HELP ME PLEASE

So last night at 2 in the morning I got up to use the bathroom, only to find the mechanism of the door knob unable to fully turn the thingy-that-pops-in-the-doorframe. I couldn't get out! So I panicked. I out and out panicked and I started screaming and begging Rick to get me out of there at the top of my lungs.

He came to help me, but I felt like I couldn't breathe and had no air (even though in a bathroom I'd been in for five minutes with a fan, there was plenty of oxygen.) I was having a full blown panic attack.

So I called on the angels for help. I kept asking to get out. And waiting. And waiting. I trusted that the angels would get me out, via Rick, but it was taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R! Actually it took around an hour, but it FELT like forever!

So I decided to ask the angels about what happens when it seems that they're not helping us. And I also wanted to acknowledge Mother Mary for her amazing presence when I was trapped in the bathroom. I realized a longterm panic would NOT serve me, so I called on Mary. She put a blanket of peace on me, and also inspired me to lean toward the door where a little breeze of cooler air proved to me that I WAS getting air.

This is what the angels had to say:

Science fiction shows like Star Trek aside, you really don't have a way to instantaneously transport yourself from one place to another. Whether you fly or drive, it takes time to go from point A to point B.

When you request help from the angels, you are asking us for help with obtaining something. In your case, it was freedom. We angels were helping in the effort--it might have taken longer had you not asked for our assistance. You certainly would have felt much worse had you not asked Mother Mary for assistance, and we definitely recommend that you ask us, or a divine figure of your religious preference such as Jesus or Mary, for comfort too.

What you did not see was what we were doing energetically to help this happen. Now you may theorize that we are nonphysical divine beings outside of time, so why does it take time to get results? YOU live in time, and you live in a physical world, with physical doors and knobs and it required some time to extricate you. We provided some ideas and inspiration to help get you out sooner. And when you inquired that last time around 30 seconds before your release, and you heard us tell you to be patient and stand back, we averted the door hitting you in the face.

Focus on what you want and ask us for assistance, but then get out of the way. Don't worry about when things will happen, or how they will happen. Your focus on something's absence puts up an energetic barrier to our bringing that to you, just like dieters who jump on the scale four times a day get discouraged.

Have faith. Trust that when you ask us for help, we are helping--even if it doesn't seem that way from your vantage point.

And you did the right thing afterward--you gave thanks! We encourage your appreciation--not out of an ego sense of gratification, but because your thanks for what we do energetically shifts you into a place where you can receive even more help and more good.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

The Weight Loss Wait

Losing weight and being reasonably fit is 90% mental. If you make up your mind and decide that you're going to have a good, healthy attitude and a full life, no matter what, your body will shape up accordingly. It's that simple. Your body is a reflection of your emotional, mental, and spiritual shape.

From Norris Chumley Tip of the Day

I wrote in a previous post that I had been upset at “only” losing 15 pounds of the 25 I had gained over the years, and then I realized I was actually pretty successful at losing 15 pounds and keeping it off, and if I was "stuck" at "only" having lost 15 pounds, I surrendered the remaining weight to God and the angels. It’s interesting how surrender makes a difference—it took thirteen months to lose fifteen pounds, and only a little more than a month to lose another five. Maybe I should have surrendered earlier rather than being impatient about the time it took to lose weight!

I have now lost a total of 20 pounds (or 19 if I’m fluctuating “up” a pound that day). This seems to be a comfortable weight to maintain.

But the main thing is that my blood pressure has dropped so that my doctor is not concerned about it, and that my blood sugar at my last physical was normal instead of the “pre-diabetes” level of a few years ago. It also feels better to be a size 8 instead of a size 12.

So I thought I’d share the quote above. I have not starved on some “diet” or spent hours at the gym. I take two mile walks several times a week. I eat less carbohydrates, which is sensible for someone with impaired glucose tolerance. I monitor the scale and if I gain more than two pounds, I watch what I eat more closely.

To be honest though, I still see the rolls around my midriff and the extra five pounds (and the realization that if I were 20, I’d probably be a size 6 at this weight.) But then, I also don’t like evidence of gravity working on my face and body either. I asked the angels for support about being more accepting about my weight and this is what they had to say:

You can lose that last five pounds. But we don’t know if you would want to. First of all, it would accentuate “gravity” in your face which is something about aging that has bothered you. Secondly, it would take a lot of effort in terms of extra exercise and restrained eating, to keep it off once you lost it. Your body is presently in balance where it is. Thirdly, even if you lost the five pounds, you would still have some rolls of fat, cellulite, etc. that you would be less than satisfied with.

What is this really about? It’s not really about numbers on the scale, is it? It’s about perfectionism. You think you “should” be back at the weight you were before you started gaining. But your life, your body, and you have changed since your mid-30s. That’s why you gained 25 pounds in the first place. It was not overnight.

What does it mean for you not to be perfect? As you know, as a divine creation, your spirit is perfect—but somehow in your culture, women have become guilty about not measuring up to a fairly rigid standard of female beauty. In fact, it’s an unrealistic standard as thin women are having implants to have the bust line of someone 40 pounds heavier.

The scale is valuable to monitor so you can stay at this healthful weight for you. However, becoming unhappy over something that would be difficult to attain is not valuable. Your energy is better expended on more creative, more joyful and more interesting pursuits. Since you felt "fat" in college when your weight broke the 100 pound mark, this really isn't about the weight. It's about displacing the ways you feel dissatisfied with your life onto a dissatisfaction with your weight, since that's something less uncomfortable to deal with.

Your weight is not the measure of your worth. Too many women (and men too) determine what kind of day they will have when they step on the scale in the morning. Even you feel discouraged when your weight is up a pound or two, when this is a normal phenomenon of fluid and hormonal balance. “Fat” is not an appropriate response to the question of how you are feeling.

We suggest you emphasize other things that make you appreciate the body you have. Think of how much easier it is for you to take a brisk walk without getting breathless. Think of how much more stamina you have on the dance floor. Think about how much better you look in clothing, how many compliments you’ve received from people noticing how thin you are. Not how thin you almost are—how thin you are. When you appreciate your body, move it in forms of exercise that please you, and feed it good foods, you will feel better about what is, rather than what could be. Appreciate your body and your health. You are a success.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

DUH....

After a few days of really stiff neck/trapezius muscles contributing to a headache, I decided to ask the angels “what can I do to get rid of the last of this headache?” I heard the words “drink more water” in my head before I even pulled a card. But I had to laugh when I did pull a card, from the Angel Therapy® Oracle Cards. It was a reminder that my angels would like to help me with this situation, but with free will, I had to ask.

It was a truly DUH! moment. I’m always reminding friends and clients to ask your angels, ask your angels… and here I was, asking them not for help with the headache itself, but how I could get rid of it.

I still have some tension and vestiges of a headache but I have released this to my angels, and things are improving. How about you? What burden have you tried to carry yourself without asking your angels?

The angels had this to say:

Don’t beat yourself up too much about how you should have known better. People in your society are conditioned toward self-sufficiency from youth. How many two year olds eschew assistance in order to say “See Mommy? I did it myself!” when the mommy is gritting her teeth at waiting 15 minutes for what would have taken her 2 minutes to do for the wee one.

What we’d like for you to do, and for others as well, is not only to remember to call on us in the moment, but to take five minutes and look for ways to make your life simpler. Take out a sheet of paper (or go to your computer if you’re more comfortable doing this electronically) and write/type out those things you feel that you need to do.

Then sit with your list, and ask us “Angels—how can you make this easier for me?” Some ideas may come to you about making things more efficient. Some ideas may come to you about putting something aside that isn’t a priority. You might see an image in your mind’s eye, or be guided to a book that will help you. Stay open to solutions and we WILL be helping you with your day to day tasks, because you have set aside a little time to ask.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Synergy

“The ultimate use for wine is pairing with food,” said Rick Longoria, who makes intense yet balanced pinot noirs in Santa Barbara County. “There is no greater experience than the beautiful synergy between wine and food that elevates both.”

From March 11, 2009 New York Times article by Eric Asimov: Finessed and Light: California Pinot Noirs with a Manifesto

I enjoy a good glass of wine--or even half a glass--with dinner, particularly a good wine with good food. The article quoted above speaks about the big, "fruit-bomb" style of wine versus wines that go well with food. I agree with the article that some of the excessively fruity, alcohol-laden wines do not pair well with food.

I believe wine is meant to go with food. Jesus's first public miracle of turning the water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana has not only been memorialized in the Bible--the QUALITY of the wine was mentioned too.

Why would the quality of the wine be important? Because it tells us that in Jesus's time, enjoying wine with the feast to celebrate the wedding was a natural part of life, and he created more wine out of water, quality wine that tasted better than what was served earlier, so that the guests would enjoy it.

CAVEAT: Now, if you have had a challenge with consuming alcohol or other substances in moderation, or if you use alcohol to avoid feelings in an unhealthy way, then it's probably a good idea for you to be abstinent and I encourage you to find an Alcoholics Anonymous or other group for assistance.

The winemaker spoke of "synergy" between wine and food. I have asked the angels for their take on the concept of synergy.

First of all, each person's tolerance for alcohol differs and some people can drink more and others less, and others none at all, to drink at a level that is psychologically, spiritually and physically healthy. The averages which the medical profession says are "moderate" are averages. But we encourage people to evaluate whether they feel good before, while and after they drink alcohol and find out whether they need to adjust their intake. There are some religions that forbid the intake of alcohol and if you are part of one of these religions, it is best not to indulge in drinking. But God has not said drinking is bad or good--like anything, it can be a positive or a destructive thing depending on the person and the context in which it is done.

This winemaker's word "synergy" means the sum of food and wine is better than either individually. This applies to a good food-wine and good food, but it also applies on a spiritual level. Why speak to angels? is something you are frequently asked. There is a synergy between angelic contact and your relationship with your Creator. If you rely on remembering to pray and "try" to pray daily, you are likely to forget. If you interact regularly with us angels, we will remind you to go to God in prayer--as well as bringing the idea of divinity and guidance to your mind all day long.

There is a synergy between what goes into you and your health. Drinking a glass or two of wine with a nutritious dinner with a leisurely meal and good conversation with supportive and loving people has a synergy of spiritual, mental and physical sustenance. Wolfing down fast food in your car or a couple of bottles of wine immoderately has a synergistic effect of wearing you down instead.

There is also a synergy of spiritual practice. People who pray, often feel more positive about their lives. People who attend churches regularly are said to live a few years longer. Does this mean you need to go to a church? No, but you could find a spiritual community for emotional and spiritual support that fulfilled the same purpose, for example on the internet.

Synergy is about connection and interconnectedness. Food pairs with wine. Angels pair with prayer. Prayer pairs with meditation. Meditation pairs with journaling. Journaling pairs with walking outdoors. Walking pairs with breathing more deeply. Breathing pairs with a more spiritual basis for thought....

You see where we are going. Enjoy the physical pleasures of wine and food in moderation, synergistically. And also explore the spiritual synergies as well.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Self-Forgiveness

UNCONDITIONAL FORGIVENESS

Unconditional forgiveness is not about condoning actions. It is about reclaiming your control over 'your' reactions to any given situation. Unconditional forgiveness is about turning your back on fear, anger, lack and/or limitation and acknowledging that only divine pure love is true.

--Betsy M Brown, "Keep It Simple, Sweetheart" KISS Oracle Cards
Buy them here.

A lot of us have enough hang ups about forgiving others, and it takes the idea about releasing yet not condoning to help us purge our anger and resentments. Yet often, we cannot extend this forgiveness to ourselves. WHY NOT?

I have asked the angels for an explanation and for help on this topic and Archangel Michael, the archangel who helps protect us against negativity, stepped forward. How appropriate since the lack of self-forgiveness is a form of negativity....

Beloved,

If you could only see the purity and divinity of your own soul, you would be breathless with awe. Yes, your actions as a human being are not always perfect. This is the reason why there are concepts such as sin, forgiveness and redemption in your religions. Sin is not some dreadful act, however. Sin is the turning away in shame of the human heart who feels unworthy of being seen by the divine. Sin is the turning away of the human heart who feels ashamed. Sin is the turning away of the human heart that cannot forgive itself so it believes the Creator cannot forgive.

Yet you are really in truth never separated from the divine. The Creator cannot turn away from creation--for the Creator has infused the divinity in every bit of creation. You share the nature of the Creator, on a smaller scale. You are finite versions of the Infinite.

So it is actually natural for you to feel something like "guilt", as your nature is that of God. As the Dalai Lama has said "my religion is kindness", so it is that God's nature is that of love and peace and joy.... When you deviate from that nature and do or say, or even think unkind or angry or fearful things, you feel the contrast from the divine most strongly.

But your thoughts, words and deeds that are "sin" are not meant to separate you from God. They are not meant to send you to damnation as so many religions interpret things. I am using the word sin deliberately here, knowing that it is something that makes people who grew up in fear-based religions cringe, knowing that your new age friends are taken aback by this term. Why? To heal your thoughts and perceptions of this term.

Sin is not about separation. Sin is about reconciliation. When you feel the contrast between your inner divine nature and that of what your ego has created, it creates a hunger for the divine. It creates a hunger to reunite with God, to turn toward God, toward good, to turn away from the ego and the pain it has created. Turning away.... REPENTANCE. Yes, another button pushing word. And one that also needs to be redefined, particularly in this season of Lent.

You expect yourselves to be perfect and fail to forgive yourselves because you expect the ego to be perfect. It is the divine that is perfect, the Holy Spirit within you, the indwelling spark of God within your being. In your humanness, in your ego-ness, there is no chance that you will be "perfect", as you will fear. You will be angry. You will feel hurt, you will hurt others. This is the nature of your human journey. "For all have fallen short of the glory of God" is in the Bible for a reason--not to make you feel bad about yourself--but to know that as a human being, you are equally human and imperfect, as you are divine and perfect.

Apologize to those you need to apologize to, and make amends with those who you feel you need to make amends with, as far as any harm done to others. And forgive yourself for anything you hold yourself apart from God for, for you harm yourself by harboring unforgiveness toward yourself. If you need help with forgiveness, please call upon us angels. We are happy to assist you, but as you know, we only help when asked.

We love you and wish you to love yourselves. We wish you to discard the thoughts that make you feel separate from God and embrace those that resonate with your true nature. Know that you are deeply loved in your humanness as well as in your divinity. God holds no grudges. You are always acceptable and always accepted, just as you are. This is the nature of divine grace. We wish you to see yourselves through the eyes of your Creator--loved as you are.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Comfort

I love this picture of Jesus being comforted by an angel. As you may know from prior blog postings, I love Jesus and work closely with him. After a rather traumatic "sinner/hell" theology instilled in a Baptist elementary school, I had rather turned off Jesus and Christianity for years. Jesus really became my Beloved only after he came to me through the direct experience of the shamanic journey.

I asked Jesus if he could give me some words of comfort to share with people here:

As a human being, you need comfort. When I was human and embodied, I also carried a simultaneous awareness of God's presence which did not leave me like it often does most people in daily life. Yet there were times of loneliness, of temptation, and of weariness. At these times, I too needed comfort and the angels brought comfort to me because I asked.

You do not need to feel "worthy" of being comforted by angels--or by me. You do not have to identify as "Christian" even. Call upon the angels and ask for support. Call upon me. I am a healer. My mission was, and is, to bridge heaven and earth, the human and the divine. Ask, and you SHALL receive.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

The "Breastplate" Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;

Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Swiftness of wind,

Depth of the sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's hand to guard me.

Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding:

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,

Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,

Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in me.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Notwithstanding its reputation as a "partying day", St. Patrick is really celebrated for his faith and efforts to educate the Irish about Christianity and the Trinity by using the three leafs on a shamrock to explain "three in one."

Interestingly, threefold things are not limited to the Holy Trinity of Christianity, of Father, Son and Holy Spirit being God. The ancient pagan goddess religions had a three-fold goddess--maiden, mother and crone. Even now, the wellness/holistic movement refers to "mind, body and spirit".

In seeing the symbol of the shamrock, think about your own threefold nature--You are more than your body. You also are spirit--that place where you are one with your Creator, and soul--an individuation of your spiritual essence. We are all both collective, One, and individual, on a spiritual level, being spirit and soul... and we are individual in our physical beings....

The angels say that this is a great meditation, to ask them to help you recognize the experience of your soul, and that of your spirit. We are so focused on our bodies. If you breathe and focus on feeling yourself as soul and as spirit, you will feel refreshed and balanced, and you should be able to differentiate between these experiences....

St. Patrick's blessings to all.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Baby Seal Hunt 2009

The Canadian hunt for baby seals is about to start very soon. For the past several years, I have been boycotting Canadian seafood, as I have signed a pledge to boycott Canadian seafood in an effort to pressure the Canadian government to put a stop to the cruel practice of clubbing baby seals to death for their fur.

If you are interested in joining the boycott yourself or in learning more about this subject, please click here to learn more.

Thank you.

The angels wanted to speak about political involvement, not about the seals per se:

We encourage you to follow your conscience not only when you vote, but when you live in the world. Just remember that not everyone agrees with you. Not everyone is led to the same beliefs and practices as you do. That is why there are different religions, different countries, different political parties, different ideologies. Find your values and follow them, whether it be about certain causes to donate to, to sign petitions about, to tell others about, in terms of what to eat or drink or drive....

There are those who will say that we are espousing moral relativism. What about Hitler, some might ask. What about the people in cults who stockpile weapons or drink cyanide? What about suicide bombers who think they are serving God? What about fundamentalists of various sorts who kill due to their beliefs? We are not talking about the unfortunate distortions in people that have occurred throughout time and that continue to occur. We are speaking about the consciences of people like you, who are of an inquiring, rather than dogmatic, mind. We are speaking about people who genuinely seek to listen to God within themselves, people like you. We ask you to ask yourself when that inner voice speaks, is this the voice of Love? If it is the voice of caring, then listen--and follow.

If you respect others and seek to advocate without harming others, you can make a difference in your world. Some of you will be passionate about animals, or the environment. Others will want to defeat disease or help other countries' poor people. Follow your heart in this. Make a difference for good in this world. Jesus said to love others as you love yourself. Whether this is Mother Earth, or people in Africa, or seals in Canada, is individual among you. But there are enough of you with open hearts, that many causes will benefit from the various passions to help, that are within the collective you.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Saying Grace...

Being consciously silent before eating can ground you, making you aware of the magnitude of what you’re about to do. You are taking another living thing’s life into your body. Food was once alive and by the act of eating it, you claim its life for yours. You are continuing the flow of God’s magnificently intricate eco-system with each bite.

-Dr. Norris Chumley from Weight Loss Tip of the Day

I love this idea from Dr. Chumley (and I recommend that you click the link and read his entire tip--it's short, only a paragraph.) For the past few months, I have been blessing my food before I eat by saying "Thank you, God, for being the food I am about to eat." Omnipresent God is everywhere, even in the food we are about to eat--even in the waste we excrete. I suppose that puts a different perspective into play for those of us who aren't quite fond of the sensory input of cleaning litterboxes. It was a confirmation of my own practices to read this from him.

I have asked the angels to give you a message about saying grace, but instead they wanted to give you a model for blessing your food yourself:

Dear God,

Thank you for the divine life within all things, for being the essence of all that is. Please help me slow down and recognize the life within this food, and the life within me. Please help me recognize the divine within this food, and the divine within me. I give thanks and ask blessings for all those who have helped bring this food to my table. I give thanks and ask blessings for all beings who have given their lives that I may eat this food, and I ask that your angels transform any energetic residue of pain, or pesticides, or anything else not of the purest divine nature, into pure love right now. Please help me assimilate this food into health for my body, mind and spirit. Thank you for life itself. Amen.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

On Boundaries

From "Beyond Blue" blog:

"If I can continue to say no to the things I simply don't want to do, not only will I have more energy, I will be able to accept without resentment the boundaries of those loved ones in my life."

-Therese J. Borchard

Many of us seek to please. I remember wanting approval as a child, but never really "fitting in" with other kids. I was, admittedly, odd, probably in part due to my intuitive nature and interests in things that other kids did not share--and because I just was more comfortable with adults. The ego has a way of whispering things like "she just told you no--maybe she really doesn't like you" into our subconscious minds. And many of us overextend ourselves in "people pleasing" thinking that if we say no, other people won't like us. Taken to an extreme, these behaviors are known as "co-dependence".

I know that as an intuitive, I had boundary issues for most of my life. I couldn't tell what were my own emotions and what I was absorbing from those around me. I would feel fine one moment and walk into a room and suddenly feel anxious, or irritated, or sad. But if we are too enmeshed in others' energies, there is no room for ourselves--it's very similar to when we fill our lives with activities that are for others, rather than those that serve us.

So I asked the angels about boundaries and got this response:

There is no real difference between energetic boundaries and task oriented boundaries. If you are doing tasks that you resent or don't want to be doing and neglecting things that feed your own soul, you are bleeding away your energy to others every bit as much as those who are "empaths" who lack energetic boundaries. It is ALL about energy.

What you need is some self esteem. We are not speaking of inflating the ego. The ego is a strange dichotomy of feeling terribly insecure on one hand, and feeling an inappropriate sense of entitlement that trounces the feelings of others on the other hand. Both are inappropriate. Jesus told you to love others AS yourself--not more, and not less. The ego has two tendencies, the one that inflates the importance of itself, or the otne that inflates the importance of others. Both are imbalances.

If you see yourself and others as God sees you, you see a holy child of the infinite. You see a gift to creation. You see potential for greatness. If you have a creative spirit and you spend your time taking care of what others could do better, you are squandering your creativity and your gifts. People are not helpless and you need not serve them with that understanding. Rather, see yourself as someone who can support yourself and support others in greatness. There is no need to squander your energy on doing for others things they would better be able to do themselves. People are babies and children temporarily, where a parent needs to take care of all, then a majority of needs. This is a temporary state. If you have been taking care of someone other than yourself to your own neglect, there is something wrong.

We suggest that you affirm every day, "I am a creation of the divine. I am guided to that which serves my own life purpose, as well as that which supports others." Yes, you are part of a loving collective that benefits from your presence on earth. But the benefit of those who can help others through writing, or art, or counseling, or some other thing that sets their hearts on fire, is something larger than those who would be served by that person driving the neighbors' kids all the time or volunteering to do tasks that are not wanted.

The most loving and giving thing you can do is to be present first to those things that feed your soul--and those things that feed your soul will feed others' souls. Yes, there are tasks that everyone does that are not all "fun" that are necessary. But you don't fill hours upon hours with them. We are saying to listen to your heart. Say no if you really want to say no. Someone else might WANT to do these things, like run the PTA . If you do what you love, you leave things that others might prefer, to them, after all. There are people who choose to be tax accountants and auto mechanics, even if those would not be your career choices. By prioritizing what you prefer, you free up things for others. And when people are balanced and happier with time freed up to do mainly what they desire, the world feels better with less resentment and feeling "obligated."

Ask your heart if it really wants to do something and ask your mind if there is someone else more suited to do it. Then gracefully say yes or no to tasks depending on how both mind and heart guide you.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

What A Wonderful World

Youtube Video "What A Wonderful World"

A friend of mine sent the link above, which depicts a touching relationship between a fawn and a cat, set to Louis Armstrong's song What a Wonderful World.

If such different species can be at peace with one another, why are humans at war? This is what the angels had to say:

There is a touching display of affection between the young deer and the cat, but they are individuals of different species, not individuals of differing ideology. They are content to just be with one another. Neither is trying to convince the other of anything.

If you think about most of the world's conflicts, they are about "right" versus "wrong", a religion versus another religion or even sect against sect within the same one. It is never God's intention to create harm in any way, but sometimes humans' interpretations of who and what God is, leads to an attempt to control others' interpretations of who and what God is. This leads to war sometimes. Or repression, sometimes--or sometimes the fragmentation of families when a brittle interpretation of God and "righteousness" excludes a family member whose lifestyle or beliefs change to something outside that of his family.

Remember always that God is not on someone's "side". As much as enemies have prayed to God for victory in war on opposite sides of the trenches, or people have prayed for a given result in the Super Bowl, God doesn't take sides. God is Love, and excludes no one and nothing. It is unfortunate that there is human conflict, but God loves each one concerned.

We angels recommend that you remember God's Love. Live your life by your values, but remember that there are others that may not agree with you. Bless them and let them be.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

Where Are We Going?

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

Thomas Merton, from Thoughts in Solitude

Many of us feel the economic situation in the United States. Even if one takes a "media fast", the energy of fear and anxiety is still rampant. I am not one of those people who believes in eliminating the news. Nor do I believe it's healthy to watch CNN for hours. Scan the newspapers so you know what is going on--it's better than having some unknowing dread about things unknown, in my opinion.

I've had my share of anxieties myself, with the large charges we've made recently for our cats' veterinary care, and the voluntary severance packages being offered in one division at my employer's.

I will admit--I'm a control freak. So feeling out of control has led to a tightness in the gut, a tendency toward anxiety and some melancholy. I thought I'd share the prayer by Thomas Merton above because I find it to be of comfort. We are not alone. God is ever-present, and we have angels and other beings of light surrounding and enfolding us in Divine grace.

I asked the angels for a message for you. It doesn't have to do directly with the economy, but with grace:

You can think of something precious--a kitten, a puppy, a baby bird.... think about cradling it gently in the palms of your hands. God, being Spirit, does not literally have hands, but you can think of being cradled, carefully and gently, in His palms. God is holding you carefully. God is watching you breathe. God is filled with wonder at His own creations, for each unique individual is a marvel.

You are special. You are the beloved of God. No matter what life brings your way, you are embraced by God, enfolded by God, enveloped by God--for there is actually nothing else BUT God.

Let yourself breathe in God. Let yourself know that no matter what, God is there. Let yourself have faith that there is something wiser, larger, more aware than you are, that is orchestrating good things for you, even as you pass through something that you would consider less than ideal.

Feel the presence of God enfold you. Feel the presence of God within. KNOW that at your core, you share the essence of what God is. What else would God create but something marvelous, something miraculous, something eternal? From your human viewpoint of your human self in this particular moment, your life and circumstances may seem limited. But there is the eternal you, and this experience is but a blink in eternity. Breathe and know that this too shall pass. All is well, truly. You are loved beyond measure.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!

The Great Cat Mystery

For the past two weeks, our cat Solstice who has chronic renal disease, has had an acute renal failure and been in various vet hospitals. All the testing has turned out inconclusive, including a pylograph to check for blockage--but after almost dying one night last week, she has turned the corner and her blood values indicate her kidney function has started up again. As always, your prayers and positive intentions are appreciated for dear little Solstice.

I was guided to do a shamanic journey as part of her healing, to retrieve a healing story for her. The healing story is a mythic story, one that speaks on an archetypal level to the soul of the animal (or person) and empowers the animal to heal. So here I share the story I retrieved for Solstice.

How the Star Cats Came to Earth
As Told By White Tiger

Long, long ago--before there was time, all cats were white and they lived in the stars. Silently, they streaked through space, paws outstretched, as they leaped and pounced, crept and stalked, bounded and rolled, through the galaxies. Often you will observe a swirling effect in the appearance of a galaxy--for example, in the Milky Way. These swirls are the result of a long ago cat chasing its tail....

One day, strange stones and fire appeared in the skies. They shot light and movement through the stars and the cats looked upon them with delight. "Let's ride them," some of the more adventuresome cats cried. These cats leaped upon the back of the meteors, and hurtled through space on them to a new planet called Earth. The now earth-cats often turned different colors from the meteors' fire and the elements in the atmosphere. There were orange cats and black cats, calico cats and striped cats, gray and black and white and brown and combination colored cats.

With air to breathe, the cats learned that they could make sounds. They meowed, they purred, they called out. The satisfaction of sound helped make up for the fact that they could no longer fly. But still their descendants love to jump up to the highest possible places, as the closest thing to flight for an earth-cat.

Yet not every cat on earth took on color. Special cats maintained their white color, and these cats still have a mystery about them. The white cats still maintain a connection to the stars. Sometimes, you can see a faraway gleam of starlight in their eyes. And sometimes when they dream, they stretch out their paws and fly through the night sky, through millions of stars.

***

To contact Sue to get angelic guidance, to contact your animal companions both here or beyond the veil, to schedule a shamanic healing session, or simply to say "hi" and give me some feedback on my blog,please click here to email Sue. My rates are in the "About Me, My Rates and What I Offer" section in the Links Section to the right of my page. Many blessings and thanks to you!