Wellness

The Road Less Traveled

2009-07-02T06:09:02+00:00

Q: Throughout your work, have you discovered things that cause you to live your life differently?

A: Every moment of every day! But I tend to be a little stubborn, so it takes a while to catch on. I call myself a head butter. If I run into a brick wall, I’ll back up, run at it again, back up, run at it again. Over and over, until battered and bloody, then I stop, look at it, and figure out another way.

The most incredible thing that my work has taught me is that people are infinitely more precious and beautiful than I would ever have known if I couldn’t see the broader picture of who they are. So in my work I get information for others that I can also apply to myself. But do I listen? Sometimes, but not always, and usually not right away. Bang bang — there goes the ol’ head against the wall again.

For example, someone who I see is very hard on themselves may come into my office, always expecting too much and trying too hard. They’re stressed out, tired, and their mind races. I would say to them that they don’t need to push things; in fact, pushing things usually makes things HARDER. Going with the flow is much better. Relaxing, taking deep breaths, walks, having fun, laughing — all essential to this person… and to me, as I have those same tendencies as that client.

So whenever I feel that some information I’m getting could also pertain to me and my life situation, I listen very carefully (not that I don’t always listen closely, but you know what I mean) and file it away so I can pull it up and think about it later. But it usually takes four or five times of hearing something before I’m like, “Ah, now I get it,” and take the time to take a closer look.

One area that my work has really helped me is in regard to working too hard. Because I was the youngest of five very smart, athletic, successful sisters, I was always racing headlong through life, just trying to catch up. After I realized that there was no longer a race, we were all grownups, and the playing field was leveled, I found that it was almost impossible to slow down.

But after seeing time — and again how imperative it is to spend just as much energy on my inner life as my outer life — I really took the active steps toward slowing everything in my life down. I cut back on my work hours, quit teaching Reiki and holding monthly groups, quit teaching at Moorhead Community Ed, and concentrated more on what is the most important to me: taking care of my family, seeing clients, writing and spending time with other family and friends.

It finally sunk in for me: At the end of my life, what would I have to show for everything? That I’d written a lot of books, seen a ton of clients, traveled around all over AND WAS NEVER HOME FOR MY FAMILY?

I saw the futility of my frenetic actions and stopped. Dead in my tracks and realigned my whole life, which is still realigned and magical to me. I have never been happier. It’s ironic also that once I slowed down, focused on what was most important to me, that my life and my work have expanded exponentially. I get to write this great column and now have a radio show, so I can reach more people than if I just met with them one by one. It’s a vastly more efficient life, and one that allows me to do everything that brings me joy. I have balance, and that’s another really important thing I’ve learned from my work. That it’s crucial to have fun, to let unnecessary things drop out of your life, to not worry so much about things, and to find out what brings you the most joy, then DO IT! If you’re not having fun, then what’s the use of this precious life?

Another thing I’ve learned from my work is that there is so much more to people than anyone can ever imagine, and that’s simply magical to me in its vast possibilities. We’re brought up to believe that we have limitations, that we can only do so much in our lives, and not to expect too much. But if we work really hard, we should be able to get by.

And that’s just not true! We were born to grow into our greatness, to realize our full potential, which as far as I can see, is limitless. There is simpl y no end to your magnificence – you are infinitely more beautiful, creative, intelligent, loving, deserving and worthy than you could ever imagine. How I understand it is that your soul is the ocean, and that if you started diving right now, you would never reach the end of it. Isn’t that neat? I sure think so.

When I started this work I wasn’t very knowledgeable about science, or history, or geography, or physics, or math, but ironically I get information every day explaining our lives in these kind of terms, so now I really know a lot more than I ever did before. And how cool is that? I was explaining to someone about the weight of a water molecule, and then I started laughing, explaining that I didn’t know anything about that, and my client laughed back, saying that he was a scientist, and that yes, in fact, my information was correct. COOL BEANS! Wish I’d been able to do this work in high school — I might’ve done better in biology.

Perhaps one of the greatest things I’ve learned from doing my work is to trust myself. Although I’ve seen countless things that looked seemingly impossible, and yet turned out to be possible, one of my client’s situations defied any logical explanation other than a miracle was necessary to help her. Lisa is 28 (she gave me permission to share her story with you) and a superb athlete, but through a freak accident was rendered almost paralyzed and ended up in a wheelchair. When she came to me, my first thought was, “Crap — what in the world am I going to say to this woman? This is so horrible…” And what did I see? That this was a spiritual thing for her, and that during this time of her forced slowing down period, she would become wide open spiritually. I saw that the end of it all (in six months), she would be even better than before, running — with a better memory — all around superior.

I was faced with a personal dilemma. I was scared to tell her the things I saw for her, because what if they didn’t come true? What if I gave her false hope and she got worse, and was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life? So I had to make a decision — keep my integrity and do what I know to be the right thing (say what I was seeing), or keep quiet and not lift her hopes up in light of what looked like an impossible situation. The doctors all told her they couldn’t do anything for her, all of the tests were inconclusive. In short, nobody knew what in the heck was going on. So then here I come, and I’m supposed to trust, and step way out on the limb… and I did. I told her everything I was getting for her, and I trusted.

Again, let me tell you that this was a huge leap of faith for me, and maybe intuitives aren’t supposed to admit that they doubt their intuition, but man, I was nervous. But I did it anyway, and that was my lesson in all of this. The end result? She is now running again, and is well on her way to a miraculous recovery, and after only three healing sessions with me. Besides that, meeting her was a huge gift in and of itself; her optimism and unfailing enthusiasm through it all were inspirational to me, and I’m honored that I got to share in that part of her journey with her. Amazing not only for her, but for me as well.

For all of the reasons I’ve just stated, I love this work so much. It not only helps others, it helps me, too. See? We all are here, just helping each other the best we know how. And if I wasn’t able to help myself before, through my work and what I learn, I’m now able to progress in my life much faster and easier than if I’d never done this beautiful work. And if it’s going to be called work, we should get some good out of it, shouldn’t we? So I’ll now ask you the same question — what do you learn in your work that causes you to live differently? I bet there’s a long list for you, as well.

Be sure to tune in to my NEW radio show, The Next Step - Sundays at noon on AM1100 - the Flag - webstream at AM1100.tv.

Define Intuitive, Please…

2009-06-25T18:22:24+00:00

Q: What is the difference between psychics, intuitives, mediums, fortunetellers, etc?

A: One thing I’ve tried to avoid my whole life, one thing I really abhor, one thing I think is very divisive, is labels. Okay, okay, I admit that sometimes we NEED labels, like when we’re at the grocery store, otherwise there’s chaos. Labels are also helpful when we’re ordering pizza – we might call a hardware store if the pizza place isn’t labeled correctly in the phone book.

But I’ve found that when it comes to people, labels tend to do more harm than good because they automatically divide people. I’m Republican, you’re Democrat. I’m Presbyterian, you’re Catholic. I’m a Christian, you’re an atheist. I’m right, you’re wrong. So let me just start out by stating that I don’t like to use any labels when it comes to spirituality, but because you asked, I’ll share my thoughts with you on the subject.

The word “psychic” has really gotten some bad rap throughout history. Think of the stereotyped images of spacey women with long hair and flowing skirts swirling their hands around a crystal ball, talking about ripped auras and bad karma. Think of the carnivals, and of the way psychics are usually depicted in the movies and on TV. Having said that, I think psychics and intuitives are the same thing, but I like the word intuitive much better because I think everyone is intuitive to some degree, so it’s a more inclusive term. If I told you you were psychic, you may disagree and tell me you can’t read other people’s minds. Well, neither can psychics.

Here’s what I know about this world of intuition. Information that is perceived beyond our normal five senses is all around us, all the time. We just can’t process it all – there’s too much, and our bodies aren’t wired to receive it. Think about the dogs and their keen hearing (ever hear a dog whistle? I think not). Think about the cats and how they can see in the dark. Think about how well most animals can smell. So if someone is an intuitive they are able to pick up on this information because their bodies are able to hear, see, smell, feel, and know it more acutely than the average person.

If you have the ability to feel things more than the average person, you have what’s called clairsentient abilities. “Clair” means “clear” and “sentient” means feeling. So you are “clear feeling.” If you just know things, you are called claircognizant, clear knowing. If you are able to hear things, you are called clairaudient. If you are able to see things, you are called clairvoyant (this is usually what all intuitives are called, but it’s really a misnomer since everyone receives information differently, and so I’ve broken them down into the different categories – everyone I’ve ever known is both automatically clairsentient and claircognizant).

Once you are able to “see” things beyond normal perception, you are what I call “claireverything,” which means you can receive higher information through ALL of your senses. Now, I’ll backtrack for a second again and say that one of these gifts is not greater or less than any other; I’ve just noticed that everyone is different. Someone once told me they wanted to do exactly what I do, and I answered them that that was impossible. They do exactly what THEY do. Everyone can play music, but one person will be better at piano, the other a clarinet, the other a cello. It would be a horrible orchestra if everyone was playing the triangle, wouldn’t it? Boring.

So let’s assume that someone is “claireverything.” They are now able to tune into a greater field of knowledge (I call it ‘energy,’ but then I call EVERYTHING energy!) where everyone is connected. Now they can ‘find’ someone else’s energy (because that’s how we know each other, by our energies, not necessarily the bodies we have this time around), communicate with it, see what’s going on in that other person’s life, then hopefully do the work to try to help the other person understand themselves better.

No intuitive knows a person better than that person knows themselves. All intuitives, mediums, channelers, etc., are looking from the outside of a person’s life, no matter how good they are. You know yourself the best. Mediums are able to connect with the energies of those who are no longer in human form, channelers are able to let the information flow through them, and fortunetellers? Well, when you say that I think of the women with bandanas on, shuffling cards over a crystal ball, and besides that, if anyone tells you they can tell you your future, RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN. Nobody can predict your future because it is fluid. I might see something that may happen to you, and you may walk out the door and with one decision, change everything I just saw. It’s called free will.

Some people choose to use what I call props, in their intuitive work. Props include tarot cards, pendulums, rune stones, other types of cards, tea leaves, I Ching, and much more, I’m sure. They let that information flow through the prop, then translate it into language a person can understand. I personally don’t like any ‘props’ because I think there’s the danger of misinterpreting information when you use something outside of your own knowingness, but that’s just my opinion.

Again, labels are tricky things, and if someone tells you that an intuitive is more gifted than a medium, or whatever, I think that’s destructive behavior and doesn’t serve any purpose. If you’re looking for help, look at the individual that you’re going to see, not the label they may attach to their work. Do they have integrity, are they kind, do they seek to empower you rather than show off their nifty tricks (why should it impress you that a psychic ‘knows’ you have three children? YOU know you have three children! How does that information help you? It doesn’t. It’s just somebody showing off).

What to look for in a good medium/intuitive/psychic/etc.? Someone who is genuinely interested in helping you understand yourself better. They should OOZE integrity. They should make you feel empowered and really fabulous when you’re finished. Under NO circumstance should you feel scared by anything they have said. I’ve heard of some pretty awful experiences from people who’ve gone to less than ethical intuitives, ranging from warning that if the person didn’t immediately cough up $2000 to the psychic, that the person would never find love. Or somebody saying that they had to come back for at least 10 more times, or trying to sell them candles or stones that would solve everything (and oh! The psychic just happens to sell them!). And an honorable lightworker should never TELL you what the TRUTH is – they can only offer you their opinion.

I’m past the point of trying to justify my gifts to anyone. It’s just who I am, as natural as breathing, and just as crucial to me. Intuition is a natural part of the human experience. If someone cries, you feel that tightening in your own stomach, don’t you? That’s clairsentience. If the phone rings and you know who it is, that’s claircognizance. See? No big deal. So let’s not make it any more difficult. Everyone is intuitive, but some people are more aware of their intuition and have developed it more. If their gifts are really strong, they may be able to use them to help others. And in the end, I think it SHOULD be all about helping others, no matter what label you may want to put onto others.

But if you’d like to try to label me, I guess you could say I’m a liberal Republican Presbyterian Intuitive Writer Mother, which doesn’t make much sense, does it? Because even as I’m writing it, I already want to change it; it doesn’t come close to describing WHO I am. Besides, some of my best friends are conservatives, Democrats, atheists and Buddhists. So why bother to define?

I don’t want to be locked in. I want to be always fluid, always changing. The way we’re supposed to be (again, in my opinion). Otherwise we just get rigid and inflexible. Then we stop growing. NEVER stop growing. But just by asking your question, you’ve shown me that you’re someone who always wants to learn and understand. Now you can tap into your intuition and start answering your OWN questions, because remember – we’re ALL intuitive!

Honor Thy Father…

2009-06-18T17:49:50+00:00

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” – Lydia M. Child

Q: It’s Father’s Day. Do you think it’s a legitimate holiday or just another commercialistic ploy to sell useless junk? If you think it’s legit, why?

A: Yes, I DO think some holidays are silly, like Walk-your-Cat-on-a-Leash Day, thought up mainly to fill all the days on the calendar, but there ARE some holidays that I think are really sweet, and Father’s Day is one of them.

Father’s Day was started in 1909 when Sonora Smart Dodd heard a Mother’s Day Sermon (two years after Mother’s Day started). In Sonora’s family, it was her father that had raised her and her five brothers all by himself, so she thought HE deserved some acknowledgement as well. The date was set for June 19 because Sonora’s father’s birthday was in June. It’s interesting to note that in Rome fathers were celebrated in February, but only those fathers who were no longer living. According to ideafinder.com, in America today, Father’s Day is the fifth-largest card-sending occasion, with about 85 million greeting cards exchanged.

I personally love Father’s Day. All those ties, all those grills and wrench sets. It’s just different than Mother’s Day, isn’t it? Mother’s Day seems to be all about the love, the hugs, the nurturing, hearts and roses. Father’s Day? I can just feel the testosterone in the air, an honoring of the males that helped give us life, an acknowledgement of all that fathers do in the world. And that’s all just fine, but I think it goes beyond that, and it has nothing to do with garden equipment or monogrammed grilling aprons. It has to do with the necessity of balancing the energies in the world. That’s not necessarily speaking of men and women per se, just the energies that are found within us all – the feminine AND the masculine.

I think of the feminine as the quiet, nurturing, introspective energy that is the dreamer. This is the energy that is creative, and makes the blueprint for our soul. It’s the masculine that manifests the blueprint into the material world to create our life. I think of the masculine as the energetic, forceful, extroverted energy that is the doer. You need both the feminine and the masculine to create a balance in the world, and one is not any better than the other. They both are unique and serve unique purposes. So it’s nice to have a Mother’s Day to celebrate the feminine, and Father’s Day to celebrate the masculine.

When I think of my own father, I think of someone who is a hard worker, a very intelligent person who has always believed that with a lot of hard work you can accomplish anything. But he also has the most amazing side to him that is gentle, patient, kind, understanding, loving and nurturing. He, above all other men in my life, has given me the strength and power to stand tall in the world (in more ways than one). He is and continues to be an inspiration to me in the way that he stays curious about the world, interested in others, and always wanting to learn new things. And he respects all of us, his children, and cares about our lives, our thoughts and our dreams. Every Father’s Day I thank him for being my dad.

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” – William Shakespeare

I understand that not everyone has had an idyllic childhood, so what do you do about Father’s Day then? I wrote a book a while back titled “The Trust Walk.” It was based on a true story of my father and I, in which we walked to the edge of a dark forest, where he left me to continue into the forest while he waited at the edge. Although I was scared, I knew he’d never leave me alone in that forest at night. And even now when I’m scared, I think of Dad, and his words that night – “Don’t worry, honey – I’m still right here,”
– then I know it’s all right.

I heard from hundreds of people that even though they’d had bad experiences with their own fathers, they were able to glean some comfort from my book because it helped remind them that they are never alone, and that there is someone who loves them always, even if their fathers didn’t, or couldn’t, love them. If that’s you, then I urge you to reach deep down this Father’s Day and think about your dad and his limitations.

Do you know what his childhood was like? Do you know what was important to him? Can you think of any memories with him that were pleasant? Have you been able to forgive him for any hurts he may have caused you? Do you two still talk? Is it possible to have a conversation with him now, or write him a letter? Can you tell him you love him? Can you find some way to have some peace around the relationship with him?

I think we tend to forget that everybody is doing the best that they can, even if you think their best is really crappy. Can you believe that about your dad? I urge you this Father’s Day to examine your relationship with your father, to look at your life to see how he’s shaped you to be the person you are today, and to find a way to celebrate that masculine influence in your life somehow. Hopefully you can celebrate WITH your dad, but if he’s no longer in your life, or is no longer living, there are ways you can still celebrate. Watch a favorite movie of his, cook a favorite meal of his, get together with family and tell stories about him. Keep his memory alive – he will live forever with you, no matter how helpful or not helpful he may have been to you. If you believe there’s a reason he was your father, then look for the meaning in your lives together. I think you’ll find that this holiday can become a very sacred time of year. I know it is for me. I love you, Dad. You’re the best.

“It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.” – Anne Sexton

Be sure to tune in to my NEW radio show, The Next Step - Sundays at noon on AM1100 - the Flag - webstream at AM1100.tv.

All Dogs Go to Heaven

2009-06-11T19:27:30+00:00

Q: Do animals go to heaven? Our pastor assured me years ago that they do when Bingo died and I firmly believe it. I also wonder if they are a form of angels since they really seem to have the unconditional love thing down. My husband thinks I am wacky when I mention this concept!

A: Your pastor seems like a wise man. Haven’t you seen the movie “All Dogs Go to Heaven?” I personally love that show, because it presents a unique view of what happens after we’re no longer “here,” and tells it from an animal’s perspective. I DO believe that animals go to heaven, but I’d like to explain myself further, as my concept of what’s heaven may be different than yours.

I believe that we all come from the same “place” and while we’re down here we’re still a part of that place, but feel separated from it. When we die, we return to that place of Wholeness, Oneness, or Unity (that’s what you may call heaven). I don’t think it’s an actual place – I think it’s more of a state of being. I think we can experience that feeling of heaven down here, as well. And that’s what I think dogs (and cats and other animals) do. Whenever I do work with animals, I feel them as pure Spirit – they are so uncluttered and clear, it’s really easy to read them. They don’t hide things and lie to themselves like we humans do – dogs are only with us to love us. They don’t HAVE to be with us, but they choose to be with us (just like cats and horses).

Are they angels? They certainly can have angelic energy, which is the energy of help, support and love. But angels with wings and halos, gowns and such? I don’t know about that. But I think there are a lot of different definitions that angels can have, and love is central to all those definitions. Here’s what I think it all looks like: I think when we love someone or some animal, we form a connection with them. When I see the connection it looks like a beautiful golden cord between the two people, or person and animal, or animal and animal, or heck, probably even person and chocolate bar (I’m not sure about the chocolate theory, but I’m working on it). And what I know for sure is that what is connected in love can never be disconnected unless you ask for it. So everything and everybody that you love will always be with you, no matter where you are, or where they are.

A beautiful example of this is found in the movie, “What Dreams May Come” by Stephen Simon. When Robin Williams dies, he’s instantly met by his dog, who comes bounding through the field to greet him. And why in the world could that NOT happen? People talk about the theory of sentient beings, which means only those beings who perceive or feel things but I believe EVERYTHING has a consciousness in some form, whether it be person or tree or even the Earth herself.

Can’t you feel that energy of love moving through everything? Didn’t you hold Bingo and feel that love flowing between the two of you? That was real, wasn’t it? That love is the perceiving and feeling energy, I think, not the things themselves. I think love animates everything, creates everything. I’ve said it before, but I think God IS Love. And if God is everything, then everything is Love, therefore perceiving and feeling.

Judging what can or can’t perceive or feel is SO subjective. In Richard Gerber’s book, “Vibrational Medicine,” I read about an experiment where the scientists attached sensors to a plant, then cut off one of its leaves. The readout from the sensors jumped dramatically when the leaf was cut, leading us to surmise that the plant “felt” something – pain? Its destruction? Well, something, anyway, which should give us pause as we go on our way, blithely saying what is or is not possible. In fact, in general I would recommend Gerber’s book if you’d like to read more about some pretty amazing studies on what’s going on in the animal, plant, and human world (I recommend the audio tapes over the book, as the book itself is really dense and the tapes are easier to understand, in my opinion).

Is it possible for you just to believe that animals go to heaven, then to live in the comfort that that brings you, knowing you and Bingo will be together again someday? Who is there to prove OR disprove your beliefs? For that’s what all of this is – just people’s beliefs and opinions on what happens after we die, and I think to a great extent your beliefs create your experience of heaven, and what happens to you after you are no longer here. If you are happy here and feel heavenly, then you’ll not only experience that feeling of heaven on Earth, but later as well. And Bingo? From what I can see, he’s with you even now, wagging his tail and happy as always. See if you can’t feel him near you – then YOU’LL know it’s all real. Where there is love, there IS no separation. Ever.

And as for your husband, I’m seeing that he’s a really good guy, but is a little more left-brained rational, wanting solid proof to explain his world. You’re more open to believing in more than what your eyes can see, but ironically he seems to love that about you. He sees you as a tender, sensitive person with a lot of love, so know that even if he teases you about your beliefs or questions, he still really respects that you have that faith. He thinks you are a very strong person. And I think he secretly would like to believe that he’ll see Bingo again, as well. He probably just won’t admit that to you. There was a lot of love between the two of them. And remember, where there is love, there can be no separation.

“If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven…”
-James Thurber

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them…

2009-06-04T16:10:35+00:00

This week I would like to introduce the first of a new series of special columns. The idea for these special columns comes from my friend Fred, who suggested, “why not do some columns with questions from kids?” Great idea! I’ll be scattering them throughout the upcoming months. If you have a question from your child, please send it to me at tall_susie@yahoo.com. Thanks for the idea, Fred—these are from your girls.

Q: Why do trees give air?

A: While there is a scientific answer to that question, that would simply be too easy (and kind of boring - I hate boring things). I always like the deeper answers behind the obvious ones. When you see someone hit their elbow, you can almost feel the pain in your own elbow, can’t you? When you see someone laughing, it makes you want to laugh too, doesn’t it? Sometimes it feels like we’re all a part of one big family, all related to each other.

It may be easier to believe that if we’re just talking about humans, but now try to broaden that idea of one big family to include animals. You love your dogs and cat, don’t you? They’re just like family, aren’t they? You care about their happiness and comfort. Now see if you can broaden your idea of family even further to apply to flowers, rocks and… trees.

Do you have a favorite tree? We do – he’s called Sam, and he’s a big silver maple in our backyard. He gives us shade, gives us beauty in his beautiful green leaves, gives us entertainment as we climb him. We are thankful to him for his gifts to us, and we tell him how much we appreciate all he does, not only for us, but for the whole world. He provides homes for all sorts of birds and bugs, he helps keeps the soil in its place with his strong roots, and yes, he loves us so much that he helps keep our air clean by providing oxygen.

We give him the gift of his life by not chopping him down, by watering him and covering his roots with dirt if they start to come up out of the ground. We discourage anybody from pulling off his bark, and yes, even hug him sometimes… just because.

I think that’s why trees give air: because they love not only us, but everything else in the whole world, and that is something they can do to give back to the rest of us. Everybody and everything contributes in some way to keeping this whole world going. Everybody and everything has a gift to give. Giving air is just one of the trees’ gifts to us. Look for those gifts all around you – I promise you you’ll find them everywhere.

Q: Why do bears hibernate?

A: What do you think your life would be like if you stayed up all day and all night? What if you never rested, but ran around every minute of the day? Do you think you would eventually just drop over because you were so tired? Have you ever wanted to stay awake but were just so tired that you fell asleep where you were instead of even making it to your bed or even a couch? How do you feel when you haven’t gotten enough sleep? Crabby, slow, not too anxious to do anything?

Well, that’s how almost everything in the world is too. Everything is awake sometimes, and asleep sometimes. Everything has its time to grow, and its time to be quiet and still. A flower sleeps in a bulb all winter, then wakes up in the spring and grows again. Then, after it can’t grow anymore, goes back to sleep until next spring. It’s a cycle of back and forth, growing then resting. Otherwise everything would get burned out and too one-sided, like having the sun shine all day long. That wouldn’t be very good. We NEED the dark night to let things get restored and rested and quiet. It can’t be loud and active all the time.

I think what happens to us is that we live our outside lives during the day, then at night when our bodies are quiet, live our inside lives. Our inside lives are where our dreams live, where our visions and creations and art lives. Our inside lives are where our poems and stories live, where our music lives. Our inside lives are where we create what we’ll do in our outside lives. The bears know this, and instead of staying awake during those winter months, choose to do the deep sleep to live their inner lives, just as a lot of other creatures do. Frogs, turtles, snakes, prairie dogs, skunks and bats all hibernate, to name a few. Can you think of some of your own reasons why they’d want to sleep for so long? What kind of dreams do you think they have, IF you think they have dreams?

To hibernate means to go into a deep sleep, to slow down your body so that you can stay alive even when you don’t eat for a long time. Sometimes we need to slow down our bodies so we can listen to that little voice inside of us. Can you hear it? I think you can, if you’re quiet enough. We need to slow down our lives so we can hear our dreams calling us, listen to that part of us that wakes up when the rest of us goes to sleep.

Do you think you can try to slow down right now? Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and just sit. How does that feel to just sit? Kind of hard? Try it just for a few seconds and see if you can’t hibernate, if only a little. If you think it’s fun, then try it for a little longer next time, and see what happens. Get your mom and dad and sister to join you, if you can. It could be a lot of fun. You can even call it your “hibernation time,” and you can pretend you’re a bear, a fish or even an opposum. Above all, have fun with your “hibernation time.” You should feel really rested when you’re done. Just remember – it’s only your outside that’s resting – your insides should still be very much awake. Now isn’t THAT a neat trick?

I Believe…

2009-05-29T05:04:01+00:00

Q: Is it right for one belief system to impose its rights upon another system, just because they’re stronger, have more members, or more money? Where do you draw the line to figure out what’s right?

A: That is such a tough question, and not one that I can answer as comprehensively as I’d like, given this limited venue. But I’ll try. I don’t know if you’re talking about religion, politics, health issues, business issues or all of the above. I guess it doesn’t matter, as the premise remains the same.

How can we all get along, respecting our differences of opinions and beliefs? I would truly like to think that our drive to make others do as we do stems from a desire to help. We really think we know what’s best for everyone because we’re so happy with the decisions we’ve made in our lives. That’s sweet. But not especially helpful.

That means everyone’s going around trying to force everybody else to change. But if you look around, not that many people DO change their beliefs just because someone forces them. In fact, force usually makes people dig their heels in and resist even more. Aren’t YOU like that? I know I am. Sometimes I may even AGREE with what somebody else is saying, but they’re so belligerent, I find myself arguing with them. AND I even BELIEVE what they’re saying! Talk about confusing!

What clouds the matter further for me is that I believe there are such things as Universal Truths (truths that are true everywhere, and for everybody), but how do we define what those Truths are? Everyone has their own ideas, and that’s really great. If you ask me what I think Universal Truths are, I would say they include such concepts such as respect for all opinions and beliefs, love for all, no murdering or stealing, and some form of the Golden Rule.

So try to apply those ‘rules’ to the case of Daniel Hauser. The government has ruled that it is against the law to prevent an underage child from receiving chemotherapy. In this case the government is not respecting the parent’s beliefs, but the government would argue that they are applying love for all, and preventing murder, and the lawmakers would want the rule of enforced chemotherapy applied to them (the Golden Rule).

Likewise, the parents feel that chemotherapy is murder, so they are trying to prevent it. So both of the opposing parties are adhering to these Universal Truths but find themselves on the opposite ends of the issue. Confounding.

The government’s laws override the parents’ right to decide what’s best for their child. Is that right? DOES the government know better than the individual? Laws are necessary to retain some form of order, although I STILL think that common sense, decency and a strong moral backbone would take care of the need for a large number of laws, as we naturally wouldn’t steal, or murder, or cheat if we were expressing our true soul, which in my opinion is perfect and whole.

We would rely on our own inner moral compass. But what about those whose moral compasses aren’t necessarily pointing due north? They would need a little more direction and guidance, right? But who gets to decide whose moral compasses are correctly point due north?

Again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would put forth that each of us should diligently seek the enlightenment of our own souls, and concentrate more on that than on pointing out other’s faults or shortcomings—the “getting the log out of your own eye before you point out the speck in someone else’s eye” sort of concept.

Get to know yourself, practice patience and respect for others. I think this concept of duality and right-and-wrong thinking is indicative of a younger soul mentality. As you become more conscious of your place in the world, you begin to embrace the opposites, and the world is no longer an “us vs. them” scenario.

You begin to understand that we are all One, and that it is not only possible for us all to get along, but crucial to the future of humankind. You see the similarities more than you see the differences, and you’re less concerned about making others believe as you believe.

As Kahlil Gibran said in one of my favorite books, The Prophet:

“If he [the teacher] is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind… For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man. And even as each of you stands alone in God’s knowledge, so must each of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth.”

What would this world look like if we lived respectfully and responsibly, understanding that this is NOT a world of separate parts, but all different faces of the One? Then it WOULD be possible for those different belief systems to merge seamlessly into one that could encompass all varying opinions and needs because we’re all together in this.

So, if we’re not there right now, I believe there is a way to get there, and that way is through self-awareness and a sincere desire to grow toward your Highest Good. And you’re the only one that can do that for you – that’s the good news. It’s in YOUR hands now. What do you believe?

Pissed Off and Angry About It

2009-05-22T06:02:21+00:00

Q: Dear Susie, I don’t believe I’m inherently an angry person, but lately I have been feeling easily irritated, hurt and angered. I don’t like it at all! I have heard you talk about “ascension symptoms,” so maybe this is something we are all experiencing, but maybe it’s just me and my own life. I was hoping you could tell me what you see from your higher perspective. Thank you.
A: Well, for what it’s worth, when I see you, it’s not as an angry person, but at this time there are what looks like little flies buzzing all around you, and that can be annoying, can’t it? (If I remember summer things like buzzing flies, that is!) There is a lot of “old” energy kicking up around these days, like the dust behind Pigpen when he walks (remember the Peanuts cartoons?).

The purpose appears to be Spring cleaning, and haven’t we all been feeling that in our lives, anyway? That emotional and spiritual Spring cleaning is a different thing; it takes a lot of patience, time and a great sense of humor as we sift through our old patterns, habits and memories. You know, like when you find a box hidden in the corner and take out your old diaries and pathetic art projects and awards for “Best Effort”—embarrassing and painful to see evidence of these better forgotten parts of us.

Only we can’t run away from ourselves anymore, and we can’t hide our painful aspects anymore. They’re all coming up for appraisal and junking, if need be. But first you feel them floating up to the surface, and you’re like, “Crap, I thought I dealt with that; I thought I’d gotten rid of that a long time ago; I thought I’d hidden that away so it would never be seen again,” but there it is, shining its toothless smile at you, holding out its dirty arms to be embraced. Yuck, go away. Only it doesn’t, and that makes you angry.

We like to be able to control our lives, to say what does or doesn’t happen, to feel in charge of our emotions. Well, if you keep believing that, good luck. See how well that works for you—not so well? I thought so.

Ask yourself what you ever really controlled in the first place? For you are one who likes control over things, as much as possible. It makes you feel safe and comfortable. If you can’t control your feelings of anger, what else can’t you control? Perish the thought. Don’t even go there; you’ll only get upset.
Feelings are funny things. They feel real, and yet they really aren’t; they’re simply the energy reaction created after you have a thought, and that thought is simply a judgment of something you’ve experienced. So, if feelings aren’t “real,” then you can detach from them and look at the whole rich world of emotions with a little more perspective and objectivity.

Let’s say your husband leaves his dirty bowl in the living room. That’s just a neutral event, isn’t it? But then you see it and attach a thought to it—“He’s a slob. He doesn’t care about how hard I work, and that I have to pick up after him.” Boom—you’re pissed, and he’s probably gently suggesting you take a nap or something. The next time something catches your eye, and you feel yourself having a thought, then a feeling, stop yourself cold. Tell yourself, “I’m thinking this thought and choosing this feeling,” then step back and look at the broader picture.

Can you choose another thought and feeling? Do you have to have a thought or feeling about something, or can you just let it go? How do you feel when you choose that angry feeling? Yucky? Crabby? Impatient? Is that how you want to feel? Are you willing to change your tack and try something different? You may tell me it’s impossible, your anger gets so strong, but I’m telling you that you can choose another emotion; you’re in charge of your life, remember?
So, I issue this challenge to you for the coming week: make it your intention to become aware of your thoughts as they rise up in your consciousness. Become interested in them, look at them with new eyes, with fresh eyes, and see if you can’t make friends with them. With friendship comes understanding, and with understanding comes choice. In the meantime, just be patient. Just as surely as these anger issues are floating around, so will they dissipate and something else will appear on the horizon. Nothing lasts—not what you call “good” or “bad”—so your new trick becomes how to navigate your life waters no matter what comes your way, and NOT get angry about it!

What Was the Question Again?

2009-05-14T12:08:49+00:00

Q: I’m worried I’m getting dementia, and I’m only 26. My brain used to be so quick, and now I can’t remember simple things, like the names of simple items. It doesn’t happen all the time, but enough so that I’m getting scared.

A: Uhm, what was your question again? Hah! I just can’t pass up a “bad memory” joke. Last week I was thinking about how much I loved the book “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” then I stopped. Wait a minute – I couldn’t remember what it was about! Oh no – this is serious. I JUST read it! I ran to find it, and there it was (at least I remembered where I’d put it), and wow, what do you know? I’d only read to page 71. What’s worse – thinking I’d read it and couldn’t remember what it was about, or thinking I’d read it when I hadn’t? You tell me.

Don’t worry – you’re not the only one. Here’s some sage advice across the board: whatever you’re worried about, ask other people if they’re experiencing a similar thing. Chances are they’ll say yes, so you know you’re not alone. It’s not that misery loves company – it’s more that chances are there’s nothing wrong with you if others are feeling the same way.

Here’s what I know about this current fuzzy brain thing. We’re used to using our brains in very limited ways. If you hooked us up and measured our brain waves and what part of our brain they were coming from, you’d see a consistent pattern. If we can rely on that pattern continuing, we can adjust our days accordingly.

But now imagine that our brains are being asked to work in different ways, and being asked to work in different parts. Now everything is turned topsy-turvy and we have to adjust a lot of other things – what we think about, how much we think, how much we plan, and worry, and ponder. We just don’t have time to do the old things anymore, and some of that junk just drops off. In the meantime it seems like we experience a temporary brain unplug while everything is adjusting. See if that’s true in your case. Does this fuzziness come in waves? Or are you just increasingly getting more forgetful? If you don’t notice moments of clarity (and you’d have a hard time even articulating your current question if your brain function was deteriorating), then I’d consider getting checked out.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I’ll say it again. If there’s anything you’re worried about, see a licensed professional so your fears can be allayed. 99.9% of the time you’re healthy, but sometimes knowing you’re healthy gives you necessary peace of mind and can help you focus on the greater picture rather than worrying about what might be wrong with you. I admit it – even I get worried sometimes about this brain fog phenomenon, as it’s scary for me to actually SEE the word in front of me (I have a photographic mind that sees things like on a movie screen), but can’t translate it and say it. But then the next day or week it’s all better. Until it’s fuzzy again.

From what I know, if something is really “wrong,” it will stay wrong and not get better. Like most things, this brain fog takes turns with other things we’re experiencing right now, like insomnia, really intense dreams/nightmares, moments of really deep emotions (the guys REALLY like that one!), and sore joints. Why? Well, why not? There’s so much going on right now inside of our bodies – rewiring, reconnecting, opening, building, destroying. Depending on what’s going on for you right now, you’ll feel one, some or all of the various symptoms I’ve listed above. There are more.

The main thing that I would like to assure you about is that although times can get very intense, it’s good to know that you’re not alone. Find some friends who can support you in this; friends you can call when you’re scared or worried. Friends who will tell you you’re all right – you’re not sick. Even talking to someone else about your secret fears should make you feel better. I know it makes me feel better to have my “peeps” (two best friends I can call no matter how silly the question is, or how late at night it is – priceless).

Take the time to have some down time, to breathe, maybe do some stretching and slow walking outside. It helps to feel the sun on your face and the wind in your hair (unless you’re bald, then you just get the wind on your head). It helps to laugh, and it helps to remember that this, too, shall pass. Unless you’re in that fuzzy brain time when you CAN’T remember things – then you’ll just have to trust and keep going.

If you think about it, it really can be pretty funny – I went to a meeting with some teachers about my 9 year old. I was trying to tell them about what we do at home to keep sparking his smart little brain. I said, “We use those long rectangular things that are connected together at the bottom. You know, they ask questions and then you answer them?” I think I may have even gestured with my hands to show them what the thing looked like. “You mean Brain Quest?” Wow. Funny AND ironic! So you see, no worries, my friend. Just keep walking through your days, and notice how things change, and always believe that in the end they are changing for the good, because in my world, I know they are. I hope you believe that, too.

Just keep swimming…

2009-05-07T12:27:45+00:00

Q: You keep talking about energy shifts and things changing all the time. Is there ever a point when it all stops and we can just relax?

A: I would like to answer with a yes, but I fear I have to be honest and answer with a no, and here is why. Even before all of this energy stuff started (like 10 years ago), things were still changing all the time.

You had good days, and you had bad days. You had movement in your life, and you had moments of stillness. You had energetic days and lethargic days. And on. So, movement and change have probably always been the order of the day; it’s just that now we have a slightly different agenda and vocabulary about it all.

Before, it seemed that life mostly operated on one plain (with a little higher energy added into the mix to help guide us in a slightly expanded way). We were free to just do what we needed to do, but if we got off track, we’d get some divine intervention every now and then, and usually it packed a wallop—like an illness or a move or some synchronicities. But usually, it was not too often and not on a consistent basis.

But now it seems to be more like a spiritual “hurry up and evolve” kind of thing, so we are seeing these odd coincidences and synchronicities almost on a perpetual basis. We’re seeing instant manifestations of our thoughts and dreams (either good or bad). We’re having to go through really intense, difficult times (think of this spring—sheesh!), and we’re really not getting any down time—at all. We’re being confronted with change on almost every single level of our lives, from death of loved ones to job changes to divorce to natural disasters to strange illnesses. We just can’t seem to get away from it or catch a break. It hardly seems fair, does it? So what could be the possible reason for all of this happening and on so many different levels?

Let’s look at it this way. You want to get in shape. But not in that good of shape, so you walk leisurely for 20 minutes a day. It’s good, but you’re not changing very much. Now let’s say you decide to train for the Ironman triathlon. To get in shape for that, your life has to drastically rearrange itself, from your diet to your sleep habits to your daily scheduling. You now are running, swimming and cycling as well as weight lifting and practicing yoga. You devote four hours a day to this work instead of the usual 20 minutes, and your body is feeling the intensity on all levels. You are sore and stiff and tired, but you also notice that you are getting slimmer, buffer and feeling really great overall. So, the hard work comes with sacrifice but also gleans great results. You have to decide if the increased and new goals you’ve set are worth it to you.

In the case of our spiritual goals, I think we set those on some level, even if we’re not conscious of it. So while we’re complaining down here that it’s tough going right now, on that higher level we’re getting in really good spiritual shape and are doing the exact work needed to accomplish all of our goals.

You ask me if it ever stops, and I ask you back, “do you think your training for this spiritual triathlon will be stopping any time soon?” Because the event isn’t slated to be held for a while yet. We’re just not ready for it; we need to keep training. We aren’t prepared, so we keep training. The world keeps throwing us curve balls to help strengthen us, to help us gain understanding and insight that wouldn’t be possible under easy circumstances. You might ask yourself what you’ve been learning lately and what good has come out of current events.

I think of my sweet friend Dan, who’s in the hospital, fighting for his life. I pray for him and his family and his caregivers every day. It has made me immensely grateful for my health and that of my family; it has made me more compassionate and caring toward others; it has connected me with people I never knew before; it has made me realize once more how precious life is and how it is beneficial to really be present in every moment because you just don’t know what’s around that next corner.

I think of the flood/blizzard/blizzard and how it really focused a whole world on the importance of community and action and perseverance. I think it was a beautiful pulling together of all people for a common goal, a way of seeing what’s really important, of helping each other without any monetary gain.

These spiritual workouts are just that—workouts. They serve to make us better, stronger, and deeper. Everyone gets their own unique set of exercises, and gets to work on their own unique time lines for their own unique goals. I sincerely trust that there is a reason for everything, and that the biggest lesson we can perhaps learn is trust.

Oh, and that it’s crucial to have a really great sense of humor because otherwise it might all get really hard to handle. And we want to keep having fun along the way, don’t we? So don’t give up hope: Keep finding the joy in your days… laugh a lot… see things with fresh eyes… and know that you are working toward a very worthy goal—that of developing your full soul potential.

Stairway to Heaven

2009-04-30T18:00:05+00:00

Q: Do you believe in heaven? Sometimes I do, then I think, “maybe this is all there is.” Nobody agrees about anything, but there’s got to be a truth about it, doesn’t there? You seem pretty level-headed – what do you think?

A: Ah, heaven. As in puffy white clouds with angels playing on lyres, the big pearly gates, laying around all day, and all that? Uhm, no. Heaven as in where everybody and everything is united into One, that all-pervasive energy that’s around us all the time, that place of Love that we return to once we’re done here? Yes.

I have never doubted, not for one moment, that this is NOT all there is. For me, that’s just an impossibility – I don’t know why, it’s just what I believe. One of my best friends believes that this IS all there is – you just get one shot, so… we should be kind and nice and loving. This friend is one of the most loving, amazing, kindest spiritual people you will ever meet. Does it matter that she thinks this is all there is? Heck no. Nobody really knows, anyway, do we?

This is what I think. I think we’re all in this huge boat, and then some of us decide to go deep sea diving, so we put on these heavy suits with helmets and air lines, then we jump out of the boat into the sea. We go down down down and things start to get muckier and heavier and more muffled. We forget about the boat and just focus on how to survive down here in the dark deep waters. We are still connected to the Boat by the air hose, and we can breathe, and see others floating around in their heavy suits, but everything is kind of separated and dreamlike.

We live our lives like that, exploring and investigating this foreign place, but then it’s time to go back up to the boat. We get hauled up, take off our heavy suit and helmet, get back into the sun and fresh air. We can actually SEE others, touch them, be connected, and we’re like, “Ah, it’s good to be back.”

I think our earthly experience is like that – separation and density and even a different atmosphere. But heaven? Ah, heaven is that boat, heaven is the air that we can breathe without a little hose, because that air is all around us. Heaven is to be with others without the protective covering, without the heaviness all around us. Heaven is to remember. For me, it’s an energy thing. It’s scientifical (my word) – energy can neither be created nor destroyed (I think that’s the first law of energy). So if we’re energy beings (which we are), then what happens to that energy when we’re no longer here?

Maybe we just get absorbed back into that big energy place, and are no longer “us.” Maybe. But I think we retain our uniqueness no matter where we are or what we’re doing. I think we recognize each other not because of our bodies, but because of that signature energy. When I first met my husband, I heard a little voice in my head say, “His chin is different this time.” What does that mean? I have no idea; I’m just reporting what I heard. If that’s true, then that means I somehow “knew” him in a different time, when his chin was different (and for the record, at least this time around, he’s got a really great chin).

Okay, I’ll get real here – I’ve had some experience with “other places.” I had a near-death experience some years ago, and while I didn’t go to that tunnel, white light place, I DID go to a really happy place, so there WAS something beyond all of this. My mom passed away this summer, but she died on an operating table some years ago, and when she came back she said she had seen Jesus, and was completely surrounded with love and peace, and was no longer afraid to die.

You can read millions of these kinds of stories, but again, you just have to decide for yourself what you believe. For me, I WANT to believe that we go on. I love my mom too much for it all to be over. Heck, I even want to see my cat again when I die, so I’m hoping she’ll be in that place, as well. I think Heaven is everywhere, and WE’RE the ones that are separated from IT. I don’t think we go TO a special place, I think we return back OUT to that bigger reality.

An interesting book you might like to read is C.S. Lewis’s “The Screwtape Letters,” in which an uncle demon is writing to his nephew, explaining all about heaven and hell. There are some pretty interesting concepts in there. Also check out “What Dreams May Come,” by Stephen Simon. I agree with many of the ideas presented there, about what heaven and hell are all about. Hell? That’s another topic for another day, but heaven? I think heaven’s the real thing, the main thing, the really good thing. And me? I know it’s real.