December 26, 2014

Column 1: Should I stay or should I go?

THIS week Mark asked: "I'm unsure whether to stay in my current job. Lately I'm becoming more frustrated with the actions and decisions of some colleagues. Would it be best to move on?"

When I contemplated this week's column, before I even knew the question, I began receiving strong feelings about its core messages. When I tuned in more acutely and drew the cards in response to your question, this is what they revealed.

The first card Communicating Freely symbolises the source of your concern and frustrations. Do you feel you have not been speaking up for yourself? Have you had some great ideas at work but felt unsure of how to express them for fear of others' reactions?

Know that you can speak your truth in a way that is respectful and composed, yet still honours your feelings about the situation. It is about taking a risk and stepping out of your comfort zone. I can assure you this always works out for your highest good, and actually for the good of those around you, even if you can't see it at first. My suggestion would be to heed the advice from the guidebook, "This isn't the time to step back – rather, it is time to step forward and share from your heart."

Mark, please don't let the image of the girl playing her flute with her pet unicorn distract you from the true meaning of this next card: Following Your Bliss. This card represents your resolution. It is all about discovering what brings you the most joy. What are you truly passionate about?

You don't need to necessarily leave your job. If you are already in your dream job or are satisfied with your daily work, then the issue might be about not letting your outer circumstances dictate your inner sense of peace and wellbeing. Easier said than done ... I know.

You can however take small steps toward a new job or career that better fits with your desires and passions. Maybe while you are still in your current job, you can begin exploring other avenues. There might be a part-time course in your preferred field. Once you start to pursue what "makes your heart sing" you will feel energised and re-invigorated. This is a good indication of when you are on the right path. It is possible to combine what you love with your career. When you act from a place of joy, doors of opportunity will fly open for you.

The final card Being in the Flow represents a possible future outcome from following the advice of the other two cards. For you, it demonstrates that once you speak your truth and follow your path of joy, you will feel more in the flow.

You may have noticed lately that you have been encountering moments where life feels like a struggle and more stressful than usual. This is an indication that there is an easier way if you take a step back and consider whether you feel you are on the right path. When you are in the flow, life is easy. Signs, insights, and your next action step, present themselves in what seems like miraculous ways. The key is to follow your heart's true desires then you will see how life will unfold more naturally for you.

Today's cards have been drawn from the Gateway Oracle Cards. All material relating to the cards and guidebook is copyright to Denise Linn, 2012.

January 9, 2015

Column 2: Time to let go of negativity

THIS week Claire asked: "Once again I've overindulged at Christmas. I usually find it takes me a while to recover. What can I do differently?"

Today I was drawn to Doreen Virtue's Archangel Raphael Healing Oracle Cards. The first card was Forgiveness Heals. You might think, "What has forgiveness got to do with overindulgence?" But honestly, there could not have been a more accurate card to represent the source of the issue. It is about replacing toxic emotions with peace and health. When you are angry with yourself or others, it is you who suffers. This card symbolises that it is time to let go of past negative experiences and emotions that have been stored in your mind, heart and body. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much physical and emotional baggage you let go of by allowing yourself to forgive.

The second card was Detoxification. It doesn't mean you have to buy a program or pills, quite the opposite. A detox can be as simple as refining what and how you eat and drink (without judgement). It can be about moderation as opposed to cutting entire things out. It can be reducing some things you consume and increasing others (you will have an instinct about what these are already). It can be starting your day with some fresh lemon juice in a glass of water to kick-start your metabolism. Do explore what detoxification means to you, but I am getting a strong sense that this card's message will ring true because it is something you have considered for some time. Take it slowly; enjoy the process by looking at it as an act of self-love. When you begin to take care of any aspect of yourself, your effort will be rewarded by how you feel within. The outer effects will be the icing on the cake (no pun intended).

The final card, which can represent the result of acting on the other two, is Unconditional Joy. It also highlights that it is possible to attain joy right now regardless of your circumstances. I can see two quick ways to get you on the path of joy. Firstly, give yourself a break from judgement. When you continue a behaviour and then judge or berate yourself for it, you will stay stuck in a dysfunctional cycle. When you acknowledge that what you've been doing in overindulging is an attempt to soothe yourself and fill a void with something (like food or alcohol), you can begin a process of empowerment and be open to positive choices. This will lighten the load and allow joy to re-enter your life.

Secondly, be grateful for everything you have in your life now. You could obtain a nice crystal, but a rock will do. Place it in your pocket and throughout your day when you notice it be thankful for anything and everything you can think of. This can be a powerful practice. You can be thankful for anything from your family or home, to a flower or a breeze.

Today's cards have been drawn from the Archangel Raphael Healing Oracle Cards. All material relating to the cards and guidebook is copyright to Doreen Virtue, 2010.

January 21, 2015

Column 3: Mary seeks advice on life

THIS week Mary asked: "I think I know what to do, easier said than done. I want to wake up and feel alive. I have opportunities, but replace that with a to-do list making my day slip away. Maybe something you say to me may trigger a feeling inside of me to just be."

Mary, you're not alone in feeling this way. We do tend to fill our time with activities that we believe are meaningful. And while some items on our to-do list are in fact meaningful, some we simply can't avoid (the dishes and laundry have to get done sometime right?) But we all have things at times we would rather be doing, personal pursuits, goals and passions that we may not be allocating the time, energy and resources that they deserve – that WE deserve.

When we continue with the mundane and unexciting routines day in day out, it can zap our energy and zest for life. Constant demands competing for our attention often leave us feeling overwhelmed. We think we need a holiday, when really we need balance and to include activities that bring us contentment. Scheduling time just being instead of doing is important too. Quiet time or meditation would help with this.

The Fulfillment card has come to you today from Denise Linn's Soul Coaching deck. It features a lady at the centre of a flower with a giant loving heart, symbolising that "alive" feeling you seek.

The message is for you to consider where you are creating happiness in your life. How can you make your existing activities more enjoyable? Can you streamline your domestic duties or delegate some of them to give you more time for fun? You could even give your life a fun makeover. Maybe you have forgotten what it feels like to be elated, blissful, joyous and happy. Sometimes what we need is a good belly laugh. The comedy section of the video store or library can help with that.

If you are unsure of what gives you joy, you could embark on a self-discovery mission. Try new things, explore different past-times and hobbies. Remember it's meant to be fun, it's meant to make you feel happy. And most importantly, know that you're worth it.

Today's card has been drawn from the Soul Coaching Oracle Cards: What Your Soul Wants You to Know. All material relating to the card and guidebook is copyright to Denise Linn, 2006.

January 30, 2015

Column 4: Messages from above

THIS week Louise asked: "I want to believe that the feelings I've had lately are my friends and relatives who have passed, but sometimes it makes me miss them more."

This is an area that is close to my heart, as it is for many. To answer your enquiry, I consulted the Talking to Heaven Mediumship Cards by Doreen Virtue and James Van Praagh. I knew that any of their cards would offer you relief, but the one that revealed itself was, I send you loving signs through nature. This was the perfect card to bring you comfort and provide clarity for your feelings.

Only recently I was not sure how to interpret signs that I felt were coming from above. I came across a CD featuring a song that played at my friend's memorial, then an old magazine – the cover story featured bowel cancer, which she died from. I knew I could no longer ignore that she was trying to communicate with me. My grief had been blinding me from seeing and feeling her signs.

Sometimes our rational mind gets in the way of our faith. It is our heart that needs to guide us to that inner knowing, especially when we have no tangible proof. It is out of the unknown and unexplainable that our faith is reborn.

When you are feeling doubtful about the validity of signs, ask yourself what brings you more hope? What causes you to feel better? To shut yourself off from the idea that those who are no longer on Earth are connecting with you OR to notice and trust the signs that your loved ones are still with you?

I believe one of the reasons our loved ones pass is because they can be of more service to us in heaven than on earth. I encourage you to be open to the signs. They come to bring you comfort, peace, understanding and guidance.

This passage from the Talking to Heaven guidebook highlights the message for you today from your deceased family members and loved ones: "We've sent you birds, dragonflies, butterflies, flowers, clouds, and rainbows. Each time you notice these signs, your body gives you confirmation of who sent them to you."

Today's card has been drawn from the Talking to Heaven Mediumship Cards. All material relating to the card and guidebook is copyright to Doreen Virtue and James Van Praagh, 2013.

February 6, 2015

Column 5: Trust that it will all work out

THIS week Lesley asked: "My life feels like one drama after another. Any advice?"

In nearly every oracle or angel card deck, there is the Trust card. And that is the card that has been drawn today from the Osho Zen Tarot. Its commonality indicates the importance of this subject.

So if trust is a word that gets thrown around a lot when it comes to seeking guidance, what does it actually mean?

When you are in the midst of chaos or even a circumstance that you would prefer not to be experiencing, how do you have trust that all will be ok?

The best place to start is by reflecting on times in the past where you have been faced with a challenge and to see with hindsight how it unfolded. If you can say, "I lived to see another day," that is enough. What seemed like a major drama and disturbance at the time became manageable. Sometimes it is through these incidences that we undergo the most learning and growth.

In a blog I wrote about attitude, I suggested that to prevent feeling so out of control in our lives is to "de-mountainise our molehills" – it's about perspective. It can seem difficult at the time, but with practice it gets easier to deal with things as they arise in a more calm and positive manner without getting too ahead of ourselves. Don't play the "what if" game. Sometimes we scare ourselves silly with all the possibilities that often don't eventuate.

When it comes to managing life's curve balls and inciting trust, as clichéd as it sounds, some deep breaths can do wonders. Science shows that regulating our breathing in times of stress enables a relaxation response to help stop the biological changes that occur when we enter fight or flight mode. Oxygen to the brain equals clarity. Then you can work through situations one step, one breath at a time.

Part of today's message for you is to trust your own intuition without question, hesitation or doubt. It's when we second-guess ourselves that all seems to unravel. Trust is about knowing that someway, somehow, everything will work out in the end.

Today's card has been drawn from the Osho Zen Tarot: The Transcendental Game of Zen. All material relating to the card and guidebook is copyright to Osho Zen International Foundation Switzerland, 1994.

February 13, 2015

Column 6: Tap into your own inner truth

THIS week a question was submitted anonymously: "There's nothing wrong with my life but I can't help think there's something more than the daily grind. I'm starting to think I may never realise my dreams. What do the cards have in store for me?"

The card I drew for you is Inspiration from Denise Linn's Soul Coaching deck. Interestingly, on the deck's guidebook are the words, "What Your Soul Wants You to Know," so you have come to the right place!

While I feel that you are passionate about aspects of your life including family and friends, even your job, you feel something is missing. Without a sense of purpose and fulfillment, daily life can feel like a grind.

What inspires you? You will know immediately what it is. Often it's during childhood that we form ideas about what we'd like to do and who we'd like to become. As we get older, logic and intellect kick in and we forget about, suppress or deny those dreams that make our soul sing.

When we are inspired, whatever we are doing feels good. Inspiration taps into an inner truth. It's as though electricity is running through your veins. For me, this happens when I write. And it supports my dream of becoming a published author.

It doesn't mean that you have to view your everyday life as boring or separate, quite the contrary. When you create space for inspiration it will cause you to see your existing circumstances with fresh eyes and enthusiasm. That's the effect it has on me.

Incorporating something every day that inspires you is the key. You might start with a few minutes. Over time you will build momentum to do more.

Little by little, day by day, it's those incremental action steps that will bring you closer to your dreams.

As I was considering your question, I came across a 2000-year-old quote by a sage named Patanjali. "Dormant forces, faculties, and talents come alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be." This is what inspiration will do for you.

Today's card has been drawn from the Soul Coaching Oracle Cards: What Your Soul Wants You to Know. All material relating to the card and guidebook is copyright to Denise Linn, 2006.