When I taught yoga, a high school teacher invited me to talk to her class about spirituality. Once each semester I would go and discuss psychic phenomena, healing, the power of the mind and lots of juicy topics. When I asked the students, “Have you ever had a psychic or supernatural experience?” nary a hand would go up. As soon as the class was over, however, a line of kids would form to talk to me. “I heard my grandmother speak to me after she died,” one reported. “My stepfather’s face came to me in a dream before my mother met him,” another shared. “Sometimes I can put my hands on my little brother when he is in pain, and the pain goes away instantly,” came another account.

When I asked these students, “Why didn’t you share that in the class when I asked?” they would answer, “I didn’t want the other kids to think I was weird.”

Such a fear of looking weird carries over, for many of us, into adulthood. We see, feel and know things that we are reluctant to speak about because we might be judged or criticized. So we end up living two lives – one a public life built on presentation and image management, and another inner life, more personal, often secretive, and infinitely more real.

Psychologist and educator Patricia Sun [www.patriciasun.com] recounts, “As a child I was highly intuitive. I could see and feel what people were thinking and feeling, and quite often it was the complete opposite of what they were saying or doing in their social world. It seemed to me that the world was a kind of “Big Bluff” where people were living disconnected from who they really were, but because everyone expected certain behaviors and agreed to play the presentation game, their lives, hearts and souls were shriveling behind the scenes.

The way to cure “The Big Bluff” is to live authentically. When you express your truth, you invite others to meet you in an arena of realness, and you establish a platform of integrity for all of your relationships.

Patricia Sun further recalls, “Once when I was counseling a client, I noticed that I was bored. I tried to push beyond my feeling until I was practically falling asleep. Finally, as my client was going on with a long story, I told her, ‘I just need to share that I am having trouble connecting with what you are saying. I’m feeling kind of bored.’ To Patricia’s surprise, the client admitted, ‘Actually, so am I.’”

The client had gotten so immersed in the story she had told so many people so many times that she had become disconnected from her aliveness. This frank discussion between counselor and client led to an entirely more vital exploration of what, by contrast, was real and empowering for the client.

If you are bored, tired, lonely, angry, fearful or unfulfilled, you have probably succumbed to The Big Bluff. You have gotten so used to your routine, your story or a position of apparent (but dangerous) safety that your life force had slipped away without you recognizing it. But you can get it back. The way to reclaim joy is to be extremely honest about where your passion lives and where it doesn’t. You have to tell the truth, moment by moment, about what brings you life and what deadens you. Honesty is your lifeline to healing.

Like the respondents to the USA poll and my high school students, your inner truth may be connected to intuitive, spiritual or psychic experiences, or preferences and experiences that might get you labeled as an oddball. If so, I have comforting news: You are not alone.

In their book The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World, Paul H. Ray, Ph.D., and Sherry Ruth Anderson, Ph.D., describe a subset of the population that does not subscribe to mainstream beliefs and values, but is responsible for most social progress (à la the bumper sticker “The world has never been changed by well-behaved women”). It’s the people who are unwilling to participate in The Big Bluff who have the power to undo it.

While living authentically may initially appear frightening, realness is the most comforting and liberating path of life. In The Teachings of don Juan, author Carlos Castaneda quotes his Yaqui Indian shaman mentor: “Ask yourself one question…Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t, it is of no use. Both paths lead nowhere; but one has a heart, the other doesn’t. One makes for a joyful journey; as long as you follow it, you are one with it. The other will make you curse your life. One makes you strong; the other weakens you.”

We are living at an extraordinary time when more and more people are confronting and dismantling illusions. Institutions based on the Big Bluff are crumbling before our eyes, and ways of living based on The Big Real are rooting and growing. Perhaps, if the current trend continues, that revealing USA Today poll is giving us a peek at USA tomorrow.

Those were golden days of exploration, having the luxury of both time and money simultaneously while doing the necessities of personal expansion and education in self-employed business protocol to accomplish my goals and establish my practices.

As the reality of paying my own self-employment taxes came to pass, it became clear some type of part-time work where the employer paid into Social Security was a very good idea, so Spirit brought me what I needed.

Time marched on, the severance money ran out, living expenses got higher, and choices had to be made on what to still pay for, and what to let go of. In those days, every month it was, “I wonder if Spirit will come through this month?” Fear got its grip on me very regularly, until one day Spirit said very loud and clearly: “How many times must I prove myself to you?”

And I realized that I was asking of Spirit what I would not ask of a friend…to constantly RE-prove itself to renew my trust. In life, I usually trust someone until they prove differently. Why was I behaving differently when it applied to Spirit? I now believe it was because I was not as aware of my connection to Spirit as I have now become. Spirit, to me then, was more of an amorphous force outside myself that I was connected to, but I did not feel myself as being an embodiment of Spirit. I was not sure of the reason, but knew I had to change my behavior, and just trust, until Spirit proved Itself differently…which It never has.

Yes, I still have the part-time job. I also have expanded my practice to include being an ordained minister and doing weddings and various ceremonies for people, becoming a meditation teacher, doing psychic readings, teaching, and personal development with people, adding more healing techniques, and continuing my metaphysical business advisory (my MBA).

Even so, last year was a very tough one. More choices had to be made on how to change my lifestyle to accommodate the expenses, how to try to move in a real estate climate that is not moving, where to invest dollars in my business for the best return on investment, and how to remain generous to others in the process. Spirit was always very clear: Hang on, follow your practical and creative ideas, don’t feed the fear, be generous to others in the ways that you can, ask others for any help you need, and trust. And I have…and this year is much better already.

Do I still wonder each month how I am going to make it financially? Yup! But now it’s just a curiosity, to see how Spirit will create it this time, rather than a frantic fear that it might not happen.

Three levels
Humans operate on three levels: Survival, nurturance and thriving. It is important for each person to define what their needs are on each level:

• Survival – What do you need as the basics, expenses, relationships, entertainment, sleep, etc.?
• Nurturance - When survival is maintained, what do you need to feed yourself and nourish your soul? What nutrition or treatments does body need? What creative exercise does mind need? And what awareness to your connection to Spirit do you need?
• Thriving – When survival is maintained, and nourishment is occurring, what do we need to thrive and grow? What is a luxury for the body, the mind, and the Spiritual connection?

Energetically, these relate thusly: Open the crown chakra, and do this practice daily. It can be done merely with your focus and intention. When you feel in the state of survival, focus on the two lower chakras besides the crown. Use the colors of red and orange. Focus on your relationships, tribal and family connections, grounding, connecting with Mother Earth and the global family. When you are ready to move into nurturance, maintain those, and add the next two chakras, the solar plexus and heart. Work to release your fear and enhance your personal power, open your heart to yourself and to others. As those come into balance, move up to the next two chakras, the throat and the third eye. Speak your truth, ask for what you need, address what you want to avoid, and see from a higher perspective and bigger picture.

Spirit says that seeing things from the biggest picture is so important right now. Know that you will not always get back what you give, but you will get back when you trust that Spirit knows what It is doing, and stay out of Its way.

Be practical in your human life, and pay attention to how you can change things to your advantage. Face the hard stuff: giving up credit, insurance, things we have been taught are “security” but are not, and all things in that category. Spirit is security. It is the never-ending energy that we are all a part of. We will all make it through this reorganization. Life will look different, yes, but it will still be life. And we just might like it!

In the Big Sense
Spirit emphasizes that is important for us to think of ourselves in the Big Sense, to identify and define what our talents are, which ones give us the most pleasure to use, and then apply them like a template to any number of settings.

For example: A person has a talent of working easily and comfortably with people. They also have a talent for problem solving. They enjoy doing both of them. They put them together and know they can do work in areas of customer service, sales, organization coaching, interior design, document research, genealogy for others, etc. You see the variety that can spring from just utilizing two talents! Searching for work in those areas will be more likely to turn up and be satisfying, rather than just looking at what jobs are available and, like the Cinderella stepsisters, just hoping it fits, or being limited to just trying on a glass slipper at all – for you also can try on silver, gold, platinum, silk and leather!

Members of our community are being called to leave their comfort zone of practice and go out into the general community, through jobs and other situations, and bring their healing selves to the masses, creating a unity of sorts – no longer having a separation. It’s about bringing light to the darkness, bringing balance to the fear, taking hope to a new location.

Practitioners are the ones who need to step out of their comfort zones and conquer their fears, to go into the lives of others and help them conquer theirs. Others are too immobilized by it to come seeking now.

Jean Wallis 612.874.1453, jeanwallis@earthlink.net

We tend to “see” the problems of slow business and the economy of the nation and that we are constantly being bombarded with “negative waves.” It comes not only from the news, but even the people we work with. We are always too fast to judge what we “see.” The ego takes it and fuels more to the fires of doubt.

We are often given an opportunity to “slow down.” We may feel it as lack of coins in our pocket or purse. Fear is created by, “Will I get my rent paid? Where will I eat today?” I am fortunate in that I have a full-time position and my company exceeded  its sales goal last year and has huge opportunities coming its way. I asked my Spirit, “Why is this?” The answer did not shock me: “The energy and positive intention are above the normal at my company.” I like to think that I participate in holding that energy.

In my position in Sales and Customer Service, I talk to a lot of people. I work in the municipal marketplace. Outside the seven-county area of the Twin Cities, the smaller towns do not have the money to support their infrastructure. They are having a hard time meeting their needs.

In a business that wants success, marketing has always been the light out of the darkness. Look at your costs for expos, rent, and advertising. Perhaps it is time to redefine your customer. It may require thinking “outside of the box.” Placing a few well-placed and worded ads can bring in more income than you can imagine.

When I need a few clients, they come. I have also given myself permission to be busier now. The phone has started ringing again. I have also looked at my return on my investments and have made some tough choices. Focus on local clients. Going out of the area for most healers is expensive. Ask yourself, “Will I get a return on this investment? Will my costs be covered? Will I get return or repeat business?” If not, focus on what does.

When busy with clients, we tend to say, “I can save by cutting out my advertising.” Wrong answer! To eliminate peaks and valleys, constant attention to marketing is a must. What does a sign on the back of your car mean if it says “Follow Me?” It’s a free place to put an ad. My vehicle has generated a good part of by business. Psychic and hypnosis in the same place is a little rare. At least people don’t tailgate me very often. And it always creates a thought that they may not have considered before.

Intuitively, I am asked to share this: “Look at the people around you. Do they hold the same energy and vision of your business? Do they greet people with a smile or are they grumpy and spill over with cranky comments?” Clients are no different than us. We are all intuitive to some degree. Our job is to make sure they all get the same treatment – the same courtesies that you expect. In the customer service industry, one negative experience is shared with eight out of ten people. One positive experience is shared with three people or less. So ask yourself, “What do you want this client to share with others?”

Attitude builds businesses. One soul at a time.

John Peterson, PsyGuy 651.334.4060, www.psy-guy.com

The first bit of guidance continues to come to me, and addresses more of a global issue. I have learned that as a practitioner in the psychic field, it is imperative that we help others come more fully into their own abilities. My guides tell me that we have a responsibility to create the doorway of awareness within others, rather than simply give them all the answers. We are being called into taking more responsibility for ourselves and our paths, rather than having someone dictate what we should or should not do.

Sharing outcomes on a precognitive level are only helpful if we are assisting people on their path, verses creating or instilling a sense of fear or limitation. We are all feeling more of the call to hear our own voice, rather than be told by someone else what to do. It is this greater responsibility to honoring the inner voice that must drive and supplement the psychic practice.

Psychics who are helping others realize their own intuitive gifts will have the longest “shelf life” as practitioners. It is as simple as showing them and instructing them in a tool or two that can help them on a daily basis, such as tarot cards or a pendulum.

The other bit of guidance I received is how important it is for us to begin to form communities of practitioners, coming together to build a stronghold of guidance and insight, from a variety of angles and modalities at once. The days in which only a few highly visible practitioners stand out in front of the rest are coming to an end. The sooner we embrace community and come together to offer our work, the more sustainable our practices will be.

I also continue to be told that we are all healers. In that light, those who offer work as energy healers may consider training in another tool or two, as the healing market is so fully saturated and people are overwhelmed with who to go to. The public is confused about which approach is the most helpful. People are inundated with the numbers of healers out there.

Those who pull together in cooperative efforts offer a more comprehensive service and a much more well-rounded approach to healing the whole self – even if it’s just through referrals. I almost always encourage clients to explore acupuncture, chiropractic, meditation, yoga or some other service that is complementary to what I’m doing. I see the day coming where there are co-ops of practitioners. These groupings of people will create powerful results and stand out from the rest.

One day the cooperative efforts of the holistic community will benefit humanity as a whole, and those who embrace supporting each other will sustain practices. We are being asked to combine our skills and talents all together, and offer our services more within the mainstream, instead of them being a novelty. Our task is to educate society on the importance and usefulness of the psychic arts in daily life and business.

The last bit of guidance for the practitioner in these economic times is to not shy away from doing something else to earn additional income. It doesn’t make us less of a practitioner. It only makes us more powerful when we have less stress in our financial lives.

Chanda Parkinson, 701.212.8058, www.chandaparkinson.com

I also think the judicial branch and government in general are in for a rude awakening. I think there will be a revolution, because people are tired of picking up the tab for greedy and irresponsible companies. We will have a new government that totally has a clue about serving the people, and the same for our justice system. Right now this justice system is not for the people. It supports big industry and the elitists.

The days for the Big Titans are coming to an end. People cannot connect to a big, heartless company. People want relationships with companies that are there for them. They don’t want surface relationships with someone that would heartlessly throw you out of your home in a bad economy.

Small businesses that are built on relationships will survive. These are people who talk to your face and not behind your back at a meeting. The businesses that focus on money first and the client second will not survive. People who love giving their services to their clients because they create a caring relationship will sustain themselves. The money will flow in more and more. The focus is on the relationship and not about the money.

Many who operate holistic businesses freak out about paying the bills and then they focus on the money. That worry tends to draw poverty consciousness to you. When you are enjoying what you do, and when you enjoy your relationship with your customers, the money will begin to flow inward. Your customers will surprise you in good ways and more good and positive things will start to roll in.

To get out of the spiral of freaking out about paying bills, sometimes we have to take baby steps, because we really can’t see the big picture. We really don’t know which way to turn, because we’re in that energy of chaos. Most of us have been there at one time or another. We call this “hitting rock bottom.” Make a list of things that you need to do with your business or life. Start to get some clarity. The next step is to go through the list, item by item, and see which priority feels easiest to do, and then do it. As we slowly emerge out of chaos, we will see the lightness around us instead of all the heavy energy.

One last thing: Your deceased loved ones and ancestors are always watching over you. Sometimes you will catch a whiff of their perfume or after shave lotion. They love you very much and are with you on this journey.

The paradox, of course, is that we are all doing this, and yet we all want other people to commit to us. People are afraid, and so they don’t feel they can commit for the long term.

I am not sure if this is good or bad or neutral, but it is changing the way that we all do business. My best-attended function is the Intuitive forum, which is a “just show up and pay $20 at the door” event. Because people can wait until the last minute, they are far more likely to come. It is relatively inexpensive, as well. But, of course, I still need to commit to the venue and to being there. (Again, the paradox.)

For now, the solution seems to be to keep things short term, relatively inexpensive and flexible. Also, I think we all need to realize that if we need and want stability and commitment from others, we need to give those things TO others.

In the end, it will be about how we want our society to look. Perhaps we are returning to a time when there was no security, long-term commitments or safety nets. Maybe safety nets were always an illusion?

Kathryn Harwig 763.656.7204, kharwig@mac.com, www.harwig.com

I am hearing that it is important for us to give freely, not to worry about what you get in return. Just give and trust in the abundance that all is okay. Don’t just give money. Give of yourself – share and share alike.

Deborah Lynn11 651.439.5337, MsMysterious22@aol.com, www.deborahlynn11.com

Many of you may feel a shift, some confusion on where you are supposed to be going, heading. I see a huge beam of light coming from the earth, reaching up into the heavens. What does this mean? This light is showing us that as a community, you need to come together…reaching a center in unity…surrounding the cities with healing energy….helping to open eyes to the shift that is already happening.

When you work separately, you help one person at a time. When all of you come together, the skies light up and the energy helps all those who seek help. When you do this, you will see the difference. You will feel the difference. You are the teachers.

Deb Battenfeld of The Circle Mpls, Psychics in the Cities, thecircle@thecirclempls.com, www.thecirclempls.com

If you’re sick, chances are you’re addicted to certain foods, behaviors and thoughts. Anything that has power over you and that you have difficulty letting go of is an addiction. For example, dwelling on the past can be just as damaging as being hooked on coffee, alcohol or chocolate, because it holds you back in life.

In fact, noted physician and author Deepak Chopra claims that all illness is the result of addiction. I couldn’t agree more – this has been my observation for the past 25 years. In fact, when I used to work as an allergy-testing technician, I noted that as soon as people removed the substances they were addicted to, all their symptoms miraculously went away.

This is why Dr. Doris Rapp, a well-known expert in environmental medicine [www.drrapp.com], suggests that patients replace everything they currently consume with things they don’t normally eat for five days. She’s noticed over and over again that chronic complaints disappear and health improves when this happens.

In my work as a medical intuitive, almost everyone I see has an addiction of some sort. I can tell that something is hooked into them, be it physical or emotional, and it’s robbing their vital force and taking them down, cell by cell. I might see gray or black around them – a dark or negative force that’s stealing their precious stamina and vitality. Something has a hold on them, and I know that they’re addicted.

From this deep spiritual perspective, I believe that we should all be free: No particular substance, person, place or physical possession should have us in its clutches. I call this “the climb.” Now, many of us are content to go around and around the bottom of a mountain, but very few want to do the work to ascend it. Just as in real mountaineering, the trek I’m proposing will require concentration and discipline.

As we age, we’ll do a lot better if we’re prepared, focused, and free of excess baggage, including anything that’s a toxin, allergen or poison. The mountain that we are will be stronger and more supportive as we age if we’re willing to examine our issues and give up the items we’re addicted to.

The aging game is not to be taken lightly. To stave off the ravages of old age, we’ve got to get busy and become prepared – now!

CLIMBING OUT OF THE ADDICTION
We’re spiritual beings – our entire raison d’être is to operate from a conscious perspective. We’re here to make a difference on this planet, and as soon as we turn the corner of age 50, this becomes all the more apparent. So the emission of radiant, clear, positive energy from our physical bodies is very significant in relationship to our manifestation ability.

Your aura or electromagnetic field is what you use to draw people, things, and experiences into your life. As you desire to manifest or attract the best to you on a material and spiritual level, an emanation of glowing energy is essential, and it can only come from having a clear and detoxified physical body. Addictions cloud your aura, and even a simple doughnut or cup of coffee can muddy your field. Try it sometime by ingesting your favorite “poison” and waiting 20 minutes. You’ll quickly see that the result is a tired, worn-out body that’s temporarily removed or disengaged from life.

The ability to effectively manifest is in direct proportion to how clear your aura is. So if you want to make the climb out of addiction, take out a sheet of paper and a pen and follow these steps:

1. Make a list of all the things you’re hooked on. These can be foods (such as candy, bread or chocolate), beverages (such as soda, coffee or milk), or chemicals (including drugs and alcohol).
2. Next, make a list of everything that might be an addictive behavior, such as staying up late, working too hard, worrying too much, overspending, overeating, nagging at your partner, remaining in an unsatisfying job or relationship, being a pack rat, or the like.
3. Finally, make a list of any thoughts that have you in their vise grip. These are what you find yourself thinking about most often, including dwelling on the past, self-deprecating beliefs (such as I’m not good enough, I’m not worthy, I’m not intelligent, or There is never enough).

Of course no one wants to be mired in negativity. Thankfully, author Eve Brinton shares a simple and practical technique for switching out of negative thoughts in her book Instant Happiness with the Energy Exchange [available through www.evebrinton.com].

Brinton believes that changing habitual negative thoughts and reframing them into positive ones can be accomplished in less than a minute. To that end, think of something positive right now: Maybe it was when you flew over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter, or when you were in your grandmother’s garden, feeling peace and happiness wash over you. As soon as you find yourself dwelling in negativity, find that positive image and draw it into your consciousness. You’ll instantly notice the difference.

As the Dalai Lama teaches, why should you allow anyone to disturb the freedom of your thoughts? Your material possessions can be taken from you, but your thoughts remain your own. And because you create your thoughts, they can’t have any power over you. Thanks to Brinton’s Energy Exchange, you can master your mental activity and be free.

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
As you climb your own mountain on the journey of personal self-mastery, your desire is to be as free as a bird so that you can be moved by the universe and go wherever your soul wants you to. I learned from my near-death experience that life is short and so precious, so use the law of attraction to draw good into your life.

As a medical intuitive, I see subtle energies: For example, coffee carries the emanation of anger and irritation; and the energy of excessive alcohol use is like a “zing,” taking away the body’s life force like a feather in the wind. The moment you consume a substance like coffee, you put its vibration into your field. Then, because like attracts like, you’ll probably pull angry and irritating experiences to you such as losing your car keys, getting involved in minor altercations, or blowing things out of proportion.

How can you tell if a food or beverage is really affecting you? That’s easy – take your pulse. An easy-to-find pulse point can be found on the carotid artery that supplies blood to your brain, which is located on either side of your neck just below your jaw. Find that point, become familiar with what your normal pulse rate feels like, and then start testing. Twenty minutes after you’ve had a cup of coffee (or consumed anything that you’re concerned about), test your pulse again: If it’s elevated or racing, this is an obvious sign that your body is rebelling against the poison or toxin you’ve ingested.

Pulse testing is one of the ways in which traditional allergists determine potential sensitivities, but you already know the answer intuitively. I’m always amazed when people tell me during a reading that they’re aware that coffee, cola, corn, sugar and other stimulants affect them – yet they can’t believe how calm and happy they feel when they give them up.

Coffee also clouds the aura, hardens the prostate gland, causes jitters and an irregular heartbeat, pulls fluids out of the body, blocks the lymphatic system, contributes to cellulite and a dozen other effects. So the easy and obvious answer is to switch to decaf for a few weeks. A good decaffeinated roast has the same taste and smell as real coffee, but it doesn’t have the kick. Decaf might not have any deleterious effects, but by consuming it, you’re still keeping the memory, taste, essence and vibration of coffee alive.

Remember that you’re climbing the mountain, so the next step is to eliminate the decaffeinated java and switch to herbal or green tea (make sure it has low amounts of caffeine). You’re not giving coffee up just to give it up – you’re releasing this addiction, and others, to lengthen your life. I know that there are studies that indicate coffee is beneficial. But in my opinion, these studies don’t show the drink’s effects on one’s aura, heart, or genitals…or, indeed, one’s life.

The same goes for sugar, which may taste ever so good to you. But what does it do to your energy, your nervous system, your precious pancreas and your cell walls? Sweetness should come from life, so this is where following your dreams and living your passion take priority. When you’re happy and fulfilled in your work and play, you really won’t be interested in sweets.

IT COMES WITH A GIFT
Keep in mind that your willingness to set aside addictions always comes with a gift. I believe that we’re all being watched over by angels and towering beings at all times who are shepherding us and guiding us.

As soon as we give up an addictive behavior, the next step will be revealed. Just watch the phone ring, a job opportunity arise, a pure white feather land in our lap, or a serendipitous benefit appears seemingly out of nowhere. One door closes on what’s no longer healthy, but another one opens to something better. This is confirmation that the universe knows that we are climbing the mountain and are willing to give up what no longer serves us in favor of what will benefit us (and humankind). Then the addiction is no longer viewed with seduction but with recognition of what it can – and will – do to our precious life force and cellular tissue. We make the decision to leave it behind and attract something priceless.

I’ve personally benefited from vibrant health for the past 25 years because I gave up coffee, wine, chocolate chip cookies (by the dozen), homemade bread and lots of cheese. I got my life back, and there has never been a moment where I thought the choice wasn’t worth it. The smell of coffee and the taste of chocolate simply aren’t appealing to me anymore. My addictions have turned into passions: I’m passionate about teaching, I’m passionate about communicating, and I’m passionate about health. It’s as if the angels have given me a mandate to empower you to get healthy, too, so that you’ll be able to complete your destiny as I have.

Sure, I have the occasional stray into “no-no land.” I’ll have a glass of wine or a sweet dessert on occasion, but it better be good. My husband and I might share a crème brûlée on our anniversary, for instance, or I may enjoy a small slice of my daughter’s wonderful pie at a family gathering. But I know that I’ll be feeling and seeing the effects of those choices very soon. I might wake up feeling a little tired or grouchy, my eyes might be puffy, and my clothes might be tight; or, on the rare occasions I have bread or pasta, my hands will become stiff. After three days of eating bread, my arthritis will return, so it’s really not worth it for me. I’m climbing the mountain, and these so-called temptations really don’t entice me anymore.

ADDICTIONS AND MEDICATIONS
What about people who are addicted to medication? After all, every prescription drug has side effects. Yet, you’d be surprised by the number of folks who are on medication and would rather have the side effects than change their habits or research alternatives. If they would just give up their habit, their symptoms would back off, but these people choose to stay addicted.

For example, at age 62, Gretchen had bladder problems and was hooked on sweets and alcohol. Sure, she had reason to be addicted to these items: She had a 28-year-old son who was running amok – he was stealing money from her, had quit his job, and was draining her dry and disrespecting her. She felt powerless to stand up for herself and reclaim her own life, so she soothed her wounds with red wine and pound cake. Bacteria had built up in her body, probably due to a lack of hydration, so she was put on diuretics and sulfa drugs to take care of it.

She’s now faced with bladder surgery, rounds of antibiotics and a compounded set of medical concerns that will probably set her on a careening course to premature aging. Will she change? I hope so, but many people like Gretchen are addicted to the drama of their emotional lives. This keeps them in the fury of the hurricane, which is familiar territory. Rather than make some simple lifestyle changes, it’s easier for such men and women to stay stuck and medicated.

Now I’m a firm believer in traditional Western medicine when it is needed. I know that drugs can save lives, because I grew up in a medical household: My mother was a dietitian, and both my father and grandfather were medical doctors. In our house, the physician was God. Today, things are different. I know that each of us can be God and the doctor, regardless of whether we have a medical degree, and we can form our own healing team.

Let’s remember this basic concept: The body knows how to get well. But optimal health takes a deeper level of commitment than some people are willing to make. Because you’re reading this, I know that you’re willing to point your compass toward aging optimally, beautifully and vibrantly.

Take the gentleman who came in with chronic depression, secondary to a sub-optimally functioning liver. Although he had no idea that his liver was the major cause of his debility, he stated that for the first time in his life he had purchased beets at the grocery store the previous day and he had no idea why. He had never eaten beets and did not even know how to prepare them. He offered this information to me after I had recommended to him that he eat beets daily as part of his program for healing his liver.

Or take the woman who brought in her mother who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was due for surgery in one week. They came to me for advice on what they could do to help the body heal itself. Our consultation was brief, maybe 40 minutes all told. During this time it became obvious that the mother and daughter had a very strong sense and faith in the universal power that pervades all of us and its ability to heal. It was this faith that caused that tumor to dissolve over the next few days so that at the time of surgery it could not be found.

There are countless cases of children healing themselves. Small children have not yet lost their intuitive/psychic ability to know what is good for them. The common craving for sour foods for example demonstrates a child’s need for foods that would stimulate healthy functioning of the liver and gallbladder, as sour is a flavor that helps these organs.

Unfortunately, for many children this beautiful intuitive impulse is satisfied with non-food sour candies. If your child craves sour, please provide it in a healthy, organic, whole foods form. Offer organic lemons – rind and all – or apple cider vinegar water (mix to child’s taste about 1 teaspoon per 6 ounces of water, and a little honey if necessary) or sauerkraut (the real kind e.g. Power Kraut, Veggie Delight). Children will eat as much as they need and then quit. Forcing them to eat more is counterproductive.

The craving is correct – "I want sour…!" – and as parents we should heed that craving and provide a real food source. Sour optimizes the liver and gallbladder, which work hard in growing children, providing mental sharpness and calmness, healthy ligaments and tendons, a robust immunity, a happy stomach and gut, and normal hormonal levels among many other functions. A child’s intuitive attraction to good and healing foods can be adversely affected by parents, other children and the media.

Adults, of course, still have these intuitive abilities, too. Our problem, of course, is our heads. They get in the way. That pesky left analytical mind tends to override our intuitive abilities. The gentleman mentioned in the first example bought those beets on that particular day because he – like many other patients – relaxed his worrying left brain, allowing his intuitive mind to guide him. He did this on that day because he knew he was going to see somebody tomorrow who was going to take over the responsibility of making decisions for him.

Maybe we need to institute a Headstop program for adults. Headstart is great for helping little ones get ready for our left-brained world, but at some point a balance must be made. For those adept at psychic ability, you know the importance of relaxation, emptying the mind and allowing our innate intuitive/psychic powers to work.

Whether it’s rubbing a spot on the body that "feels" like it needs a rub (probably a reflex point asking for some activation to support an organ that needs help) or eating a food that you suddenly crave (always consider the flavor or feeling and a healthy source for it) remember that your body is always trying to lead you to that which is healthy and good for you. You need only to get out of its way, get your thinking, analytical mind out of the picture and surround yourself with that which is healthy and natural and you will do the right thing.

The mother who was told that there was no more that could be medically done for her child gathered up the child in her arms and took her home to die. Holding, rocking and loving that child 24 hours a day, she loved it back to health and a full life. Always follow your heart. It will never fail you, and it is a direct line to your psychic abilities.

But hey, you’ve got to relax to hear what it says.

Phrasing a proper question can take 10 or more minutes, even when you think that you know very well what your question is all about. A good intuitive question is phrased specifically. ”Will I marry Bill this year?” is a better question than “Will I ever get married?” The best questions are phrased in present time terms. “What practices should I do now to improve my psychic ability?” is better than “Will I ever become a psychic?” And, the ideal questions, in my opinion, are those that ask for advice, rather than for prediction. “How can I improve my marriage?” is a question that will get you a better answer than “Will I get divorced?”

We are living in a time of uncertainty. Gas prices are skyrocketing, home prices are plummeting, and jobs are disappearing. Those things are not likely to change anytime soon. But, as intuitives, we have an advantage. We have a means of getting practical, down to earth, useable advice that can aid us in these times.

It is really tempting to sit around asking “why?” It reminds me a little of an old Bob Dylan tune that said, “There ain’t no need to sit and wonder why babe, it don’t matter anymore.”

Bob was right. It really doesn’t matter. What matters is how. How can we thrive in uncertain times? How can we feel better in our bodies? How can we improve our relationships?

It is frightening sometimes to have to ask a specific “how” question to your intuition. Crafting a good question feels a little like exposing ourselves. When we REALLY ask how to change something, we are already on the way to changing it. We have acknowledged that the issue exists and we have accepted the fact that we are the only ones who can change our lives.

Asking “why” questions keeps you stuck. Asking “how” questions frees you. Try this with any issue you might feel stuck on. Notice your thoughts and make note of how often you ask “why.” Then, change your thoughts. Ask yourself instead, “How can I change (improve, etc.) this situation?” I am certain you will feel a sense of relief. Perhaps your intuition will not immediately give you an answer (although I suspect that it will give you something), but the very act of crafting a good question will make you feel more powerful and in control of the situation.

Of course, there are lots of situations in which we are not in total control. We can, after all, only change ourselves. In even the most powerless of situations, though, there is a way to change or improve it. Asking yourself “how” is the first step.