What happens during a reading?

•May 9, 2013 • Leave a Comment

Since I have decided to start offering readings again, I thought it might be useful to offer some basic information about my process, so you may better understand how I work.

Not all mediums and psychics work the same way.

How we receive information is quite individual and much more than your stock answer – clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsentience. Here’s what’s happening with me during a reading.  First, when you make an appointment with me, know that it’s a partnership- both here and in the Spirit world. My part in this partnership is the commitment of my time and my commitment to Spirit to help them bring their messages through. Your part in the partnership is also a time commitment– bear in mind that having that appointment is like a target for your Spirit people. It gives them a time and a space where they can focus their energy so they can reach you. They begin working on this as soon as you make your appointment with me!  The other important component in our partnership is for you to be open, which helps your Spirit People connect with both you and I. Your openness provides an open channel for them to enter our energy fields and work with us to communicate.

How the communication works:

The first pieces of information that I receive usually have to do with identity. In a sense, they introduce themselves to me. I receive information about their appearance, relationship to you and their personality or character traits. This is how it would be if I met them here, except the way I receive it is very different.  The way I ‘hear’ is much like the voice in your mind that appears when you are silently reading. It’s not audible to the ears, it’s almost like a very loud thought… that I wasn’t actively thinking. I actually just relax and stop thinking, creating an invitation for the information to drop right in. When I ‘see,’ it is much like the way you’d see something in your mind’s eye when someone tells you a story and you picture it.  The Spirit People will also use their energy to pull up memories of mine that relate to what they are trying to get across, the same way you might try to get your point across by comparing it to something your friend has already experienced. During the reading, I may ask you a question or two that pertains to the information I”m getting, purely as confirmation that I am getting it clearly. They sometimes will use symbols that I do not understand, but that YOU do. For example, during one reading, I received a very strong image of a daisy. I told my client this and asked if it was her favorite flower, to which she replied, “No, it’s what we called her! That’s amazing!”  In that case, the message wasn’t clear to me, but crystal clear to the sitter.

I continue to bounce back and forth between all of my psychic senses until I’ve received the message the Spirits want to convey.  Occasionally, my grandmother will pop in and act as an ambassador!  It’s quite comical. She’s like my spiritual sidekick.  Once, during a reading, I heard her say, “she is very nervous, but it’ll be okay,” referring to my client as she was coming into the reading.  My grandmother knows I am highly empathic, and sometimes cannot distinguish my own feelings from those of the people around me, and in this way she is very helpful when she chimes in.

When you are open to Spirit, each day is an adventure.

Oh… if people could only know what goes on inside my mind and energy field all day, they’d understand why I am so inclined to be in a more peaceful environment, with as little chaos as possible. My ‘internal dialog’ is never-ending, AND it’s not just between me and myself, so you can only imagine the conversations going on in there at any given point. I truly am a satellite for Spirit. My lack of ego is often mistaken for low-self-esteem, when in reality, it’s simply the nature of my soul to always be in a position of service. Being of service means you set your own needs aside.  It’s not that I do not care about myself, it’s that my commitment to my soul’s work is paramount. My physical self sometimes can suffer if I don’t keep this in mind, but in no way do I suffer from low-self-esteem!  Actually, I think I’m pretty awesome, humbly speaking, of course.

If you would like a reading, please email me at healingstarspirit@yahoo.com. I prefer to do readings via Skype, as it doe not require any travel time (so distance is not an issue for either of us). If you are in the Boston area, I can make arrangements to meet you at an agreed upon location. My availability is limited, so if you do book time, please be respectful of this and have the courtesy to keep the appointment unless it is absolutely necessary to cancel it. I require a 48-hour notice for cancellation.  Bear in mind, I never know what is going to happen during a reading until is happens, so I cannot make any guarantees regarding the information or people who will come through to you. Spirit is in control of my sessions. I am simply the instrument. FYI, I do not work with predicting future events or finding lost objects. My work is strictly as a medium or channel, meaning I am like a telephone. I can only relay what the People tell me. The messages that come through are determined by them! If you are looking for someone who does that type of work, I will happily refer you to someone who can help you.

Many Blessings and thank you for reading!

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Spirit is always watching

•April 9, 2013 • 2 Comments

Tuning into your loved ones in Spirit is as easy as thinking of them.  People always ask me, “do they hear me when I talk to them?”  The answer is YES!  Your loved ones are always listening. Your thoughts send out a sort of ‘bat signal’ to them, and they do respond.  Talking to Spirit is easy, but listening is another story!

Spirit is always watching!

Spirit is always watching!

Sometimes when our loved ones reach out to us, it’s subtle- almost too subtle. It’s easy to write it off as imagination or coincidence. I’ll give an example from my own life to sort of illustrate this.

On one particular day while I was still living in San Antonio, I had been driving around talking to my Spirit People (so yes, if you see me talking while I’m alone in my car, I’m not talking to myself…well, not always!) My time there was rough and I had many challenges. As I put out my own ‘bat signal,’ I pulled into the parking lot of a local strip mall. Once I was out of my car, of course, I had to stop talking out loud, but my thoughts were still emitting a signal.  As we all do, I asked Spirit for guidance and support through the rough patch I was going through. As I wandered through the aisles, sliding the hangers back and forth looking for something pretty to cheer me up, it happened. I hadn’t noticed there was any music playing in the store at all, when suddenly I heard, “I need a sign to let me know you’re here.”  It was “Calling All Angels,” by Train. I smiled to myself and thought, ‘are you kidding me?’  That was my sign. I had, in fact, been calling in all of my Angels.  The song continued, “I need to know that things are gonna look up.”  That, my friends, was Spirit at work.

Spirit knows what you pay attention to, and they work with your subconscious mind to draw your attention to things. Many times, my eyes will be drawn toward a particular object, photo or a particular area of a room.  Sometimes it’s because an actual Spirit person is trying to manifest in a specific spot.  Other times it’s super obvious, like the actual photo of the person who is trying to communicate.

The key to receiving communication from Spirit is

to be in the habit of  ’noticing.’

When I use the term, ‘noticing,’ I am referring to the practice of letting go of your conscious thought patterns and simply allowing yourself to be drawn to things. In order to become used to allowing that unconscious part of your mind to communicate with you, you must master the art of meditation.  If you never have a moment during your waking hours that is free of all noise, you will undoubtedly miss out on the subtleties of Spirit communication.

Meditation doesn’t have to be serious. It can happen when you are doing something that is fairly routine and mundane, requiring very little of your focus. Many times I will slip into a meditative state during my outdoor walks, or doing the dishes! The task occupies your ‘busy mind,’ allowing your unconscious mind to become more open and aware.

Your unconscious mind is like a meek, little child,

waiting for the chance to be heard,

but somehow always standing in line

behind the noisier parts of us,

hence it very rarely gets the chance to be heard.

Sitting quietly for just a few minutes a day and allowing yourself to just ‘be’ in the moment is the first step to giving that little child a chance to speak. It is really important that you do not try to distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. That is a function of the conscious mind, which is supposed to be taking a back seat during this process. That’s not to say you’re going to be in a trance, more like instead of being so active in the ‘conversation,’ you’re simply listening without analyzing.

I love to share the experiences I have, involving my grandmother, because over the years she’s become very good at playing with me, and surprising me with her cleverness. One night before bed, as is my custom, I was speaking to her and telling her about my day.  Some odd things had happened, and my analytical mind was racing. After I was finished with my rant, I quieted my thoughts and took a few deep breaths. In my mind’s eye, I saw an image of a little bunch of hydrangea flowers. I didn’t know what it meant, but as with all communication from Spirit, it is not always a logical process. I saw her face in my mind’s eye, smiling and nodding, which told me that it was simply a message to take with me, without interpretation.

The next day, I felt the urge to go to the cemetery. As I was driving, I felt this strong pull to visit my great-grandmother’s grave first. It was subtle. I simply saw the headstone in my mind and from experience, I knew I needed to go there first. I walked over and said my hello’s and goodbye’s, and on the way back to the car, eyes on the ground wiping away some tears of love, I saw a little bunch of hydrangea flowers. It was from an artificial arrangement that somehow found itself blown directly in my path, right?  If that’s what you think, you haven’t been reading!  I laughed and the tears stopped. I bent down to pick it up, thinking to myself, “I’ll bring this over to her and lay it on her grave, but it would be nice to have something for my grandfather too.”  No sooner had the thought arose in my mind, that I looked about a foot further and saw another bunch of hydrangea. Now I was really laughing.

I walked over to the grave and placed the two bunches in front of the headstone with a smirk, and said, “So you think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?”

Yes, she does. She really does. :)

A Sign from above.

A Sign from above.

Posted in My story, Spiritual Concepts & Teachings
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Even Walls Fall Down

•March 3, 2013 • 1 Comment

Dedicated to all of you who struggle between your bridges and boundaries.

May Love find its way above, below, around or even better,

break through your walls.~

Recently I had one of those ‘getting a message’ moments. It was about a month and a half ago while I was sitting on the couch, watching a movie. The movie was Super 8, and without getting into the details of the plot, I’ll tell you the most pertinent part of this moment had to do with the lead character, Joe, who in one particular scene is speaking about his recently deceased mother.  The line speaks for itself, and I can tell you that in that split second when my mind was processing what he was expressing, it hit me like a ton of bricks because it is something I know well:

“She used to look at me… this way, like really look…

and I just knew I was there… that I existed.”

I know this feeling. I know other people know it too. It is so powerful when someone really sees You- through all of your weakness, flaws, mistakes, imperfections, and truly sees You. I began thinking of some of the amazing people who have gifted me with those precious few moments of being ‘seen.’ Then I remembered the times when I have given that same gift to others. Being able to connect to another human being on a deep, intimate level is a basic need for all of us.  In those moments I found absolute freedom.

But Spirit wasn’t finished with the message just yet.

This past week,  every morning I woke up with the same song in my head-   “Walls,” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  It was featured in the movie, “She’s the One,” back in 1995, starring Ed Burns, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston.

“All around your island there’s a barricade

that keeps out the danger but holds in the pain.”

There is nothing more beautiful than a naked soul, standing before you.  And for me, there is nothing more painful than a wall, especially when it goes up right in front before me, without warning.  As a sensitive person, I feel more than other people feel, and it’s not something that can be explained. Being empathic and able to ‘see’ people, is even more difficult because it magnifies things.

I’ve struggled with balancing my boundaries and bridges my entire life. The only way I’ve been able to keep that balance is this:

I don’t have walls. I have windows.

I’ll let you see inside. I’ll even let you knock. In the act of ‘seeing’ you, I see me. It’s an exchange, and in that exchange, I let you ‘see’ me too. I’ve tried building my own Wall, but I found it  isolated and hurt me more than it protected me. I will say this-  it’s not easy having a nature and abilities such as mine.   There is a large part of me who needs someone who can ‘see’ me back for more than that brief moment. But maybe, having that desire is motivation that keeps me open and ready to help others who need to be ‘seen.’

For those of you struggling with your past hurts, I urge you to work on healing them rather than preserving them behind your walls. You have no idea who or what might be standing right in front of you that could be the very thing you need to feel safe and happy.

“Even walls fall down.”

Take a few minutes to check out this video from Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls. I had the honor of watching her work as the 8-foot bride when I worked in Harvard Square, and I saw firsthand the power of ‘being seen.’

Posted in Soul Lessons, Spiritual Concepts & Teachings
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Reaching out to Spirit

•January 13, 2013 • 2 Comments

Those of you who know me, know that in June 2012, my grandfather passed on to the Other Side. It was like the end of an era for my family, and although we know he’s ‘Home’ with my grandmother now, our sadness has not yet dissipated.  About a week later, I moved into the space downstairs in our house where he lived with us for over 20 years. It wasn’t long before I realized that this area is the heart of the house and I’ll explain what I mean by that.

I believe that each structure- school, church, home or otherwise- has a ‘heart,’ a specific area where Spirit energy can enter and gather. In this house, it is the area around the fireplace and the room where my grandfather slept. It sounds cliche, but it is right next to the boiler room!  When I first moved into the space, every night I was awoken by some sort of Spirit activity. I won’t go into detail, but not all of it was good. I spent a lot of time clearing the space using prayer, sage and the methods taught to me as a minister of Our Lord & Lady of the Trinacrian Rose.  It took a little while, but things finally calmed down and I gained a level of control over the ‘opening’ that I sensed was in that particular spot. I also set up an ‘altar for the dead,’ which is a shelf above the fireplace with the photos of my loved ones that have passed on, along with illustrations of the Archangels, many 7-Day candles, some crystals and of course, a small candle lit for each of them, placed just in front of their respective photos.

A photo of my grandmother on her wedding day, pinning a flower on my great-grandmother.

A photo of my grandmother on her wedding day, pinning a flower on my great-grandmother.

This was done as a sign of respect and rememberance- and when you are as sensitive as I am to energy of all kinds, it is important to acknowledge and respect it. It’s sort of like having a house guest that you continually ignore, walking by and going about your business. Most of the time, all Spirit seeks is recognition. They aren’t much different than the rest of us here in the physical world.

Last night, I was dog-sitting for my brother’s dog, Rocky.

This is Rocky. He's such a cutie pie.

This is Rocky. He’s such a cutie pie.

He’s a very cute little guy, and not used to being in his crate at night, he was making it known by barking and scratching. I decided he should come sleep downstairs with me. I used my comforter to make him a little bed and he settled in for the night, next to my bed.  I should mention that in a reading I had a couple of months ago with my dear friend and talented medium, Jackie Waitkus, my grandfather came through to mention, very specifically, my brother’s dog, Rocky. He said that when the dog growls or seems to be looking at something that isn’t there, it’s him, playing games with the dog.  I had known there was an energy afoot because my tell-tale is that my hands will vibrate, and they were definitely buzzing. And here I was with Rocky right next to me. I noticed he was sniffing at the air and growling at the door to the bedroom and I knew exactly what was happening. I was getting validation from my grandfather, himself.  I told him I knew he was there and to please stop making the dog crazy because it was so late.  Rocky seemed to settle down and I decided to snap a photo of him, as he lay there so sweetly.

What I saw on my screen as I snapped the photo shocked me. Although nothing appeared in the photo, as the flash lit up the room for that split second before the photo was taken, there were a bunch of flying orbs all over! I thought I was seeing things, so I tried again, and again there they were! I could only see them on the screen with the light from the flash, so I had to find a way to keep it on. I decided to take a video and see if that would work…and work it did!

As I was ‘playing’ with the energy that was literally flying around the room, I made no assumptions, and simply interacted with it. To be honest I’m not sure who this energy was, but it felt very light and playful, almost angelic. I had been speaking to my angels and receiving messages that they were surrounding me with their love and protection, so I believe this was a validation of that message as well. Here is the video. Please excuse the clutter in my bedroom. I didn’t get up to clean before I filmed this! Also, there is a movie playing in the background. It’s actually ‘Always,’ which is a story about a man who dies (the engine on his aircraft catches on fire and explodes) and comes back to help his friends and say goodbye to his lady. Coincidence? I think not. Watch very closely. It happens at least 4 times, particularly right after I ask for it to fly by my hand.

The Spirit World is closer than you think! BELIEVE! And remember that when you ask for help, you are always answered, although it may not be the way you expected it. No prayer ever goes unanswered.

Posted in My story, Spiritual Concepts & Teachings
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To be or not to be…who you really are

•December 11, 2012 • Leave a Comment

It’s the one thing we long for and fear at the same time- to be a totally naked soul, revealed and shining before the world.  Each of us has a secret desire to just be who we are without all of the constraints, masks, and roles we assign to our different ‘selves.’ I’ve spoken about this before, but it bears repeating because it is such an important spiritual lesson to be learned.

Not only do we want to be revealed for who we are, we have a deep desire to be accepted and absolutely loved as our true selves.  Every day we tell lies, pretending to be one thing or another to those around us and to ourselves. We pile on thick layers of makeup, designer clothing, or even a uniform.

“If anyone knew who I really am, no one would like me.”

Who among us hasn’t heard that thought, echoing through their mind?  It’s a game we play with ourselves. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from author and speaker, Marianne Williamson and is as follows:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

I am here to tell you that you are a beautiful soul, and nothing will ever be able to cover up who you truly are to those who see through the eyes of the heart. It is an amazing thing to look into the eyes of another human being and recognize the struggle to be or not to be who they really are inside. To see your fellow human beings not as the roles they play or the outfit they chose to wear that day, but as souls on a journey is an amazing feeling. I know because I have felt this very feeling. In my quiet moments, I look around and I see beautiful souls, wandering around, searching for their place, and in some cases their own identity. It is humbling, and it can open your heart in a way that you may not expect.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ~Plato

In all that you do, the most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. You are surrounded by people who come into your life for a reason- without a doubt. You are also walking with Spirit, whether you are aware of it or not.

Engage in life’s mysteries. Seek out teachers who are willing to share their knowledge, and know that you, too, are also their teacher. We gain nothing by hiding underneath our beds, only peeking out from the duvet from time to time. Don’t be afraid of who you are.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted in Soul Lessons
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Magic is Always Afoot…

•December 10, 2012 • 1 Comment

You thought I was gone, didn’t you? :) No, no, my dear readers. As all of us with spiritual paths know, there comes a time when we have to take a step back from our work, and experience more of our lives in the physical world. Admittedly, this is a difficult and sometimes terrifying thing. This physical form has such power, and yet is so vulnerable. I often ask my Guides, “why did I come here?”  It’s always the same answer.  Our experiences here are so important to the growth of our souls. We choose it so we may continue on our journey back to Source.

The subject of Magic is one that always seems to cause controversy. I mean, 20 people were murdered for suspected ‘witchcraft,’ right here in Salem, Massachusetts, not too long ago. It has always been my position that Magic is very personal thing, as are our beliefs in the here and now and the Afterlife. From a human perspective, we only have access to some of the information….or so we think.

Call it what you will- Magic, The Craft, Intuition, Intention, sending out your energy to the Universe, picking up on vibes…it is all the same. We are reaching out with senses that we have been taught we do not have. From a scientific perspective, it is very difficult to say what is ‘real,’ and what is not. While modern advances and quantum theory has brought us a long way, we are still looking at the whole of the Universe through very limited eyes.  Everything may, indeed, be explained as natural, that is, following the laws of the Universe. But do we really know the entirety of what we are dealing with here?

Psychic experiences and otherworldly visitors have always been a part of the human experience. We come here to forget, but many of us retain some of our ability to sense beyond the 5 senses we use to perceive the world. This is our Magic. This is our Medicine. All of us are unique. All of us are special. Cliches become the things we associate them with, and words quickly lose their meaning. Don’t let this happen to you. Remember that all that we see is not all that there is. Invite in the idea that you may not know everything. Be a revolutionary. Be weird. Be the ‘you’ that you fear most!

There will be much more to come by way of my posts, but this is a warm-up, since I have been so far away for so long, at least metaphorically speaking. :)

What is your Magic?

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The Longest Day of the Year

•June 20, 2012 • Leave a Comment

Happy Summer Solstice to those of you who celebrate!  From here on out, the days will slowly become shorter until the Winter Solstice in December….and yes, we will make it there!

When we think of the Sun, we think of the world illuminated by it, and the powerful energy that allows for all vegetation to grow. Yellow is a color that makes us think of things like baby chicks, smiley faces and general happiness. And while all of this is part of our reality, so is the darkness.

My People have been pretty loud lately regarding the power of the darkness, the void, and the quietness within ourselves. It seems that this part of ourselves, which some call ‘the shadow,’ has been neglected by a great many people. There is a sadness associated with this refusal to see this part of ourselves. It’s the part of us we reject, or deem unlovable. It’s the part of us that we hide because we don’t want anybody to see it. It’s also a part of ourselves that we think of as separate from the ‘other’ parts of ourselves. In essence, we’ve turned ourselves into a mosaic, a stained glass window, where some parts of us are allowed to shine in the light while others are covered so no one will ever see.

It takes such strength and courage to even take a peek at this part of ourselves. And I’ve got news for you- it’s not something that can be compartmentalized and shoved aside as most of us may think it can. It permiates us with its energy the way all energy moves through us. How foolish can we be to think we could take a piece of ourselves, judge it and throw it away.

So many people are in a place in their lives that feels ‘stuck’ right now. There’s a reason for it.  The world is changing. The energy is changing. Those of us who value the opinion of society are becoming outnumbered by those of us who value the good of humanity. Call it what you will, call me what you will, this is happening.  This is why so many of us are in uncomfortable situations right now.

In order for something new to happen, something old must first fall away.

Take, for example, an old building that is no longer stable. This is the state of some of our lives right now. We can continue to patch up the holes or put up the scaffolding, but nothing can prevent its final collapse. This is not a doomsday prophesy, it is the path to illumination!  First, we must find the courage to tear down this structure. That takes work. Even physical buildings don’t just tear themselves down!  It takes a wrecking ball!  For some of us, that wrecking ball comes in the form of a failed relationship, an illness, or a loss of a job. Once the structure has been torn down, the rubble must be cleared away. Large vehicles show up to carry it out, and it can take many to collect the debris. In our lives, this part of the process takes place by going within- which is where I ask my readers to follow me at this time. It’s where we take a look at the faulty wiring that lead us to believe the building would always be safe and stable, or the corrosion that we refused to acknowledge so we could continue to live in ignorance that our house was not falling down.

This is the hardest of all the stages to go through. The house being torn down, well, that seems hard, but when we have to take a hard look at the materials that built it we truly see for the first time that something has to change. Then we can begin  to rebuild our ‘house.’

My dearest readers, hard as it may be to imagine, I do love all of you. I love you for your struggles and the way you fight through your tears to make it through to the end. I love you for your courage to explore the unknown and the meaning behind things that mainstream society simply does not understand. And most of all, I love you for your ability to reach into your hearts and keep going– helping others as well as yourself throughout the process.

The Dark Night of the Soul, as it is sometimes called, is not the end, and it is not a black hole that will suck you down. It is simply an opportunity to shine light on an area of yourself that you have left in the dark, neglected, and unloved.

I rarely recommend any kind of ritual, but I wanted to mention one of my very dear friends, Carol Woodliff, who is a trained Shamanic Practitioner, Intuitive and author.   She offers her services to those who are seeking to look within and let go. You may feel like you are at the very bottom of a well, and can see only a tiny sphere of light above, but with some help, you can begin to rise through your fears and limitations and move back toward the light. Through a ‘Despacho Ceremony’ she will help you create a prayer bundle containing your intentions, issues and blessings of gratutide, to help you move forward, through the darkness. She is a nurturing, loving and kind soul, whose only motivation is to help people. I adore her, and if you get a chance to work with her, you will too.  Please check out her website and explore at http://www.carolwoodliff.com 

And you can be sure she will be a guest on an upcoming show in the very near future! In the meantime, check out the archives by visiting: Confessions of a Spirit Messenger, on BlogTalkRadio.

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