Each of us is born with a unique blend of strengths (gifts, talents, and innate abilities) and weaknesses (wounds, shortcomings, and challenges). This combined with our individual personality traits and the molding influence of our environment (family, school, and society) creates the person we bring into our relationships.

When two distinct individuals come together, there is quite naturally going to be excitement when they discover each other’s gifts and conflict when they bump into each other’s wounds. The trick is to befriend or partner with someone who is willing to navigate this bumpy road of discovery (and healing) with you, so that you can cultivate a relationship that is about more than two individuals tolerating each other’s stuff. Instead, you have the opportunity to utilize those differences to dive deep into the realms of awareness and cultivating a higher form of love in which both people honor, respect, and love each other. 

The bottom line is this: you cannot get to the good stuff in any relationship, without also going through the murky, shadowy stuff. True connection is really about transcending the personal in order to get to the transpersonal, which is where the highest form of love resides.

Of course, on a deep spiritual level, we are whole and complete, but our personal baggage keeps us from knowing that.

One of the benefits of connecting with another, especially in a romantic partnership, is the possibility that you can help each other peel those layers so that you can eventually enter into this sacred domain of wholeness and unity. The whole point, in fact, is about embarking on a sacred journey together from the realm of the small separate self into the realm of Oneness.

If, for example, you’re looking for sacred love and intimacy, it will be well worth your time to be clear about who you want to attract into your life. Lots of us leave life to chance, but at some point, usually after a series of disappointments, we decide to search with more clarity and intention. At the very least, we can become clear about what we don’t want!

If you want to cut through all the peripheral stuff, you can start with the intention that you want to attract people ( a partner included) who loves you as you are, and then build your vision around that. You might need to back up a bit and assess what strengths and weaknesses you’re bringing to your relationship. Start to love those aspects of yourself first, and then turn that self-love outward like a beam of light. The people you attract to that light will also be attracted to your self-acceptance and your self-confidence. This increases the odds that you’ll filter out those people that don’t appreciate you right away.

Here’s what that would look like:

• Cultivate self-love and acceptance of your gifts and wounds (doing healing work on yourself).

• Set the intention that you want to attract someone who also has cultivated a degree of self-love and acceptance and who is capable of loving you as you are (both your gifts and your wounds).

• Create a list of qualities you want to attract in your relationships.

• Don’t settle for less.

• Once you connect with someone, commit to working together toward union and harmony.

• When the going gets tough, get support.
  

Yes they are. Perhaps it’s because human beings think 50,000 - 70,000 thoughts per day, and the majority of them are negative as well as repetitive, that most spiritual traditions focus so intensely on training our thinking. Like it or not, what we think deeply impacts and colors every aspect of our lives. And yet, most of us just allow those thoughts to be on autopilot. The result being that much of our lives are on repeat as we often live as if we were unaware that each thought we have shapes our perspective and thus, influences how we interact with our experiences.

Luckily, there's something we can do about it.

We have so much more power to influence our life path than we realize. However, we’ve not been taught, supported or encouraged to do this. In fact, it’s been just the opposite in that we’ve become receptacles for non-stop information through the education system, media channels, and endless noise in our world.

Silence has become the holy grail because it represents a rare and precious state of being. Even if we turn off the external noise around us, what we’re often left with is the internal noise of our thoughts. Many meditation teachers tell us to just observe them. This shifts us into the role of the observer, which is a wonderful place to be because we are no longer identifying with our thoughts.

But that’s only half of the equation.

What if we could reduce the number of negative, repetitive thoughts altogether?

What if we could offload old, outworn beliefs, inherited from parents and ancestors to eliminate triggers, patterns, drama in ways that would significantly lighten our daily experiences?

What if we were no longer run by certain fears, worries, regrets, resentments, disappointments, expectations, and more?

What a different life that would be!

Sound too go to be true? It’s not, and I speak from personal experience.

There are practices and modalities aplenty out there that address this very thing.

And they work.

And by work, I mean they actually free you and unburden you with the sole purpose of returning you to yourself. Some of the most well-known modalities include: Emotional Freedom Technique (aka tapping), hypnotherapy, EMDR, Psych-K, neurofeedback, and more. In addition, there are spiritual practices as well that will train you to observe your thinking. A Course in Miracles is a great example, and one that I’ve used extensively.

You can also create a major shift in your beliefs and old ways of thinking in the Akashic Records.

Not long after I was certified as an Akashic Records practitioner, and I began doing readings professionally, I was guided to create a series of protocols that would facilitate the clearing of subconscious and ancestral beliefs. In addition to doing these sessions with a number of clients, I’ve also used the protocols for myself, and the results have been nothing short of amazing.

Whatever protocol you choose, you can free yourself from having your life run by your beliefs, which in my experience, is one of the most empowering decisions available to you right now.

We are living in one of the most connected times in human history. At any moment, we can send a text, join a Zoom call, scroll through someone’s vacation photos, comment on a stranger’s post, ask AI a question, or watch a video of someone we’ve never met. And yet, so many people feel profoundly alone.

We’re surrounded by contact, but contact in the form of a notification or a like or a quick, superficial text isn’t the same as a deep conversation over a cup of tea or sharing a meal.

People are longing for an analog life because before all of these screens and devices invaded our lives and we became dependent on them, life was slower, quieter and more about real-time, in-person connections.

What’s happened in our screen-based lives is that many people have learned to substitute distraction for connection. Unfortunately, that tactic backfires quickly. Social media is a great example. People go there hoping to feel connected. But instead of feeling less lonely, they feel worse because they see photos of other peoples’ seemingly full and happy lives and compare them with their feelings of isolation.

Loneliness makes the world feel cold and it feels awful. It’s a deep existential ache in which we’re longing to seen, heard and to have someone be truly present for us, without endless interruptions and noise.

What to do?

Here are ten actionable tips that offer a place to start:

1. Call one person instead of texting. Choose someone safe and low-pressure. A five-minute real conversation can feel more nourishing than hours of scrolling.

2. Schedule one or more weekly connection activities. This could be coffee with a friend, a walking date, a class, a spiritual circle, a phone call with a sibling, or Sunday dinner with someone you trust.

3. Spend less time consuming other people’s lives online. Set a daily limit or take one or more screen-free breaks each week.

4. Join a group where people expect to see you regularly. A class, volunteer group, book club, meditation circle, church, support group, or creative workshop can help build connections over time.

5. Let someone know the truth. Instead of saying, “I’m fine,” try saying, “I’ve been feeling a little isolated lately.”

6. Get out of the house every day, even briefly. Go to a café, library, park, farmers market, gym, or bookstore.

7. Practice being without a screen. Take a walk without your phone, sit outside with tea, journal, cook slowly, or simply notice your surroundings.

8. Reconnect gently, not dramatically. Send a simple message: “I was thinking of you today and wanted to say hello.”

9. Determine whether you need connection, support, or healing. Sometimes loneliness means you need community. Sometimes it means you need therapy, grief work, boundaries, or healing around family estrangement.

10. Strengthen your relationship with yourself. Journaling, prayer, meditation, creativity, nature, can move you out of loneliness into an appreciation of your time with yourself.

The way out of loneliness isn’t a quick fix. It’s a process that often begins with small, purposeful steps which can then expand into a deeper sense of belonging and way of living in which true connection becomes a priority.

After doing hundreds of Akashic Records readings, I’ve learned a thing or two about what types of questions work best in the Records. The biggest takeaway I’ve learned is this: A well-crafted question can open the door to a fascinating, layered, and deeply personal answer, whereas a vague question can limit the information that comes through, often leading to an unsatisfactory answer.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that a vague question is a bad question. It just means that if you want to have a deeply meaningful and personal experience in the Records, you’ll want to be sure your questions are sincere, heartfelt, and meaningful.

With that in mind, I’ve put together the list below to show the difference between a question that is vague and one that is well-crafted. In general, the best Akashic Records questions are open-ended and begin with words like “what,” “how,” or “why.” Far better than “yes-or-no” or “when” questions which are predictive, they help you explore the deeper patterns, soul lessons, energetic blocks, relationship dynamics, and hidden gifts connected with your soul’s journey. With that said, I believe there are creative ways to craft the best“what,” “how,” or “why” questions. I also believe there is a “back door” way to ask almost anything.

Here are 25 common questions that you might be temped to ask the Akashic Records, alongside 25 suggested questions to help you reframe. The difference may seem subtle, but it can completely change the quality of the answer you receive from the Records.

1. Instead of asking, “Will I meet my soulmate?” Ask: “What can I heal, release, or embody to become more available for a soul-aligned relationship?”

2. Instead of asking, “Is this person my soulmate?” Ask: “What is the deeper spiritual purpose of my connection with this person?”

3. Instead of asking, “Should I stay or leave this relationship?” Ask: “What do I need to understand about this relationship in order to make the best choice for the highest good?”

4. Instead of asking, “Will my ex come back?” Ask: “What am I meant to learn from this relationship?”

5. Instead of asking, “When will I find love?” Ask: “How can I become more open and trusting so that I can give and receive love in a healthy way?”

6. Instead of asking, “Should I quit my job?” Ask: “What do I need to know about my relationship with my current job?”

7. Instead of asking, “What career should I have?” Ask: “What gifts, skills, or passions am I here to express through my work?”

8. Instead of asking, “Will my business be successful?” Ask: “What do I need to know to help my business expand, grow and succeed?”

9. Instead of asking, “Will I make more money?” Ask: “What do I need to know about my relationship with money, and what changes, if any, do I need to make?”

10. Instead of asking, “Why am I not successful yet?” Ask: “What hidden fears, beliefs, or patterns are interfering with my ability to succeed?”

11. Instead of asking, “When will my life change?” Ask: “What inner or outer shift will help me move into the next chapter of my life?”

12. Instead of asking, “Am I on the right path?” Ask: “What do I need to know about the path I am currently on?”

13. Instead of asking, “Did I make the wrong decision?” Ask: “What wisdom, gift or lesson has come from this decision?”

14. Instead of asking, “What is going to happen to me?” Ask: “What is the highest potential available to me at this time, and how can I align with it?”

15. Instead of asking, “Will I heal?” Ask: “What do I need to know about my healing journey right now?”

16. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Ask: “What is this experience trying to show me or teach me?”

17. Instead of asking, “What is wrong with me?” Ask: “What part of me is asking for love, healing, or deeper understanding?”

18. Instead of asking, “Why do I keep attracting the same kind of person?” Ask: “What pattern, belief, or soul lesson is being mirrored through my relationships?”

19. Instead of asking, “Is this person bad for me?” Ask: “What is the energetic dynamic between us, and what would be helpful to know about this relationship?”

20. Instead of asking, “Am I spiritually gifted?” Ask: “What are my spiritual gifts, and how can I cultivate them?”

21. Instead of asking, “Who was I in a past life?” Ask: “What past-life experience is currently influencing my life now?”

22. Instead of asking, “Was I famous in a past life?” Ask: “What wisdom, talent, or skills from another lifetime are available for me now?”

23. Instead of asking, “What is my purpose?” Ask: “What is my soul’s intention for this lifetime, and how can I live it more consciously now?”

24. Instead of asking, “Why am I so stuck?” Ask: “What block, fear, or belief is ready to be seen, healed and released so that I can move forward?”

25. Instead of asking, “What should I do?” Ask: “What do I need to understand so I can make the choice most aligned with my soul?”

I hope this list helps you ask questions that bring through clearer, richer, and more soul-aligned guidance, whether you’re opening your own Records or receiving a reading from an Akashic Records practitioner. The Records are not there to direct your life or make decisions for you. Instead, they can help you see more clearly, understand more deeply, and choose more consciously.

If you’re new to the Akashic Records, it can take a little time to understand how to ask questions that open the door to the richest answers. That does not mean you have to ask the “perfect” question. Don’t overthink it. The Records will meet you where you are. However, when you learn how to ask more expansive questions, you’ll create more room for deeper insight, healing, clarity, and transformation. This list will give you a place to start.

If you found this post helpful, you may also enjoy the follow posts:

“A Curated List of 42 of My Favorite Akashic Records Questions”

“How to Get the Most Out of Your Akashic Records Reading”

“Inside the Akashic Records”

“Why an Akashic Records Reading is Like Talking with Yourself”

Would you consider yourself spiritually flush, spiritually bankrupt or somewhere in between?

Why do I ask?

Because spending your time and energy cultivating inner wealth is one of the best investments you can make.

While it’s necessary to have material comforts in this world, those comforts can only go so far. They can’t bring us lasting peace, joy, fulfillment, inspiration, connection, and love. Those experiences come from gaining mastery over our thoughts, emotions, and state of being.

And that takes practice.

Lots of practice.

Conflict, stress, out-of-control emotions, ruminating, worry, resentment, and guilt are all tied to how we perceive our experiences along with the meaning we give them. These are learned behaviors from years of social and cultural programming.

The spiritual path is about unlearning and unwinding all of that programming so that we can access those higher frequencies and experience life as benevolent. Otherwise, our growth and evolution will be severely limited by repeating and looping patterns.

Often, the desire for change comes after we’ve hit enough walls and decide we’ve had enough. “There has to be a better way,” we tell ourselves.

This opens the door to the inner world where we can explore and heal. There are so many spiritual practices and healing modalities that can create major shifts in awareness and in clearing what no longer works.

Each practice, each healing session, each clearing of trauma, each rewiring of our thinking, each change in behavior builds up equity in our spiritual bank account. This equity, over time, pays wonderful dividends in the areas of faith, trust, confidence, peace, joy, happiness, and so on.

We start to notice less drama and less conflict.

We feel more grounded and centered and embodied.

Eventually, this inner wealth empowers us to create a life that is more in alignment with our Higher Self and the Divine. This alignment can be felt as being in flow with life and more at one with it. This 5D unity consciousness is the shift that humanity is currently making now, and the best way to accelerate that shift is to make regular deposits in your spiritual bank account.

Even small deposits add up over time. With compound interest, they grow exponentially. Personally, I find that bookending my day with spiritual practices, in the morning and evening, works best for me, with brief, mindful check-ins during the rest of the day.

There’s an added bonus to making spiritual investments. They shift what’s happening in your outer world. Manifestation happens more quickly and more often. Your frequency is higher so you attract more of what you need and want into your life with much less effort and struggle.

Who wouldn’t want that?

I’ll end here with a few quotes:

"Those who have not found their true wealth, which is the radiant joy of being and the deep, unshakable peace that comes with it, are beggars, even if they have great wealth." — Eckhart Tolle

“If you have money, you are affluent; if you have joy, you are wealthy; and if you have love, you are rich.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo

"The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts." — Marianne Williamson

"True abundance isn't based on our net worth, it's based on our self-worth." — Gabrielle Bernstein

The short answer is that we’re all are walking around with stuff that we’re carrying from our lineage.

Lots of stuff.

It shows up in repeating, looping patterns that seem immovable and stuck.

It also shows up in certain life circumstances that seem to occur in more than one generation, and sometimes in our siblings.

Research has shown evidence that traumatic experiences are passed down to one’s children altering how certain genes are expressed. Essentially our ancestors’ trauma, impacts us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, often limiting our ability to successfully navigate our life path.

The good news is that the field of epigenetics has discovered that lifestyle changes can alter our gene expression, and we can learn to emphasize the positive and reduce the negative expressions.

But focusing only on our gene expression, while helpful, doesn’t really address the whole picture.

Our beliefs also heavily impact our lives, and we’ve inherited most of those as well, and the majority are subconscious.

As some of you may know, I, and my clients, have had great success clearing subconscious beliefs in the Akashic Records with my Akashic healing sessions. One of the protocols I use in those healing sessions focuses on clearing the beliefs from the ancestral lineages.

Initially, I found the results of those clearings life-changing. In many ways, I still do because they continue to prove their benefits almost three years later.

However, I recently realized that the Akashic healing sessions didn’t go far enough. They weren’t addressing generational curses and the energetic, behavioral and emotional impact of generational trauma, so another offering emerged which I call Sacred Lineage Clearings.

The first clearing I created focused on generational curses, which includes ALL negative energetic interference intended to harm, bind, or influence individuals or families, can resolve and remove these repeating stuck patterns. This negative energetic interference includes:

• Generational curses placed on the family line or specific individual ancestors

• Hexes or spells intended to create ongoing misfortune, instability, or limitation

• Black magic or dark occult practices directed toward specific ancestors in the lineage

• Energetic cords or attachments connected with this interference

• Binding ancestral contracts, permissions, vows, oaths, or agreements that carried these patterns forward through the lineage

This seemed like a great place to start because the energy of generational curses felt heavy and dense, and clearing them would offer relief. As one would expect, the benefits of each clearing vary from person to person and have included quantum leaps spiritually, financial blessings/opportunities, relationship openings, and more. Some of the benefits are more subtle including positive shifts in energy, mood, perspective and an overall sense of well being. It feels as though a heavy burden or weight has been lifted. There is a greater sense of possibility after the clearing that replaces previous feelings of powerlessness and futility.

NOTE: These clearings take a few weeks or so to integrate, so the benefits don’t come all at once, but are experienced over time.

I knew when I created the first clearing protocols that there would eventually be at least one more clearing session added. I recently created the second clearing which focuses on clearing non-beneficial, harmful, and toxic energy, patterns, loops, and mental, emotional, physical and spiritual suffering and pain associated with and caused by:

• Trauma

• Abuse and torture

• Heartbreak and loss

• Illness and illness-related suffering and limitations

• Poverty

• War and natural disasters

• Extreme life circumstances and limitations

The intention of both of these clearings is to restore both the maternal and paternal family lines to greater spiritual sovereignty and energetic well being, freeing present and future generations. Working with the Masters, Teachers, and Loved Ones in the Records, the clearing process neutralizes, deactivates and dissolves what is not in alignment with one’s soul and removes them from the individual’s Akashic Records. Issues from the current incarnation are also cleared. 

Lately, I’ve been noticing that people in all areas of personal growth and spiritual transformation are talking about the need for generational healing.

Humanity needs it.

The earth needs it.

Our survival may very well depend upon it.

I suspect that it may be the single most important work humanity can do to free ourselves from the pain and suffering and energetic density that we’ve been living with our whole lives. Before long, it will be a common offering among healing and intuitive practitioners. Every person that chooses to heal the past, contributes to the well being of all.

If you’d like to learn more or schedule a session, click on the link below.

I think it was Rumi who said that when your eyes are on the world, they are not on God. The things of this world are small specks when compared with the vastness of eternity and the infinite dimensions that exist. It is so egocentric to think that this world of appearances is all that there is. However, the small (ego) mind likes things that glitter; it likes busyness and outer distractions, rather than the quiet stillness that opens up the whole universe.

I have to watch this small mind, as it wants to take me down highways and byways of activities and conversations that pull me away from myself and my connection with the inner realms. Every day, I do what I can to tune my instrument so that I am receiving waves from the great Divine. Then, and only then, can I be in the flow with life. If I jump into life without that tuning, my day feels off track, and instead of letting my intuition have the keys and drive, my mind grabs the keys and goes off on random adventures, many not for my highest good.

When the small mind drives, there is stress and strain and struggle, because it’s not hooked into the connection with Source. So it drives around without a GPS or a clear focus or direction, and wreaks havoc. Whereas, when one takes the time to tune the instrument, there’s a natural flow to the day and ongoing inner guidance, which makes things much less jammed up and chaotic.

What appears on the outer is a direct reflection of the inner and, therefore, it matters that we invest time getting our inner houses in order. For me, that typically includes a mix of reading spiritual passages, praying, meditating, journaling, gratitude practice, walking, Qigong and so on. When those pillars populate my day, the rest of what comes up for attention magically gets handled with much less effort than when the small mind is allowed to jump in.

The small mind loves to tell us that we need to respond now, that later’s not good enough. Better to get it out of the way.

No, it’s not better.

It’s better to honor ourselves by centering and grounding in the universal substance from which everything else emerges. In so doing, it reorganizes those details anyway, as every action touches every other action, so our choices ripple out and touch our other choices, and the day flows from that place.

I don’t know about you, but I can be a slow learner, which is probably why I’m so passionate about guiding others. I often wait until the lesson becomes harsh and painful before I’m willing to make a change. It’s as if I need to completely burn through the lesson until it gets really ugly and nasty before I let go. I prefer to get something 100 percent rather than 90 percent, and left to deal with the remaining 10 percent. This is simply my style. I certainly don’t recommend it to anyone else, but I have heaps of compassion for other slow learners, which is why people are often drawn to me. If they’re sincere, I’m willing to stay the course with them as they push through their challenges and issues.

Ultimately, we all need support to heal and grow. We ‘re simply too blind to our own issues to move through them without the small mind stepping into to try and keep us from becoming self-aware.

The small mind is very attached to its comfort zone and is afraid of pain and discomfort so it will always do its best to keep us circling around and around on the same merry-go-round, even if it kills us. It whispers those doubts into our ears in that soothing voice that tells us that doing something good for ourselves won’t work or won’t matter or isn’t worth the effort. These are all lies designed to hold us back and not change. We have to truly view our small mind as our worst enemy, even though it will do it’s best to try and make you believe it’s your best friend. It wants to keep you safe, after all, isn’t that what friends do? No, real friends want whats best for you, not necessarily what’s comfortable.

Repeating lessons and patterns are there to remind us that we’re not finished with a lesson.

Pain is a teacher and the pain won’t stop until we get the message.

It’s a tough way to go, but sometimes it’s the only thing that will shake us awake from our slumber and ignite the authentic desire to be present in our own lives rather than dizzy with distractions.

Our constant focus on the past and future keeps us imprisoned in the small mind and in a reactive place in the world of appearances. Rather than being guided from within from our intuitive core, we react to things from without and spend our time responding and not listening.  This makes for a very exhausting and meaningless existence.

To be alive means to be present and awake.

Each one of our beliefs is tangled up with other beliefs, thoughts, statements, ideas, etc., making it difficult to have any kind of real clarity. This entanglement causes tremendous confusion and a sense of being cut off from our real selves. It creates deep levels of self-sabotage in that we may desire to achieve something, but our desire is entangled with one or more beliefs that either weigh it down or choke the life out of it to such an extent that we find ourselves blocked and unable to move, often not knowing why.

The key to authentic living and freedom is to untangle ideas from destructive beliefs. This requires a process of inner exploration and regular observation to detect which subconscious beliefs have been erroneously associated with our ideas and desires.

I’ve seen so many writers and entrepreneurs hit walls that paralyze and undermine them to such an extent that they simply stop the creative or entrepreneurial project altogether because facing their inner resistance to doing it (usually a negative belief) is painful.

It’s as if there is a hidden dam that blocks the creative flow or a kink in the hose and they are blind to it, and instead blame themselves for being unable to follow through, thinking there is something fundamentally wrong with them. If they knew it was simply an entanglement that needed sorting out, they might not judge themselves so harshly.

This entanglement stretches all the way back to our early days in which we saw the world anew from the eyes of a child, though even as infants, we pick up on the beliefs of our parents. The emotional tones and body language convey many messages that ultimately imprint themselves somewhere in our psyche. Following that, as we adopt language and enter a formal school setting, additional beliefs become associated with certain actions, behaviors, interests, desires, ideas, etc.

As we are told to think and behave a certain way to fit in or suffer the consequences, over time we lose touch with our unique way of seeing things and even begin to deny it or go against it for fear of rejection or punishment.

This sets us up later in life to suffer major internal conflicts with ourselves in that we have an interest of ours entangled with a negative belief (or two or three). We see this with people who have a belief of comfort and safety and nurturing with food. Many eat to change they way they feel because early in their lives that association with feeling better was made with ingesting certain kinds and quantities of food. Some people have found a way to use food to make them numb, and while this may have served them for a while, they end up stuck there while their bodies reflect this entanglement by putting on large amounts of weight. This is one of thousands of entanglements but one of the more obvious ones.

It’s clear that what needs to happen is that the belief, whether negative or falsely positive, needs to be disentangled from the behavior or action. In the case of food, since it is such a regular part of our daily lives, it may be helpful to link the need for comfort with something that doesn’t have negative consequences for the body. One obvious choice would be the endorphins that come from exercise or the calmness that comes from taking a long, hot soak in the tub.

Tangled threads speak to the need for regular periods of silence. This is not just for monks and hermits, but it works for the rest us as well. In moving away from the regular bombardment of noise and demands in our daily lives, we can once again listen to the true Voice within, or at the very least ,begin to observe the regular litany of thoughts running through our minds. 

Silence is a cleanser; it purifies the sediment and debris that clogs the channel that allows the universal flow to speak to us and guide us through our lives.

Instead of being internally guided as we were designed to be, we’ve been programmed to be externally driven to follow society’s agenda. Though our inner voice may be faint, we sense this conflict and carry it around with us wondering why we feel out of sorts with ourselves.

To return, we can begin by turning off the noise for extended periods of time and making concerted efforts to simply not respond to any external agenda. What this means is taking a break from all means of contact with the outside world. These mini-retreats allow us to strengthen our inner listening.

Even if at first, one does nothing more than spend time alone, without any direct cultivation of a relationship with the self, it will open that door, and over time, it will be less overwhelming and foreign to be in that quiet place. 

Nature is a great place for this practice as it makes it relatively easy to choose to be away from outer interruptions. Nature supports us on a deep level ,and in fact, almost encourages us to return to our more natural state of being. This is because it serves as a reminder of that state of presence and openness. The entanglement and chaos are dramatically reduced.

Of course, one can enter nature, but be so focused on thoughts of the past or worries of the future that one misses the opportunity of being present entirely. There is nothing wrong with that. However, if one feels completely cut off from the deeper aspect of life and conflicted and unhappy, nature can and will help to heal that if given a chance.

Ten years into his marriage and having nothing to show for it, my father declared that he was going to stop pursuing money, and simply become really good at what he did instead.  For too long he said he’d been running after money, and it had eluded him.  Instead, he decided he would get so good at writing jingles, that he would be in demand, and the money would then begin to come in.  He did just that, and he was right—as soon as he stopping chasing money, he began to earn a serious living writing jingles.  He turned a corner that day, but why?

I’d like to think he realized a secret formula about the way the universe works.  Perhaps he did. But what really happened was that he discovered that he was spinning his wheels and not moving forward. He was so focused on making money, that he didn’t take what he was doing seriously, and therefore, didn’t put enough attention on what he needed to learn to be the best in the business.  

This fundamental shift is what can turn a life around. 

Knowing what to focus on is one of the most important lessons we can learn. Putting our attention on money, doesn’t work, because it doesn’t produce results.  What produces results is inspired action that comes from listening to the heart—the inner guidance that comes from the Divine.

Sometimes we need to repeat the same lesson over and over again. We feel like we’re going around in circles.  Self-awareness doesn’t come easily, and we often need to be hit over the head a few times to wake up and realize what we’re doing and figure out how to stop doing it.  Even then, we might choose to go back and revisit the lesson again just to make sure we’ve learned it.  

We like to test ourselves, don’t we?  

The bottom line is that in order to grow at a faster rate of consciousness, we need to make a practice out of waking ourselves up. 

We have a choice: either life can wake us up or we can choose to wake ourselves up. In my experience, choosing to wake ourselves up is preferable, because staying asleep keeps us in repeating loops on automatic pilot. 

What does this type of wakefulness practice look like?  

Changing our habits is one aspect of it.  

Another aspect of waking ourselves up is doing some type of daily practices to expand our awareness.  Making space in your day, everyday, for spiritual practices will increase your wakefulness.  

Another aspect of wakeful living is living in a consciously intentional way. Setting aside time at the beginning of your day to set intentions—ideally in alignment with your Higher Self and the highest good. This will direct your choices and actions. Instead of being at the effect of your day, you’re taking responsibility for your decisions and therefore your actions. 

When you focus on being awake, your life will begin to change. You’ll start to notice that what you used to take seriously shifts and falls away. Wakefulness will make you aware of how precious every moment is, and you’ll stop wasting time. Your choices will become richer and more meaningful.      

People around you will notice a change in you and your way of being will inspire others to make changes. They won’t know how to articulate what it is that’s changed about you, but they’ll be drawn to it.

What seemed impossible will become possible with less effort than ever before. 

You will give up the idea that you have to struggle.  In fact, the very concept of struggle begins to lose its meaning. There will be a sense of flowing downstream with the river.     

Before I began offering mentoring around four years ago, I had spent more than a couple of decades doing life coaching, writing coaching and business coaching. In spite of the fact that my business is called “Victoria Fann Coaching”, I never fully resonated with the word “coaching” as a description of my work. Perhaps it’s because I associated it with someone who coached sports, which didn’t seem at all related to the process or approach I used to facilitate big shifts or transformative experiences with my clients.

This disconnect was so strong that for a short time, I even called myself a “Life Guide”. Unfortunately, no one knew what that was, so I returned to calling myself a coach.

Thankfully, in the past few years, the word “mentor” has become a popular way to describe those of us that guide and support others. It resonated deeply with me. So I didn’t hesitate to change my offerings from coaching to mentoring.

What surprised me about this transition was discovering that there is quite a different between these two ways of working with others, though initially, I didn’t fully recognize the difference. Here’s what I learned along the way:

• Coaching is more of a guided process of discussion, self-reflective exercises and activities, strategies, tools and accountability, while mentoring is a more intuitive and organic based on what is needed in each session.

• Coaching is grounded in the day-to-day world with some soul-perspective, while mentoring draws on the realm of inner knowing guided by the soul's growth and evolution.

• Coaching is more prescriptive and tends to work best with a plan, while mentoring is more fluid and integrative of what is unfolding from week to week, guided by overall intentions.

• Coaching is an ideal way to achieve specific outcomes, while the benefits of mentoring arise from sharing, listening and soul-level exploration.

The more I worked as a mentor, the more my work began to mirror my own soul’s path and evolution. My own lived experiences became an important resource that served as templates for my clients. It helped them to know that I had experienced what they were experiencing, that I knew how to navigate it, and that I had acquired some practical tools and wisdom along the way.

My shift from coach to mentor reflected my own inner shift. I couldn’t have done mentoring years ago. I would not have understood the far more subtle and nuanced way of working with my clients inner needs and intentions. Now, the sessions practically run themselves because they naturally and authentically reveal what is needed which allows me to draw on the vast array of knowledge that I’ve accumulated over the years combined with my access to the infinite well of intuitive guidance that is always available.

There are still many people that have not heard of the Akashic Records or have heard of them but don’t fully understand what they are and why they matter.

Perhaps you’re one of them.

I hadn’t heard much about them either when I received a download in January of 2021 to become certified as an Akashic Records reader. In fact, I had never had a reading nor had I ever read a book about them. So this inner guidance was a complete surprise.

I had been on the spiritual path for decades before I learned about the Akashic Records. However, I had experienced a glimpse into what it means to be able to read the field of another person when I was a massage therapist in the late 1980s. This “gift” showed up unexpectedly one day when I was massaging a client. Out of nowhere, a vision began to unfold about this client and I received a download of information. This happened on several occasions with other clients. However, when I shared what I was receiving, I was met with resistance, judgment and criticism because I had crossed a line without permission.

Lesson learned.

This gift disappeared for many years until I learned how to access the Records and began doing readings. It came back in full force because I now had a structure and a means to receive the permission I needed to convey the information I received for others.

All of this is to say, that if you, too, have been on the spiritual path for years but don’t have much knowledge or experience with the Akashic Records, you’re not alone. My intention is for this post to offer you answers to some of the most common questions about the Records. This will be done FAQ style to make it easier to read.

1. What are the Akashic Records? The short answer is that they are a field of information that contains records about your soul’s journey including every thought, feeling and action you have ever experienced in every incarnation. Some people refer to the Records as the quantum field, which may be more familiar to you. A more in-depth answer can be found on my What are the Akashic Records? webpage.

2. Are the Akashic Records safe? The Akashic Records themselves are completely safe. The key is to access them with a spiritually advanced reader or on your own with a grounded, sacred protocol which insures that you are surrounded by lots of benevolent support and using a protected passageway. My years on the spiritual path allowed me to integrate my alignment with God, Christ Consciousness, angels and my spirit guides into my protocols which I also teach in my classes. My standards are extremely high, and my protocols reflect that.

3. How do I prepare for a reading? Here is an excerpt from the document I send to all of my Akashic Records clients. In the days leading up to your reading, eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water. Abstain from alcohol 24 hours prior to your reading. Spend time praying, meditating and communing with your Higher Self before having your reading. Prepare your questions.

4. What kinds of questions should I ask? The best questions are How, What, and Why questions. These will provide the most in-depth answers. It is best to avoid Yes or No questions and questions that ask about the future because with all of us having free will, our future cannot be pinned down. The more sincere and heartfelt your questions are, the better. You can ask about your health, your relationships, your career, your finances, your life purpose, your challenges and blocks, and more.

5. What happens in a session? Your reading begins with a guided meditation to help you relax and open your heart to receive. That is followed by the opening prayer to open your Akashic Records using your full name. This creates a sacred, protected, high-frequency container in which to receive the answers to your questions. Once the Records are open, you may ask your questions.

6. Can I learn about past lives? Yes, past lives often show up in a reading. However, in my experience, only past lives that have a message or some relevance to your current lifetime come through. If you’re seeking lots of information about past lives, doing a past life regression would offer you more information than what you’ll receive in the Records.

7. Can anyone access their Records? Yes, each one of us has access to our Records 24/7. However, like any other skill, we need to learn how to do it. Fortunately it is easy to learn and pretty easy to do. People that have practiced meditation, cultivated their intuition and have a strong connection with their spirit guides may have an easier time. However, with practice, anyone can learn to access the information in the Records.

Want to take a deeper dive? Here are a few other blog posts about the Akashic Records:

• “How to Get the Most Out of Your Akashic Records Reading”,

• “Inside the Akashic Records”,

• “Why an Akashic Records Reading is Like Talking with Yourself”.

Ready to explore your soul’s journey?

Interested in learning how to read your own Akashic Records?

As we close out 2025, the common word I’ve heard from friends, family members, and clients about the energy of this year was intense. I have to agree. As a collective, many traumas, old wounds, out-dated beliefs, habits, behaviors and patterns have been stirred up, demanding that we pay attention. We seem to be experiencing a major detox and purging. We simply cannot continue as we have because it’s not sustainable for us or for our great mother earth.

Fortunately, there are many protocols and modalities out there that can support us through this collective healing journey. The relief when we offload the density we’ve been carrying around is palpable. I speak from experience here, as I, too, have been immersed in clearing and healing what is no longer serving me.

So, of course, we all want to know if 2026 will be more of the same or will it be different?

Based on my observations personally and professionally, I suspect that while there is still lots of healing needed, the processes and protocols for healing will be more integrated into our daily lives so the intensity will be far less. I’m also intuitively sensing that there will be more periods of joy and access to a lightness of being that wasn’t possible before.

With that said, how can we prepare?

Many people like to create resolutions and set intentions for the new year. Some like to choose a word that respresents the theme for the year. While those practices create a guiding light for the year, I don’t believe they go far enough.

In 2018, I created yearly visioning sessions that serve as an honest audit of the previous year and the present circumstances, so that a well-informed future may be envisioned. This process brings forth deep wisdom, clarifying insights and heightened inspiration which opens the pathways to new possibilities—new ways of seeing and being.

This facilitated deep dive helps build a bridge between the year that has ended and the year that has just begun, infusing the transition with grace and wonder. This is not about pie-in-the-sky dreaming or wishful thinking. It’s about getting bravely honest about what needs to stay and what needs to go. It’s about calling in what has been ignored or denied. It’s about aligning with what is doable and authentic.

My visioning sessions establish a mindset shift in which it is possible to embrace one’s inner knowing with less doubt and more trust. The emphasis on letting the heart lead as we move into 2026 serves as the perfect insurance that what unfolds will be exactly what is needed.

No one would consider building something without a blueprint. Perhaps, you, too, can reap the benefits of creating a blueprint for the coming year that will give you the foundation, scaffolding, and structure to create a life that includes more peace, joy and presence and less stress, fear and overwhelm.

I’m game. Are you?

If so, visit my 2026 Visioning Session page to learn more.

The ego mind is like a small child or a puppy that needs training. Most of us didn't receive that kind of training as children. We were told how to control ourselves outwardly, but very little about how to gain control of our thoughts. "Think positive" was about as far as it went. Mostly it was "be kind to others" or so unto others as you would have them do unto you". But we weren't really told how to really impact the world around us. Self-control is easier for some of us than others, and difficult period if you don't have the right tools. We struggle using what few tools we have: discipline, to do lists, New Year's resolutions, therapy, etc. 

Nothing gives us long lasting results.

Why?

Because we have no mission, and therefore no clear idea of where we're going. We need a map, a plan, goals, and a clear sense of our purpose in life. Then we need to understand the laws of nature and spirit. Without that we're leaves in the wind, adrift in the swells of life. These laws are based in the fundamental premise that we are co-creators of our daily experience. What we think, feel, intend, desire, and put attention on, no matter what it is, will affect the way our lives unfold. Therefore, it is imperative if we are to have any degree of success at all, that we gain mastery over our thoughts, feelings, and desires. For most of us, those things have mastery over us. We are swayed in one direction or another by the pull of emotion or an obsessive thought or intense desire.

We are living our lives in reverse and becoming victims of the results of such randomness. 

The key is to stop that process and begin to practice gaining control over our thoughts and emotions. Our lives originate in our consciousness, therefore, we must start from that place with clear idea of how we want our lives to go. We are the playwrights, directors, and actors in the play we call our life. We start with the script. Then once that is written, we add our directing and acting skills to bring that play to life. The script is really our mission. Getting in touch with our mission is easier for some of us than it is for others. We may have to dive deep into the recesses of our heartfelt desires to reconnect with the gifts and talents we were given and to learn how best to use them.

Lining up with our mission makes all of our other decisions easier.

We simply choose those things that further us in expressing our true purpose in life.

Everything else falls away. 

We begin to shed those things we no longer have use for.

This process of letting go is very freeing. We become unburdened and less confused. It is from this place of clarity that we can begin the work focusing our attention on changing our thoughts to reflect our new purpose. Fear and anger and negative thinking no longer serves us, so we must practice purging it, sometimes on a moment-by-moment basis. 

Negative thinking is habitual and can easily sneak up on us and take over. Gossip is a good example of this. Someone will say something about another person, and without thinking, we respond by making another comment about that person. And on it goes, until we're right in the middle of it. The only way out is to change the subject or walk away. Sometimes we can diffuse the situation by shedding a positive light on that person and change the whole perspective of the conversation. But short of that it is best to get out of it as soon as we can.

Fighting with loved ones is another area that's difficult for some of us to control. That’s why it’s important to keep in mind our purpose and our desires, and remember that negative behavior will only delay the results and perhaps even block them altogether.

The best way to regain control is to focus on our connection with the true Source of our being. This centers us and keeps the negativity at bay. Meditation, regular exercise, reading spiritual teachings, some form of self-expression, and making contact with others and expressing your love to them are all good ways to put the ego mind in its proper place. Then when you want to request something of life, such as a healing, or money, or safety on a journey, you’re more likely to receive a positive response because the chaos and noise had been dramatically reduced.

Often a request isn't directly granted because there are underlying thoughts in the way. Those need to be exposed and studied to understand the influence they’re having on the situation. If it's a major issue such as a physical ailment that won't heal, sometimes it's best to seek out the help of a spiritual advisor. There is tremendous healing power when two or more people gather who are in alignment with Source and the highest good. It calls upon the power that creates us all minute by minute. That's when miracles happen.

This post is an excerpt from a book called, The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, M.D. It was published in 1989, and it is too good not to share. I hope you find a couple of gems of wisdom here.

We all tend to think in extremes…and when traumatic events happen we think that way even more. Here are some common cognitive distortions. Take a look and see if any of them are getting in your way.

1. All-or-nothing thinking: You see things in black and white categories. If your performance falls short of perfect, you see yourself as a total failure.

2. Overgeneralization: You see a single negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat.

3. Mental filter: You pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it exclusively so that your vision of all reality becomes darkened, like the drop of ink that discolors the entire beaker of water.

4. Disqualifying the positive: You reject positive experiences by insisting they “don’t count” for some reason or other. You maintain a negative belief that is contradicted by your everyday experiences.

5. Jumping to conclusions: You make a negative interpretation even though there are no definite facts that convincingly support your conclusion.

6. Mind reading: You arbitrarily conclude that someone is reacting negatively to you and don’t bother to check it out.

7. The fortune teller error: You anticipate that things will turn out badly and feel convinced that your prediction is an already-established fact.

8. Magnification (catastrophizing) or minimization: You exaggerate the importance of things (such as your goof-up or someone else’s achievement), or you inappropriately shrink things until they appear tiny (your own desirable qualities or the other fellow’s imperfections). This is also called the “binocular trick.”

9. Emotional reasoning: You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things really are: “I feel it, therefore it must be true.”

10. Should statements: You try to motivate yourself with “should” and “shouldn’ts”, as if you had to be whipped and punished before you could be expected to do anything. “Musts” and “oughts” are also offenders. The emotional consequence is guilt. When you direct “should” statements toward others, you feel anger, frustration, and resentment.

11. Labeling and mislabeling: This is an extreme form of overgeneralization. Instead of describing your error, you attach a negative label to yourself: “I’m a loser.” When someone else’s behavior rubs you the wrong way, you attach a negative label to him, “He’s a damn louse.” Mislabeling involves describing an event with language that is highly colored and emotionally loaded.

12. Personalization: You see yourself as the cause of some negative external event for which, in fact, you were not primarily responsible.

In order for an intimate relationship to be healthy and sustainable, The Four Golden Threads—Physical, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual—need to be active and connected between two people.  When entering into an intimate relationship, many people don’t pause long enough to make sure that all of these threads are lit up and in alignment with their partner. This simple misstep can lead to short-term pain or long-term misery, especially when two mismatched partners get married and have children together. What’s missing in the beginning will be the thing that derails the relationship in the end.

Think about it. In the beginning of a relationship when everything is new and fresh, we often tell ourselves, “So what if everything’s not quite what we’re looking for?” However, over time, little bits of compromise creep in.  We see what we want to see and ignore the rest. It’s usually months or years later, in retrospect that we see that the clues of what went wrong were always there; we just chose not to pay attention to them. 

Not long ago, “Grace”, a client of mine, told me the story of her recent marriage and divorce. Grace’s husband was a lifelong friend that reappeared in her life after his marriage broke up. They got together and the relationship moved very quickly—too quickly for her—but as she put it, she got “swept along” by it. Then when he got down on his knee to propose in front of her family, she was too embarrassed to say no. Grace ignored her intuition, which told her to wait, and she ended up selling her much-loved Seattle condo, moving away from her family and setting up house in Kansas.

During the first few years of Grace’s marriage, the red flags she should have heeded began to reveal themselves, and she knew she’d made a terrible mistake. Ironically, one of her best sources of solace was her husband’s ex-wife. She understood what Grace was dealing with better than anyone, and the two became fast friends.

All the while, Grace knew she only had herself to blame.  Well into her forties, this was her first marriage. Her fear of embarrassment and being judged by her family was so strong that she willingly ignored her inner voice and walked into a situation that she knew might not work.

There are thousands of similar stories out there. The point is to slow down, listen and observe. It can be so easy when we’re swept up in the excitement of a new relationship and the promise of companionship, to compromise and ultimately sacrifice our own needs and values in the false hope that things will change.

News flash: they usually don’t! 

Let’s first examine each of The Four Golden Threads with special attention to the impact of their absence:

Physical
If we enter a relationship with a weak or absent physical connection, what might that look like?

• No chemistry

• No passion or excitement 

• No playful flirting and fun

• No meaningful or close feelings of intimacy 

• No deep levels of affection
  

Emotional
If we enter a relationship with a weak or absent emotional connection, what might that look like?

• No shared vulnerability

• No healing of emotional wounds

• No understanding of your emotional states

• No compassion or empathy for your experience

• No real nurturing or heartfelt affection

Intellectual
If we enter a relationship with a weak or absent intellectual connection, what might that look like?

• No one to share your big picture interests

• No one to talk with for long hours into the night

• No one to share your favorite movies, music, theater, books, etc.

• No one to continually pique your interest and curiosity

• No one to learn new things from
  

Spiritual
If we enter a relationship with a weak or absent spiritual connection, what might that look like?

• No shared values or vision

• No one to witness your experiences

• No one to support you as you navigate the inner realms

• No one to see and recognize your Higher Self

• No spiritual companion

It’s much easier to see when spelled out this way. Once you recognize the warning signs, you might not want to get involved with someone you thought was a perfect partner after all. Far better to open your eyes, get some clarity before you make a long-term commitment and find yourself in the land of regret. In addition, when one of The Four Golden Threads is missing, you’ll always have that gnawing feeling in the core of your being telling you something's wrong.

Examining The Four Golden Threads helps us to move this subject out of the closet, where it’s vague and hidden, into the light to be seen.  Once illuminated, we can recognize our patterns of behavior. 

Why then, are so many of us willing to compromise and leave one of these four threads out? More than likely it’s due to the following:

• Fear of being alone

• Wanting someone (anyone) to share life’s’ experiences with

• Not believing that someone with all four areas of compatibility is out there

• Impatience

• A lack of trust in life

• A desire to escape from one’s self

• Pressure from friends and family to be in a relationship

• A willingness to settle for less than you deserve

This list helps to clarify something that can be difficult to see and opens up the possibility of making different choices going forward. 

Now that we’ve shed some light on what can happen when one of The Four Golden Threads is missing, let’s imagine what it would be like to partner with someone with whom all Four Golden Threads connect. 

Your Partner…

…shares vulnerabilities with you

…is willing to help you heal your emotional wounds 

…understands your emotional states

…is compassionate and has empathy for your experience

…shares your interests

…supports your creative expression

…enjoys talking with you for long hours into the night

…enjoys sharing movies, music, theater, books with you

…continually piques your interest and curiosity

…is attracted to you

…enjoys meaningful or close feelings of intimacy with you

…frequently expresses deep levels of affection with you

…has chemistry with you

…shares and supports your beliefs, values and life purpose

…wants to witness your experiences

…supports you as you navigate the inner realms

…loves you unconditionally, both your gifts and your wounds.

This may sound idealistic and a bit too good to be true, however, when you look at the option of leaving one of those things out, it doesn’t seem even worth pursuing a relationship like that. 

Does this mean we need to seek the impossible in a partner? 

Do we need to look for the perfect match?

No, neither of those things. It means we need to look for the perfect partner for us. We’re not looking for a pie-in-the-sky dream partner, we’re looking for someone whose gifts and wounds match well with our own. In other words, when you meet someone with whom all Four Golden Threads connect, you have the opportunity to get to know this person’s innate gifts and wounds, to love and accept the good with the bad and to work with all of it, because the blessings are so damn worth it.

The trick is to enter into the relationship fully cognizant of the fact that in order for a relationship to be healthy, fulfilling and sustainable for both parties, all four threads need attention and nurturing. Ignore one and the relationship will, without a doubt, fail or be severely handicapped. As humans we need to connect with all four threads to feel whole and truly express who we are.

To take this to an even higher level, ideally we want to be partnering with someone who is aligned with our life purpose, supporting us to authentically express our gifts and deepest passions so that our lives are rich and meaningful. This way of living is energizing and fuels us.  That way, the relationship is not a source of energy, but rather a place to share ourselves. It becomes a shared journey rather than a place to get all of our needs met. It’s also a place where we can share our deepest fears and pain so they can be witnessed and healed. A good relationship will allow for a high level of trust, so that vulnerability comes naturally, hastening the healing process.  

How sad that we were not taught how to use our most intimate relationships as a context for deep inner work and healing! Alas, many come to this place late in life and pay lots of money to do workshops, seminars and retreats to sort out the inner mess, not suspecting that when they return from those experiences, they’ll have to reconcile these issues in their relationships. This is a missed opportunity because while weekend workshops are great, the wisdom and insights don’t usually stick, which is why it’s better to work through issues in the ongoing “workshop” of our relationships. 

All relationships are sacred—love combined with respect. All life is asking of us is to treat others and ourselves with love and respect. With The Four Golden Threads as our guide, we can partner with another in a way that nurtures and inspires us, and supports us to live the life of our highest joy.

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
–Author Unknown

This little poem, attributed to various authors, has been floating around the internet for years. It simply and beautifully illuminates the power of our thoughts and our words to create our destiny.

Wow.

No small statement there.

You’d think given that realization, we might be a bit more mindful of what comes our of our mouths or spills onto the page. And yet, very few of us make ourselves accountable at the level of our thoughts and our words.

The heart of the problem is making that connection between what we think and say, and what eventually shows up in our lives. The gap between those initial thoughts and a specific outcome can seem vast and unrelated, lulling us into a state of complacency and laziness, leaving us unprepared for what’s to come.  Better to begin right now assuming that EVERYTHING we think has an impact — no exceptions — than to continue to randomly throw ideas and words around that may come back to bite us.

Given that we have thousands of thoughts per day, the idea of becoming accountable for them is rather daunting, to say the least. Obviously, anyone who has ever tried to meditate knows that we cannot stop our thoughts. At best, we can watch them, the way one would watch a ticker tape at the bottom of a television screen. We can also choose which ones to pay attention to and invest in. THAT is where their potential to impact our lives begins.

You feed and nurture and give life to a thought by paying attention to it. You starve it by ignoring it. Your accountability starts when you make the decision to feed or starve a thought. Once you invest in it and then communicate about it, you’ve given it life.

That is when it moves from a random stream flowing through you into the arena of creation.

That is where the potential to do good or harm begins.

Once you know this, there is no turning back. You’re not responsible for the thoughts that exist in your being; you’re responsible for what you do with them.

The origins of your destiny are found right here. To restate it simply: your life is about what you put your attention on. At all times, in all circumstances, we have a choice about how to shape our destiny.

So watch your thoughts.

Choose carefully.

And if something slips by, by all means, watch your words.

The world is noisy and full of distractions, that pull our attention here and there. Is it any wonder that we easily fall into bad habits with food, alcohol, sitting too much, not taking time to rest, living with clutter, and so on. To turn things around, we need to shift our priorities back into alignment with health and well being. Positive lifestyle changes not only grace us with more vitality and peace, but they also rewire our brains and influence the healthy expression of our genes. This can extend our lives by helping us avoid disease.

Deciding where to begin can be overwhelming. Here’s a list of ten health hacks to get you started:

1. Less is more. With Marie Kondo and the minimalism movement taking off, it is clear that clutter and owning too much stuff can be chaotic and overwhelming. Selling, donating and consigning are all easier than ever and can also be fun. Collaborate with a friend to help each other downsize. Celebrate with a fun outing or dinner out afterward.

2. Water. Water. Water. A recent survey by Quench showed that 80% of working Americans don’t drink enough water. In addition to not feeling thirsty, many people find plain water boring or bland. One way to make it more appealing is to dress it up a bit: flavor it with fresh fruit (lemons, strawberries, cucumbers) and serve it in an attractive container.

3. Get up and move! If sitting in the new smoking, then it’s essential to find creative ways to move. Instead of setting aside time to stretch or move, double up! Stretch while waiting for your coffee to brew in the morning, take a ten-minute walk during your lunch break, do yoga while watching television or talking on the phone, dance while doing housework, etc.

4. Train your brain. According to the American Heart Association, failing brain health is a public health epidemic with 3 out of 5 Americans developing a brain disease in their lifetime. The good news is that the brain is able to change and develop new pathways. Some ways to strengthen your brain include: 1) learn something new such as a new language or new vocabulary words; 2) exercise your memory by not relying so much on your phone for directions or Google for information; and 3) try one of the many brain training apps available to challenge your thinking. 

5. Unplug. With time in front of a screen taking up a large portion of waking hours, it’s time for a break. As with anything else, unplugging requires planning. Set aside a day a week, a half-day or blocks of time here and there in which you are completely away from ALL screens. Your eyes and your brain will thank you.

6. Sound. Healing with sound has been around for thousands of years. In addition to listening to music, in most major metro areas, you can also attend sound healing events with crystal bowls, gongs and other instruments. Online there are many options for sound healing in which you can listen to solfeggio frequencies or binaural beats.

7. Plant-based lifestyle. A study by Harvard researchers, found that swapping 3% of processed red meat for plant proteins reduces your chances of an early death by 34%. You don’t have to make the switch to meat-free completely, but instead try eating this way for one meal a day. 

8. Sleep hygiene. In a 2016 Consumer Reports survey 68% of U.S. adults had trouble with sleep at least once a week. To improve your sleep quickly, try listening to a guided meditation or sleep hypnosis recording. You can find them on Spotify, Youtube and other online platforms. 

9. Get curious about sobriety. There’s a movement afoot based on the 2018 book, Sober Curious by Ruby Warrington that’s inspiring people to be social without alcohol. Curiosity is the motivator as people discover what it feels like to engage with others without mood altering or numbing. Search for or start a Meetup group to find other sober curious folks.

10. Rest and restore. More emphasis than ever is being placed on the need to let the body recover after strenuous exercise. Don’t be surprised if you see more and more gyms offering “recovery fitness”. When planning your exercise routine, not only should you leave enough time to do cool-down stretches, replenish nutrients with a smoothie or fresh juice and take some time to rest, but also fill some of your non-exercise time with activities to help your body recover. These include infrared saunas, massages, rolling, resistant bands, compression therapy, cold water therapy, etc.

I’ve been doing Akashic Records readings for a number of years now, and I’ve heard all different types of questions. The best ones are sincere, heartfelt, and wonderfully specific. They allow the recipient of the reading to receive answers that will shine a light on their soul journey and help explain the details of their human experience.

Based on my training and experience, the ideal questions are “how”, “what”, and “why” questions because they open up the most interesting and in-depth answers. “Yes” or “no” questions are not encouraged, nor are “when” questions about the future. The reason for this is because each individual has free will, and therefore, what’s to come cannot be nailed down or predicted. Our choices and actions can change things, shifting our trajectory in an entirely different direction. With that said, with the right question, you can come close to learning about a certain scenario’s potential. I call it a “back door” way to receive an answer that brings clarity.

For the first year or so of offering readings, I didn’t provide sample questions in the preparatory document I sent to every person that schedules a reading with me. However, I began to realize that some people really needed tangible examples to help them see what makes a good question. I now provide a list of sample questions to everyone in that preparatory document.

In this post, I’ve borrowed some of those sample questions to help me curate a list of some of my favorites. I also added some additional questions that I found that can draw out some fascinating answers. I hope you find these questions helpful and inspiring when you access the Akashic Records on your own, or with an Akashic Records practitioner!

1. What is my Soul’s intention for this lifetime? 

2. How can I more consciously fulfill my soul agreements?

3. In what ways have I agreed to be a way-shower or healer during this time?

4. What past life is currently influencing my thoughts, behaviors, or relationships?

5. What gifts or wisdom from a past life can I access and use now?

6. What is the deeper spiritual purpose behind my relationship with [insert name]?

7. Why is my relationship with [insert name] so challenging, and what am I meant to learn?

8. Is my relationship with [insert name] complete, or is there more to fulfill?

9. What can I do to make this relationship more loving and harmonious?

10. What do I need to know about my current partner?

11. How can I be the best parent to my child [insert name your child]?

12. What do I need to change to attract more friendships into my life?

13. What do I need to do to attract my ideal partner?

14. How can I open myself more to love in my relationships?

15. What do I need to know right now to best serve my own higher purpose?

16. Why do I feel stuck and can’t seem to move forward in my life?

17. How can I improve my spiritual gifts to use them to the fullest expression now?

18. How can I feel more connected to my Higher Self?

19. How can I connect and communicate with my spiritual guides?  

20. What’s missing from my life right now?

21. How can I accelerate my healing process at a soul level?

22. What is the deeper message behind my current physical challenges?

23. Why do I keep experiencing this repeating pattern of [name the pattern] in my life?

24. What self-limiting behaviors and beliefs do I have?

25. In what ways am I resistant to or afraid of change?

26. What is the root cause of my fears?

27. What blocks do I have that are preventing me from flourishing?

28. What will help me build a greater sense of confidence in myself?

29. What can I do to create more joy and fulfillment in my life? 

30. What do I need to do to attract abundance, energetically and physically?

31. What line of work/business will bring me the most joy and fulfillment?

32. What hidden skill or talent do I have that I’m unaware of?

33. How can I express my creativity in a way that nourishes my soul?

34. What are the biggest themes my soul is exploring across lifetimes?

35. How can I support planetary healing or collective awakening?

36. What forgotten wisdom is ready to be reawakened in me?

37. How does my soul mission relate to planetary evolution?

38. How can I bring my soul’s work more fully into the world?

39. What is my soul’s relationship with the Earth’s consciousness?

40. Have I made soul agreements with trees, rivers, animals, or landscapes?

41. What is my role as a steward of nature and the wild?

42. How can I deepen my communication with nature?

For more information about the Akashic Records, check out the following blog posts:

“25 Questions Not to Ask the Akashic Records”

“How to Get the Most Out of Your Akashic Records Reading”

“Inside the Akashic Records”

“Why an Akashic Records Reading is Like Talking with Yourself”

In today’s post, my focus is on water. Water can speak to us, teach us, and sometimes shake us awake. 

Several years ago, I lived in North Carolina on a beautiful property with well water. One morning, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to discover that there was no water in the house, not even a trickle. I lived with three other women, and we didn’t have any extra water stored, so I couldn’t flush the toilet or wash my hands.

I had to wait for the stores to open to go buy some water. Eventually, we had to gather large five-gallon containers, (filled up at a neighbor’s house), to have enough for the toilets and other essentials.

It turned out that the pump connected to the well on the property had broken. The owner of the house came by to fix it himself, but he wasn’t successful. He later brought in a crew, but they didn’t arrive until 5:00 that evening. In the meantime, I went to my son’s house because he lived close by so I could take a shower. I returned home later on, but the well wasn’t repaired until the following day, later in the afternoon.

This whole experience illuminated something for me. The water wasn’t flowing, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to make it flow. It had just stopped. That stillness became a metaphor. It mirrored the areas in my life where things stuck and weren’t flowing. 

I also realized how much I took water for granted. I’d never really stopped to acknowledge its presence, let alone appreciate it. I just assumed it would always be there, quietly serving me. Until suddenly, it wasn’t.

I realized that water, this essential force that sustains life, also disrupts life when it’s absent.

When something like this happens, it’s easy to react and ask,”Why is this happening?” With everything going on in the world, it can be tempting to spiral into frustration. But instead, I chose to ask a different question: What is this showing me?

The well was right beneath my window, and I learned that it was 400 feet beneath the surface. That visual really hit me. I thought about how much depth, and an entirely unseen process, was required to provide something so basic, yet so precious. That well had been silently serving us, and I had never acknowledged it. Never thanked it. Never prayed over it. Until it broke.

After that, I began to pray from a place of reverence. I sent love and appreciation to the well. I thanked it for its service and for teaching me about how I’d been taking things for granted.

This wasn’t just about water. It was also an invitation to let the energy inside me flow again. 

Water also cleanses. 

It reminds me of our tears. Our tears are sacred.  As they move through us, they cleanse us. The water of life moves through our bodies.

Water washes away all the artificial aspects of life. It grounds us. It nourishes us.

You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t step into the same river twice.” That’s because the river is always moving forward. And yet, so often, we cling to the rocks, the branches, and the riverbank because we’re afraid of what following the flow might bring. We’re afraid of change.

The small self resists change. It doesn’t want to listen to our inner guidance. So often, the Higher Self steps in and intervenes on our behalf. Inner alchemy is about aligning with the Higher Self, the True Self, the Divine Soul Self. It’s a completely different operating system. It runs on love, not fear.

When we’re stuck in judgment, fear, and duality, we’re in the ego. But the Higher Self lives in unity where there is no belief in separation. There’s only love. If we could remember that, then all the so-called problems we think we have would simply vanish.

We’ve all touched that place. We’ve felt that unity. But we’re not yet able to sustain it 100% of the time. 

We get lost. 

We get mad. 

We suffer. 

The good news is that we can always return to that unity consciousness. 

Eventually, after you’ve had enough of the noise of the world, more than anything you want to go home.  In the meantime, as you notice the difference between what the small self offers and what the Higher Self offers, there's no comparison.

What does home feel like? 

Pure. Simple. Quiet.

So, I’ll leave you with this:

In what areas of your life do you notice the flow of your life is stuck or has stopped altogether?

What have you failed to appreciate about yourself and your gifts?

Take a moment. Reflect. See what arises.

For me, the message of the water was a call to realign with the things I once said “yes” to but had forgotten.

In this time of great unrest and uncertainty, it can be a lifesaver to hire a life coach who can offer support and guidance, and maybe even an idea or a strategy or two. But not everyone can afford  one.

Not to worry. You can always coach yourself. 

Sure, it’s not going to be the same as being accountable to someone else or receiving outside support or encouragement. But, using the three techniques below will be exponentially better than do nothing at all. In fact, with a little self motivation, there is an excellent chance you will experience a breakthrough, with lots of interesting insights and new ideas thrown in the mix. 

Self coaching is perfect when you need to solve a problem, accomplish a goal, make a decision, gain some clarity, and so on. But before you begin, there are a few steps to help you get the most out of this. First, set aside a minimum of one-two hours per week (more if you can). The more you invest, the more you’ll get out of it. Second, set an intention clearly stating what outcome you’d like to experience as a result of your self-coaching sessions. Third, set an end date for when you’d like to accomplish your intention. Finally, celebrate your success. Repeat this sequence as needed using the following self-coaching techniques.

1. Q & A Writing - This is a fabulous technique to help you become more self-aware, but unlike regular journal writing, this isn’t about pouring your thoughts and feelings onto the page. Q & A writing helps you to access your own inner wisdom. At the top of a blank piece of lined paper, write down a question that you’d like answered. On the next line begin writing the answer without any censorship or filtering. (Tip: To make it simple to read, you may use two different colors of ink. If typing on the computer, you may use bolding or italics or different colors.) This technique isn’t about struggling and straining to think about or figure out the answer. Rather, it’s an intuitive process in which you just allow the answer to come. You’re not just asking your intellect for the answer, you’re asking all aspects of you. It is free-flow, stream-of-consciousness writing that is done in a relaxed and trusting manner, without trying to control it or edit what comes onto the page. It is more of a writing meditation. The results can be quite profound. It’s like talking with a wise teacher.

2. Appointments with Yourself - Most of us are great about writing down our appointments with others, but very few of us write down or even make appointments with ourselves. This technique may appear overly obvious and simple, however, it can be life-changing, especially when you want to master a skill, accomplish a big goal or make a major change in your life. For this technique to work well, it’s ideal to either work with an online calendar such as Google calendar or a physical planner. Sunday evening is an ideal time to work on your schedule for the coming week. As you look at each of the days of your week, see if there are spots where you can add some appointments with yourself to: work on a project, learn a new skill, exercise, do something that brings you joy, etc. When you add yourself to the equation of your own life, you’ll feel much more empowered and have a healthier relationship with time.

3. Baby Steps Become Leaps - You may have heard of the technique of breaking down big projects into small chunks or doing things in increments. This technique is slightly different in that it offers you a sense of accomplishment and forward movement in even the smallest step. It involves baby or micro steps, which, when added up, become big leaps. The process happens by asking one daily question: What is one small step I can take today that will help me more forward with__________ (you fill in the blank…my relationship, my creative project, my business, living my dreams)? The answer might be to do some research, send an email, make a phone call, make an appointment with myself or something similar. Over time, the momentum of the process will take hold and you’ll notice great progress forward.

None of these techniques take much time, but a willingness and commitment to doing them will offer you much of the same benefits you would receive from working with a life coach. Plus, you will cultivate a much better relationship with yourself in the process.