~Dreams~

Dreaming is a physiological function for humans that is a natural process, necessary for mental, emotional, and physical health, as well as overall well-being. The human body requires approximately 2 hours of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep per night. During REM sleep the eyes move swiftly in back-and-forth motion, and the neurons of the brain are active, similar to the activity that takes place when you are awake. We can dream during any state of sleep, but it is during this cycle of sleep that we have the most vivid and memorable dreams. It is important to point out that everyone dreams, whether they remember or not.

Many of us don’t take our dreams very seriously, but we should. When we dream we are in an expanded state of consciousness, and fully connected to the subconscious mind. Anything and everything is possible in our dreams. We leave our physical forms behind and allow our essence to travel the various planes of existence. In our dreams we are free to connect with our Higher Selves, Angels, and Spirit Guides for healing and guidance. We also process and assimilate our memories and experiences, and all of the mental and emotional effects they have on us. Some people receive information in their dream state of future events – this is called a prophetic, or visionary dream.

Native Americans believe that dreams are sacred and a means of obtaining guidance and wisdom from Spirit. Aboriginal people believe in two parallel streams of activity happening at once. One is the daily details of physical life, and the other is the infinite spiritual life that they call Dreamtime. Dreamtime is actually believed to be more real than physical reality, and they have built their laws, social structures, and values on dreaming. Some of their people have the spiritual power to be in contact with Dreamtime during their waking state.  In our culture we refer to people with these gifts as psychics, clairvoyants, or spiritual mediums.

Lucid dreaming is when the individual who is dreaming is aware that they are in dream state, and can manipulate or actively participate in the dream. The experience of lucid dreaming is extremely real and full of vivid images. I participate in lucid dreaming almost every night, and I truly enjoy my dream experiences.

In my next blog I will offer some tips on how to become a Lucid Dreamer, or program your dreams. This can allow you to travel to any destination, obtaining beautiful gifts from vivid experiences, and divine knowledge during your dream state. Until then…sweet dreams!

Blessings,
Karen~

Forgiveness.

We have all been deeply hurt at one time or another through the words or actions of another. We have also, all done some damage of own towards others. I know for myself that I have hurt and offended others without even being fully aware that I had done so.

When someone hurts us or vice-versa… what do we, as humans beings, normally do? Do we hang onto our anger and resentment, bringing forth thoughts of revenge and rage , or do we decide to embrace forgiveness and move forward? Truly moving forward includes moving on without holding onto grudges or bitterness. This can be a very daunting task that sometimes takes us years to accomplish. I am still learning how to truly forgive. It’s really difficult to allow all your wounds to heal. Especially if the people who have caused those wounds have never given you an apology. Sometimes, even if the other person does apologize, we are wound up so tightly with our anger and our unforgiveness, that we simply refuse to accept an olive branch when offered to us. These pent-up negative feelings can cause horrible damage to our relationships, careers, families and to our own bodies. I believe that many devastating illnesses and conditions that manifest within the body at times stem from harboring bitterness and unforgiveness towards others and for ourselves.

When I have had times of really feeling hurt and angry towards someone for transgressions against me, my angels/guides have said to me “Remember that you are all doing what you can with the knowledge, awareness and energy that you have to work with… and as you change and evolve, through experiences with one another, you grow in your ability to maintain grace and peace together.” They also remind me that I am the true creator of every relationship and situation that I draw to me and am not ever a victim. This divine guidance has helped me to take some of the emotion out of hurtful exchanges and release my judgment of others who have offended me. I still feel the initial sting when someone wounds me, but I have a much easier time letting go of it when I remember these messages from spirit.  With these gifts of knowledge I am able to release my resentment and hurt, allowing me to put things into perspective and have understanding, compassion, and even empathy for those who have offended me. The wounds may remain in my memory, or may have caused permanent changes in my life, but I am free of the grip of bitterness or grudges which can truly hurt me in the long run.

Forgiveness, however, doesn’t mean that you deny the other person’s responsibility or erase the act. What it does is help you to lift yourself out of the negative energy of the wrongful act. When you forgive you set yourself free from being imprisoned by negativity. Being a person who has the ability to forgive allows you to move away from the role of victim. You take back your power and release the offending person’s or the situation’s power it has had in your life. In having this awareness and truly owning your power, you will no longer define yourself or your life by how hurt you have been. You then have the power to define yourself as a being of grace and serenity within.

“He who is devoid of the power to forgive, is devoid of the power to love.”  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.~

Blessings to all!

Karen~

The Dark Night Of The Soul.

The Dark Night Of The Soul is a metaphor that is used to describe a time in a person’s spiritual life, that manifests as a time of struggle along with a sense of loneliness or isolation. This is a common experience for individuals who are seeking growth and spiritual maturity as they walk the path towards their union with God, The Source Of All Creation, or All That Is.

The origin of The Dark Night Of The Soul comes from a poem, under that title, that was written by 16th century poet and Roman Catholic mystic Saint John Of The Cross. This poem describes the hardships he endured as a Carmelite priest, while he was imprisoned by his Carmelite brothers who were opposed to his reformation to their order. During this phase in one’s spiritual life, you may feel that you are in the midst of a spiritual crisis that affects everything in your world. This period of time is referred to as “dark” because you feel that you are disconnected from the light or that somehow God has forsaken you. You feel prayer and all the ways that you used to gain comfort from spirit, to allow you to sustain your faith, have suddenly lost their value and left you bereft. This leads to being stripped of parts of your psyche, ego and former perceptions of self and of God.

This is truly a blessing in disguise as it makes way within the conscious/concrete mind for an awakening or quickening of the soul. Having to take your steps forward in faith, and seemingly alone, rewards you with a sense of strength and courage that you may not have found or known within yourself otherwise. It actually opens your eyes more fully to Divinity and strengthens your connection and your awareness of your own value. Usually having come through this phase of your spiritual life restores your soul to higher state of being and you will have fewer experiences in which to question your value again. Finding within you, your hearts true home.

For those of you who feel that you are experiencing The Dark Night Of The Soul, let me tell you from my own personal experience and from the experiences of some beautiful people who are close to me, that even though you feel isolated and as if you are in the center of a devastating storm…don’t lose faith and you are absolutely not alone! You will find your strength and make it through this time and as you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel you will be a stronger and wiser soul for it!

As Jesus has said to me “The death of the old brings forth life renewed.”

Blessings,
Karen~

Some Of My Animal Spirit Guides.

I have several Animal Spirit Guides and I receive many gifts of inspiration, protection and support from them. They also give me the gift of playfulness. I tend to take myself and life too seriously at times and they come to me with playful and humorous messages constantly and this helps to lighten my mood, allowing me to flow with the love of Spirit . I feel their unconditional love for me and I love them in return totally and completely.

~GIRAFFE~ Giraffe supports my visual abilities (or clairvoyance) and helps me to remember that no matter how much I like to allow my head to be in the clouds communicating with Spirit, I am also attached to this material world and to my physical body. So, I need to honor that and take care of myself. He reminds me that I can’t help others as much if I am not at my best. He encourages me to feed and take care of mind and body as much as my soul. Thank you my wise Giraffe!

~Dolphin~ My Dolphin supports me with all of my intuitive abilities and heightens my awareness of other peoples feelings and auras. She also supports me in communicating on several different levels simultaneously. Because of this, people in my world seek me out for advice and guidance. Dolphin also reminds me to have fun and allow myself to play and be joyful. Many of my friends and family have heard me say “It’s all about the fun!” This was initially given to me by Dolphin when she was reminding me to find joy in every moment of my life and focus on living in the present. Thank you my lovely Dolphin!

~DRAGON~ My Dragon has a very powerful presence and she blends with my energy while I am leading groups of people in classes, meditations, prayer or just counseling one-on-one. She assists me in being confident and powerful in how I carry myself and not give in to my inclination to be self conscious. Dragon also assists me with being open minded to other’s spiritual beliefs and to new ideas. She allows me have a full sense of knowing within through her broad experience and vast knowledge to understand higher concepts and to know the truth of our oneness with all of creation. Thank you my beautiful Dragon!

I get very emotional when I talk about my Spirit Guides, because they always convey such a warm and loving flow of energy to me and I am so grateful for that love! I thank my Guide Jesus every day for my connection to them all. I hope that all of you give yourselves the gift of having a connection to all the forms that Spirit takes, as with your Animal Spirit Guides.

Blessings,

Karen~

Animal Spirit Guides.

Animal Spirit Guides are another way for Spirit to connect and communicate with you. Since we have a relationship with these creatures in the physical world, it is easier for some to connect to animals as Spirit Guides. Each type of animal carries certain characteristics and qualities that they bring forward with them to assist the souls that have drawn them. It is also my understanding that each species of animal is a part of a combined soul group instead of having a separate soul or essence. So, all Owl Spirit Guides have the same general qualities as do all Wolf Spirits, Bear, Turtle and so on.

Animal Spirit Guides are also referred to as Animal Totems or Power Animals. There are subtle differences in meaning, but for you to connect with your Animal Guides you need not worry about whether they are a Totem or Power Animal so much. They are awesome creatures of Spirit who offer us their protection, encouragement, support and Divine guidance. You may receive messages from your Animal Guides as long as  you are open to raising your receptivity to them. They can communicate with you in meditations and dreams  once you have heightened your awareness to them. Often our Animal Guides will introduce themselves to you by showing up in unusual ways as symbols of the particular animal or in physical form. If you are confronted with the image of an animal, whether physical or symbolic , 3 times over a very short period of time, this is a sign that this particular Animal Spirit may be trying to convey a message to you or make a connection to you as a Guide.

These beautiful Spirit Creatures should be honored and appreciated. Giving donations and actively working towards the conservation of animals and the environment they live in on this wonderful planet that we all share is a great way to lovingly show your gratitude. Also, a way to strengthen your connection to them is to have pictures and figurines of your Guides in your environment. These prove to be great reminders of your relationship and keep you connected to them in your daily life.

I hope that this helps you to establish your own personal relationship to your awesome Animal Spirit Guides!

Blessings!

Karen~

The Spirit World.

I have had many people asking questions after posting my last blog on Spirit Guides. Questions like “Where do my Guides exist and how do my Spirit Guides and Animal Guides connect with me?” So, I thought I should expand on these topics and give more information about the Spirit Realms and Spirit Guides. Also we will explore a bit more about what kinds of gifts they bring to us.

Let me begin by reminding everyone that everything is energy, and we exist in a certain energetic plane or dimension while Spirits exist on another energetic plane/frequency or wave length. The Spirit World is not this far off glorious place in the sky. It is just a few wave lengths above us energetically and is very much an accessible realm to us all. They (Spirit Guides) really are right beside us all the time. We just need to raise our energetic vibration enough to have an awareness of them. One of the best ways to raise your vibration is through the practice of meditation. Take a look at my blog titled The Blessings Of Being A Tree, where you will find a grounding meditation exercise that will help you in getting started. As you feel that wonderful grounded feeling and have successfully “become a tree” just simply ask your Spirit Guides to join you and to give you a message. They will respond to your willingness and intention to connect with them. As they respond to your call, you will begin to have an awareness of them. This can feel like a warm, loving feeling coming over you or you may even get a picture in your minds eye of them. They are very subtle and may speak to you in a very gentle quiet voice, so, you need to quiet your mind in order to open fully to communicating with them. Using meditation helps you to quiet your mind and achieve a heightened state of awareness and greater receptivity.

Once you have connected with the Spirit World you are open to receive divine inspiration, higher knowledge and unconditional love from all the high vibration non-physical beings that reside there. These beings are Ascended Masters, Archangels/Angels, religious figures, loved ones, Ancestors and Animal Guides. These high vibration beings are also referred to as Spirit Helpers, Guardian Spirits, Animal Totems and Divine Teachers. They are as diverse as the people they are connected to. We can have any number of Spirit Guides as we navigate through our various experiences on life’s journey and they walk beside us whether we are aware of them or not.

They are happy to support us with anything and everything, and they do so willingly whenever they are called upon. It is very important to understand that they may offer you wonderful gifts, creative ideas and healing energy at a very high level when you ask them specifically for these gifts. They will not interfere with your free will or take your lessons or karma away from you. They can, and will, however, make going through your experience as a divine soul living a life in this physical realm much smoother and more harmonious.

We are truly blessed to have them!

Love & Light

Karen~

Spirit Guides.

Spirit Guides are non-physical beings, or souls, that are connected to you on your physical journey in life and support you in your path towards spiritual awareness. They have many gifts and abilities to lend divine support to you every second of every day in your life.

These souls are signed on to teach, heal and watch over you. Some are with you as your essence joins your physical body in the womb and they stay with you until your soul ascends from your body at the end of your life and others are loved ones who have passed on who wish to act as guides for you. They are tireless, unlimited and full of unconditional love, and they never judge you or condemn you for your choices. They are a supreme force of divine energy that is constantly nudging you towards your most positive outcomes. They are a beautiful gift to us from the source of all creation.

One of the easiest ways to become aware of and make a conscious connection to your spirit guides is through meditation. Once you have an awareness of your guides, a great way to strengthen that connection is simply to talk with them. Your spirit guides can offer you guidance and support in any area of your life. Like in your relationships, spiritual developement, health/healing issues, creative projects, career choices, and truly any aspect of your journey through life. Just ask and you will receive!

I have memories of some of my first connections and experiences with Spirit Guides as a little girl. When I was around the age of 4 years old, I played almost daily under two trees in our back yard that were special to me. One was a huge Weeping Willow and the other was a tall Evergreen tree. I clearly recall playing and having conversations with what I called the princesses/princes and angels who lived in the branches of the trees. They were always happy and loving to me. When I told my family about them they said (smiling) “You have a really big imagination!”

I realize now that those beautiful memories were my initiation into having a full awareness of the many forms that Spirit takes and being able to communicate with Spirit freely. Now I communicate with Spirit Guides and Angels daily. It is my purpose in life to be in service of Spirit and support all who are drawn to me in making their own connections to their Spirit Guides.

Love & Light
Karen~

Some of my experiences with Reincarnation.

Here are just a couple of events in my life where I experienced connections to reincarnation:

When I was a little girl, probably around the age of 5, I was watching my mom applying her face cream before bed and I asked her about her breasts. She instantly got very uncomfortable with where I was going in the conversation and turned it around on me asking why I wanted to talk about “boobs,” like it was gross. So, feeling like I was revealing a secret, I told her that I remembered having them when I was a mom and knew that I would be growing them again. I was basically trying to ask her if, because I was her daughter, mine would look like hers when I was a mom again. I knew inside that I had been a mom before and had breasts and would again. She immediately told me that I was being silly and that those ideas were just from a dream that I was remembering. I knew then that she was wrong, but, I could also see how uncomfortable I was making her so I stopped talking. My mom loves me, but didn’t know how to deal with me on subjects like that at the time.

Another time I was playing in my mom and dad’s bedroom in front of the big full length mirror that was attatched to the back of their bedroom door. I was sitting there brushing my hair with my dad’s brush and playing with my mom’s powder, both things that I really wasn’t supposed to do, and I was looking in the mirror at myself. I then felt this over-powering urge to get closer to the mirror and stare into my own eyes intensely. As I began to stare into my own eyes, I saw many different images appear in the mirror around me, and my face changed into other faces several times very quickly. I got scared and looked around the room to see if someone was doing this to me. Just then I felt this overwhelming sense of calm and a voice inside my head told me that it was okay. I went back to the mirror and did it again and once again I saw many different faces transposed over mine. I was fascinated at this point and realized that I always knew that it was still me even when it showed completely different facial features. I continued to play at this repeatedly throughout my childhood until I reached my teens, when it seemed like a weird little kid thing to do, so I stopped.

I know now that my guides were allowing me to see the other shapes that my soul has taken, but it was always me inside. I could tell through my eyes…something about the eyes carries an identifying mark of the soul within.

So, now that I have shared just some of my own strange and embarrassing experiences… do you have something to share? I hope that if you do you will feel confident enough to share them openly like I just did. It is truly freeing!

Warmly,
Karen~

Looking Closer At Karma And Reincarnation II

The soul is limitless and eternal. It is a spark from the divine flame, carrying all the gifts, abilities and unlimited aspects of that flame. The flame being the source of all creation, all that is, God/Goddess. Existing as a spark from that flame we can create, think, feel, dream and learn. Through countless lives (in body) or experiences interacting with other souls, we are able to gain vast amounts of knowledge, resulting in unimaginable expansion and growth. This is why karma and reincarnation go hand in hand. Through our many experiences with all the forms that Spirit takes we are transcending… transforming… it is a supremely beautiful process.

The definition of reincarnation as given by Websters dictionary is: 1: Rebirth in new bodies or forms of life; birth of a soul in a new human body; a fresh embodiment.

Here is some information that Spirit has presented to me: In our dimension we have the understanding that everything exists and has always existed in linear time. In the higher dimensions, where our essence began, linear time is not observed. When you ascend out of your body at the end of your life and your soul joins its source in the ethers, it observes its in-body experiences or lives as all happening at once and drawing energy and knowledge from all of those experiences at the same time. It knows it to be one vast experience of its own omnipresent self. So, in truth, we have what we call past lives and we also live alternate lives and have access to all of them. Some call this the omniverse which coincides with areas of quantum physics (which I love and will probably blog about in the future).

There are many different views and beliefs attached to karma and reincarnation and whether they even exist. Most people have established perceptions on both of these concepts depending on their culture and religious upbringing.

I know for myself, having had many past or alternate life experiences brought forth to conscious mind, that I most definitely have had and am having many in body growth experiences or lives. I have a very clear connection to them and know that most of the important people I have interacted with in this life have had other lives with me, and that we are tied together by the choice of our souls and by karma. You have karmic ties to others when you have exchanged energy with them and that energy requires balance. Like I said in my previous article, this can be a beneficial or harmful energetic exchange. There is much expansion and growth to gain from both kinds of energy.

I will be diving into these topics further in Friday, with some examples of my own karma and reincarnation experiences. Until then examine some of your most powerful connections in your relationships and see how you feel about your own karmic ties.

Blessings,

Karen~

Looking Closer At Karma And Reincarnation.

Recently I have had many people asking questions about karma and reincarnation. This isn’t surprising since these words have made it into our mainstream, on television shows and in everyday conversations. My boys were even toying around with using the word karma for part of their future rock band name. Even with these words being used everywhere, not everyone knows what they really mean or how they are effecting them in their current circumstances. Truly the answers aren’t that easy to explain or to understand. So settle in and read with an open heart and open mind.

The definition of karma as given by Websters Dictionary is: (Hinduism and Buddhism) The effects of a person’s actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation.

In Western culture we use such colloquialisms as ‘ What goes around comes around’ and ‘ You reap what you sow.’ This is connected to cause and effect and how action has an equal and opposite reaction. Karma is known as a universal law where the energy you send out, from your thoughts, feelings, choices and actions returns to you whether it is beneficial or harmful. Holding on to negative patterns mentally and emotionally results in a ripple effect on everyone and everything in our environment. The law of attraction, which has also become a very popular concept in our modern culture, then draws to us our matching energy. Again this can be good, bad or ugly depending on what we are sending out.

There are ways to break out of negativity and free ourselves from a negative or unpleasant karmic cycle. The most used methods are meditation, prayer or receiving some form of counseling. Incorporating meditation into our life, for example, allows us to enhance our emotional self-awareness and supports us in avoiding negative karma. In having that inner awareness, we are then able to move forward from the perspective of being in charge of our own destiny instead of a victim of circumstance. Choosing to come from a positive place within, we, through our higher vibrational energy, make choices and take action void of negativity. This acts to balance our karma and begins a shift that allows a flow of positive karmic energy to ripple out, negating any negative energy and drawing back to us bliss. Again, going back to the age-old ‘What you reap you will sow’ and ‘What goes around comes around.’

This is a lot to think about. I will continue more about karma and it’s relationship to reincarnation in my next few blogs. Until then…ponder your own karma and what experiences it has brought to your life.

Blessings to all!

Karen~