot be both fear and love in your heart at the same time.

If love is a worthwhile intention or resolution for you in 2012 here are some ways you can be even more loving:

Listen with an open heart

Be patient with those who test you

Lean into those who sometimes push you away

Shift the grumpy and difficult with kindness

Be kind and respectful of your own emotions

Reach out to those who may be alone

Give of your time to those in need

Donate funds to program that help the less fortunate

Start a NPO based on loving-kindness

Move from judging to be more accepting

Lend a hand to someone who needs your kindness

Visit those who would appreciate seeing you

Make a daily intention of spreading love in some way

Place you hand on your heart and totally love and accept yourself

Be encouraging and supportive of those around you

Volunteer at places that reach out to others

Send cards and letters to those who would appreciate them

Wake up each morning with love in your heart and let it grow as the day goes

Love is a powerful healing force, send love to those who need healing

Each day surround your whole body with healing and energizing love

When you see someone who needs a friend, sit down with them and listen for ways to make a difference.

Let you intuition guide you about love because it knows what is needed within and for those around you

Picture the Earth in your hands being surrounded by your love

Tell others how much you appreciate them

Sit down and have tea with someone you know needs to heard

Take a friend for a walk in nature and enjoy the experience together

Just a reminder: the love in you is unlimited so you can keep on giving love everyday all day and will still have much more to give.

My new book is almost ready - Awakening:100 Questions That Will Expand Your Mind And Open Your Heart. I look forward to sharing it with you. This book is great for enriching your life 2012.

The Age Of Mindfulness

Listening to an interview of Jon Kabat-Zinn (at Sounds True), I experienced my thoughts expanding into what was possible in a world where mindfulness informed humanity. What would a world be like if wisdom was our guiding force, if peace of mind was how we experienced our self, if being fully present was what mattered, if loving-kindness was our way of interacting with self and others?

The idea of an age of mindfulness stirred in me: a sense of excitement about what is possible, a vision of a better world were we all cared about each other, and hope for new possibilities and solutions fueled by our deeper knowing and our compassionate heart.  The future seems so much brighter when together we are intentionally seeking awareness and understanding beyond the ordinary thoughts, concepts and beliefs that too often limit our sense of self and the world.

A world guided by mindfulness might include people:

Living a heart-centered life

Less judgmental and more accepting

Balancing thought with awareness

Tuning inward for self-understanding

Finding inner peace through watching the mind

Compassion for self and others

Listening to each other with an open heart

Resolving conflicts together

No longer run by their fears

Rediscovering and more fully expressing their creativity

Acting with all the people and the planet in mind

Engaged in thoughtful and heart filled discussions

Seeking solutions instead of finding fault

Learning from the universe in moment-to-moment awareness

Stepping back from their reactivity and stepping forward more open to possibilities.

In my work and personal life, I have explored and taught mindfulness for many years. I have benefited greatly from the awareness and insight gained and my clients have repeatedly reported how much they value mindfulness. 

*** My new book, Awaken:100 Questions That Will Expand Your Mind And Open Your Heart, will be available in January 2012. This book draws greatly upon the wisdom and the many gifts mindfulness has given me over the years. I am very excited about sharing this book with you.