Surrender and Release

Angel cards have been one of the most helpful tools that I have used not only on my spiritual journey but also in my everyday life. Like everyone else out there, ladies especially, I would constantly worry about things over and over again. In my late 20’s and early 30’s, it was so bad, I would be unable to fall asleep at night. I was a wound up top just waiting to spin out of control. I did seek assistance from a counselor named “V” and I truly believe she saved me from anxiety and depression. “V” gave me the tools I needed to put issues large and small in perspective. Her objective eye enabled my heart and psyche to come to a level of calm I probably hadn’t seen since high school. Because we live in this space and are human, however, there will always be issues and concerns that need to be dealt with and some that may still be too much for us to handle. This is where the angle card Surrender and Release comes in. Our ever present angels are ready and willing to help us with whatever we need. All we have to do is ask. Surrender and Release means just that. Whenever I need to find a solution to a problem that is consuming me, I turn to the angels. In a prayerful manner, I talk to the angels and tell them what is bothering me. I ask for their help to find an answer or fix a problem in a way that is best for everyone involved. I visualize myself handing the issue to them and watch as they take it away, out of my sight. At this point, I trust that they will do what is for my highest good and I say a prayer of thanks. Now the concern is completely released and out of my hands. I place my trust fully in the angels and know that I can’t think about it again. I have completely surrendered and released it. Once this is done, I usually feel very peaceful and grateful. I feel like the weight has been lifted. This tool has saved my sanity. I share it because I believe it can help you find more peace in your everyday life. Namaste.

Faith

Faith is something you own. It can morph into different creations as you travel on your journey. It is something you can also loose. Faith is a belief system but it also can be what you know with every fiber of your being. I had a conversation with a lovely woman the other day at a soccer game. She is beautifully devout in her faith and teaches religion classes on Sundays to 6th graders. 6th grade is the year these students will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. She was surprised that many of these students didn’t have a grasp of some of the basics of this religion. She then said, “ Of course you want these children to know the basic beliefs of their faith”. And it hit me. Faith is a choice. Faith in anything , not just religion is a choice. And faith doesn’t have to be all about a structured religion. You can have faith in a person, a business, or someone’s talent. Faith in something is a belief you have and can feel into your core. When I have it I can feel it strongly in my 3rd charkra. It is a tangible feeling. It takes up space in my physical field. It is a knowing. I can feel it in my energetic field. But my spiritual faith these days isn’t written in any book or spouted from a pulpit. It can be found only within my heart and soul. My faith is that we are connected to a force that is infinetly larger and more loving than we could ever imagine. That this force is reflected in every living being on this planet. That there are other beings endlessly supporting us on our journey in this physical plane. That we are humans who are capable of things that our limiting mind can’t even comprehend. I believe that good is inherent in everyone. I believe that love is the most important element of life. I believe that love can be represented by understanding, good works, patience, kind acts, kind words and a smile. I believe that in honoring God we must love ourselves first and be as kind to ourselves as we would others. I believe that God made our possibilities limitless.
As I have grown in my journey, my faith no longer comes from an outside source but from deep within my soul. I find it much more comforting this way. I have created my own belief system and it works well for me. The peace I have inside is greater than ever. The key is to listen to yourself and follow you heart. You too can find your faith, all you have to do is love yourself. Namaste

** Permission for photo lovingly granted by Genevieve Shulick and more can be found at www.rosesformarie.com

Bunco

I have known one of my best friends since the 7th grade. We were very close through highschool, all the way into our late 20’s. We shared life’s joys and it’s pains. She was there for me through the illness of my mom and the deaths of both my parents. I supported her when her family’s home burnt down. We traveled together and just had a wonderful time being friends. “E” had a much larger friend pool, however. No surprise there since she is one of the most genuine people I know, but she is also so down to earth and makes everyone laugh, a lot! “E” was always wonderful and included me in her plans with others. Sometimes I participated and sometimes I held back. I knew most of her friends from high school but we traveled in different circles. Funny how something silly as social circles can prevent you from seeing the beauty and uniqueness in people. After my family and I moved 14 years ago, “E” and I never lost our bond but saw each other less frequently. Our friendship is engrained in my soul and I never considered her a lost friend. So recently, a mutual, wonderful friend hosted Bunco. I was invited and I said “Yes”. How wonderful for me? I got to spend the evening with 11 other funny, genuine women. We all have similar backgrounds but they each had their own senses of humor and perspective on life. The evening wasn’t really about the game but about sharing life’s stories, discussing life’s event and just enjoying being together. I really enjoyed the time I shared with each woman. I was fully present and was truly able to see the light in each of them. The evening was real. The women were real. Their concerns were real. The discussions were more than just surface chatter, they had “meat” to them. Bunco was an afterthought. Friends connecting was the main motivation for the evening. I am most thankful for my time with them and for my lifelong friend.

Forgiveness

I love my Angel cards by Doreen Virtue! One of my favorites and most freeing cards is Forgiveness. Since I have started my spiritual journey, the theme of forgiveness has intermittently been placed in my path. You see, forgiveness is multifaceted. There is the internal turmoil a hurtful act can cause mentally and spiritually. One can have anger over the hurtful act committed toppled by feelings of deceit. Of course you are entitled to your anger. But it is the anger that has the most effect on the victim. Holding anger inside not only causes tension and sadness, it can even cause illness if it festers too long. An act, unforgiven, can also damage our souls. In the past I would say something like” just screw them” and move on with my day. I realized that this was not forgiveness. It was avoidance and it is very damaging to our physical bodies and souls. Not being able to forgive an act is the type of baggage we can bring karmically into the next life. It is best to deal with issues as they arise. Our souls have enough to learn. Petty baggage is too expensive to check anyway!

In the past, whether someone hurt me deeply or even slightly, I would replay it over and over again in my mind. I wouldn’t let it go. So, not only was I avoiding the person, I was abusing my body /mind and soul by constantly reliving it. Reliving a hurtful event and not forgiving someone damages us more than the person who committed the act or the event itself. Hurting ourselves is just causing double injury. When we forgive someone, it truly is a healing for the person and most importantly, for us. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. We all need to learn from our experiences. Our experiences are what make us stronger and wiser human beings. Forgiveness allows us to find peace with ourselves and the other person. When we rid ourselves of the sadness, anger and despair that can linger when we are wronged, it makes us so much lighter. I know when I finally forgive, I feel like a weight has been lifted. I stand straighter. I can finally take a deep breath. I sigh less. I am finally able to think about happier things. I find I focus more on the people in front of me and be more present in each moment. Creative ideas form. The possibilities are endless when our hearts are free…
Anything is possible when we forgive.

Perspective

I had one of those Ah-Ha moments after returning home from my unexpectedly lengthened trip to California. I don’t know about you, but I find it stressful returning home after being away. This time was especially difficult because I didn’t expect to be away so long. I call this re-entry pain. Not only was my husband a bachelor with a puppy for a week, the house was pretty much in a shambles before we left because of 2 returning college students and packing for our trip. So, greeting me was a messy house, backed up bills, school supplies needed immediately and work the next day. Just normal stuff, but piled high. So in the evening, the day after our return, I found solace in walking my dog. I, however, in the desire to save time, found myself making phone calls on my cell. I was trying to maximize time and get things crossed off of my list. So I mistakenly took a peaceful time and created a stressful experience. As I was speaking to the person on the phone, I realized within seconds of speaking to him/her that they drain my energy. Literally within seconds, my head was shaking and I said “What am I doing? “ The energy of this person is just so different from mine and almost feels like an affront to my being. I have had these feelings before with this person, but being away, relaxed and out of my element for a time made this experience seem so much more intense. So I stood there, in the middle of my street and realized, I don’t need to voluntarily submit myself to this. I don’t need to have this person in my life if I don’t want too. It made me think of all the things I don’t need to subject myself too. I only need to surround myself with people and things that are good and positive. I only need influences that are loving, nurturing and good for my soul. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I am not sure if impatience, wisdom or spirit caused this moment of clarity, but I am grateful for it. Starting today, I will be purposeful in whom I have in my life. I will do my best to only choose people who are good for me. If I have to have dealings with someone I don’t resonate with, I will be respectful and just keep it to a minimum. I knew this mentally, this was just the first time I could feel it in my psyche and it hit me hard. So I will listen now, for sure. So can you……..

Hurricane Guilt

As I helped my second daughter, C, prepare for her sophomore year of college in San Francisco, I had the normal concerns a parent does. Does she have everything she needs: money, medicines, clothes, etc? She is living at a dorm that has a full kitchen but no food plan, so did I get her enough money on the Safeway card? Of course, there are always the concerns and hassles of flying and packing. This time, my husband and I decided it would be good for our youngest, B, to come along for a fun end of summer trip. We thought it would also be great for her to have more time with C and see the city. My youngest sister, T, still lives in San Francisco and as always, we planned to bunk with her. My girls have considered T to be the cool aunt since they were little and they look forward to our visits, especially in her cool apartment! I knew B would feel like a big deal, strolling in the city, taking buses, cabs and trolleys and staying in an apartment. Our original intention was to stay 4 nights visiting and getting C settled in. I regretted I wouldn’t be able to have too much sister time with T becausef she has a new job and wasn’t able to get off. But the universe had other plans. I knew as we were leaving Philadelphia, there was a hurricane in the Atlantic that threatened the East coast. The news reports still weren’t sure of the path Irene would take as we left the airport. I should have been clued in when the airport closed just as we were to go through security due to the earthquake that occurred in Virginia. It was at that time that I asked Archangel Michael to keep us safe from the start of our trip to the finish. I can always count on his assistance. Surprisingly, our plane left on time! Our stay in San Francisco went smoothly until Friday evening when our flight home Saturday was cancelled. I was able to reschedule another flight for late Saturday night and then that was also cancelled. I kept my cool until the airport representative said she couldn’t get us on a flight until Wednesday! My heart sank. I knew we weren’t the only ones in this boat but B’s school was due to start that Monday and I didn’t want her to miss too many days. As I maintained my composure and worked with the representative, I knew the angels had a hand in planning our trip home. We were scheduled on a non-stop flight home out of Sacramento, on Tuesday, First Class! I knew we couldn’t get any better and I gratefully booked the flight. So, we got 3 extra nights in California. My daughters got to have a sister day. My sister and I got to have our adult sister day and of course I got to pay for C’s shopping trip to Target!! It really worked out well in the end. I am still not sure why the universe didn’t want us to experience Irene with all the other East Coasters but I am grateful for the safety of my family on both coasts. As always Archangel Michael and the Angels, I am most grateful for your assistance.