‘That’s not fog.  It’s dragon’s breath.  It’s magical.  When the dragon’s breath comes, when the fog appears, it is a magical time, a mysterious time. Things begin to change.’
~ The Lessons of Love by Melody Beattie ~

I’ve been working with the moon cycles and Mercury retrograde cycles for quite some time now and have found that life has become a bit easier because I am aware of, and continue to use the energy of these cycles for my personal growth and healing.

Let me say first off that I have a basic understanding of astrology, I am not an astrologer. I’m simply sharing my knowledge and personal experience for those of you who are interested in the unseen energies that move in and around us constantly. 

Mercury retrograde energy can feel at times, like a fog has set in over our lives. If we can understand and accept that change is in the air and magic is happening behind the scenes, we can move through the fog with more ease and patience. As there will be a time in the near future when the fog lifts and things are clear and flowing once again.

There are three to four Mercury retrograde cycles per year and they last approximately three weeks. The planet Mercury in general, rules thinking and perception, processing information, education, travel and communication. So when it goes retrograde, it often affects these areas of our lives. For instance, we might notice more than usual, missed messages, misunderstandings, text messages and emails sent to the wrong person, taken out of context, or not being received at all. As well there is often travel mix ups and delays, problems with computers, cell phones, televisions, and vehicles. You might also notice situations, people and issues from the past resurfacing. Especially notice what was happening in your life during the last Mercury retrograde because whatever was going on in your life at that time, will likely resurface in some form so you can face that part of yourself again and continue to clear old unhealthy patterns. Sometimes it is to give you an opportunity to see yourself in a new light and see how you've grown since the last retrograde.

It can be a frustrating time for some people, especially if you are not willing to be honest with yourself and make necessary changes in your life. Or if you are pushing and trying to make something happen when it's not time for it to happen. It could be that your flight gets delayed or cancelled, you buy a new cell phone and it’s a total dud, or your computer crashes. Basically it’s life not going according to your plans. Try to remember something bigger is happening behind the scenes and you are ultimately not in charge even though you’d like to think you are!

This is not a time to make firm decisions, move forward on projects or plans, or sign legal documents or contracts. It can feel at times like we are pushing against a strong wind, so why not wait until the planet moves forward again, and have the wind CARRY us instead? When we insist on pushing forward at this time, we will often find out later that the paperwork couldn’t be completed because of some unforeseen circumstances, the contract or deal falls through, or new information is revealed that might have been important in our decision making process. It is also not the ideal time to purchase a vehicle or electronic equipment of any kind as there are often issues that surface later with respect to that equipment or vehicle, or it could be we just get a lemon.

The best way to use this retrograde phase is to research a new project, or resurrect and complete an old unfinished project, renegotiate a deal, reflect on life and recent situations, revise, review, and relax.

New information is often revealed to us by the end of this cycle, as there is likely something more to learn or release before moving forward on our path. It’s a great practice to back up our computers before Mercury retrograde. Confirm travel itineraries prior to travelling and do be prepared to be patient should your travel end up cancelled or delayed. 

Personally I’ve come to love Mercury retrograde despite the fact I’m bound to have some frustrating days. I am simply aware of the energy this cycle brings and use it accordingly.

Mercury Retrograde, friend or foe?  You decide.

'As I learn, I teach.  As I teach, I learn.'  I found these words rolling around in my head one morning as I contemplated life.  Words and a concept so simple, yet actually lived out, so very powerful.

It seems once a person has lived enough of their lives, making their way through the obstacles and struggles that are a part of our human experience, this concept becomes apparent, sometimes making some sense of our hardest times.

A mother who loses a child, eventually able to tell her story to others, helps another mother who's just lost a child understand she's not alone and she is stronger than she thinks.  An ex-addict who's turned his life around, becomes a beacon of hope for the addict who wants to live a better life but feels he doesn't have the strength or feel that he's worth it.  A woman in an abusive relationship finds the strength to take her kids and leave their abuser.  Her actions alone, inspiring a quiet young girl who's new boyfriend has abused her for the first time.  The homeless man, down on his luck, takes help from a stranger to get on his feet again.  The stranger was homeless and penniless at one time in his past, until a stranger helped him.  Someone's sister commits suicide, the experience leads that person to live a more spiritual life, now they help other families come to terms with their experience of losing a loved one to suicide. 

Trying to make sense of our lives isn't easy sometimes, especially when we are in the foggy, yucky, uncomfortable and painful part of some experience.  We usually have to let a lot of time pass before we can make sense of some things, and I think some things, we will never understand.  I think what's important, is what we do with our most challenging experiences.  How we react to the struggles we encounter is where our power lies.  

I believe we are all teachers and students in this class of life, and we continue to learn until the day we die.  We may affect hundreds, thousands, or millions of people, or we may only affect a few.   Maybe those few that we affect, may go on to affect many?  We can't be sure.  Sometimes we don't even realize how we've touched someone by sharing a story from our lives that they needed to hear in that moment, or by simply accepting others for who they are and where they are at in their lives without judgement, offering them the gift of belonging.

I've had many bottoms in my life, from all of which I've learned and grown a great deal.  They were very uncomfortable at the time and painful beyond belief but looking back on it all now, I can see those situations were all there as opportunities for my personal growth.  I chose not to let life's experiences break me, even though at times I felt like they would.  I can see now, everything has been there to get me aligned on my spiritual path, finding myself and learning to love myself more every day. This is the place I now find myself inspiring others and I didn't even know I was doing that!!

It always touches me deeply when someone tells me that something I have done or said has inspired them or helped them in some way.  Sometimes it's by way of these weekly blogs I write, sometimes through my drawings, and sometimes in conversation they remember something I've said, and sometimes it's just listening to their deepest, darkest, without judgement. Others have helped me to learn in this way as well.  

It's funny how after I write a blog or offer someone a new perspective on a situation, the universe will test me to see if I'm walking my talk, giving me the opportunity to learn from what I teach.  I notice this as well, when I do a reading for someone that the guidance is for myself as well. Certain situations or circumstances will always arise so I can practice learning from what I'm teaching!  It's cool!

It's a great reminder that we're always learning and teaching.  It keeps us humble and gives us the strength to keep going when we want to give up.  

Peace, Love, and Learn

'You can't force a chicken out of an egg or a leaf out of a bud....things take the time they take'.  I've found myself giving this advice in intuitive guidance sessions and in general conversation, over the past few years.

I do take my own advice and put these things into practice most of the time.  I'm human though and sometimes I forget and try to rush or force things when it's not 'time'.  That's when I find myself in an inner struggle and remind myself of a divine timing.

I've noticed there's a fine line between knowing when to take action and when more time needs to pass, so the climate is more favorable.  When I take action and things don't seem to flow, I realize it's not time yet for whatever it is I'm wanting so desperately to happen.  When I take action steps and everything flows, then it's time.  When things aren't flowing, I know it's either not right for me, or it's not time. That's when I turn my focus and energy somewhere else, more productive.  I've learned if I don't focus my energy somewhere else, I get stuck in my analytical mind, obsessing over whatever it is, or being angry and feeling sorry for myself because I'm not getting my way.  Oftentimes it takes me inward, to find a place of gratitude for what 'is', and in hindsight I can see that I had more growing, learning, and healing to do, or circumstances weren't aligned yet for my highest good.

Trying to force situations can feel like walking against a strong wind.  It's exhausting!  We'll eventually get to where we're going but it would be easier to wait until the wind is under our wings, lifting us up so we can fly instead.

We humans can be a pretty impatient bunch sometimes.  We want things NOW and OUR way and when it doesn't go that way, we either find ourselves sulking and feeling sorry for ourselves, or having a tantrum (which is all ok to do for a short time, it's part of our process....it's when we stay in those places that we stay stuck).

Accepting life on life's terms and timing, I've found to be a more peaceful path and the more I've found my own inner peace, the more I have been able to accept life on life's terms.  When something isn't moving as fast as I want it to or how I want it to, I practice trusting that Spirit can see ten steps ahead of me and things are how they are because I have more learning to do.  Or whatever it is I'm wanting to happen (or sometimes can see is meant to happen), will not be for my highest good at this time.  I choose to believe that life isn't working against us, it's working in our favor.

I've seen proof of this in my own life, when I look back at times when I wanted something to happen so badly and how disappointed and angry I was at those times.  It's very clear to me now, that I was being led to some place even better, and to a stronger version of myself through that process.  Sometimes when we are in that mode of wanting to force things to happen and it's clearly not time, we can use it as an opportunity to take a step back, and focus our energy into something we CAN do or change.

We each have our own rythyms, experiences, and ideas, and we all see the world differently.  We also have our own relationship with Spirit that is unique to us.  It is through the difficult times that I've learned to trust and cultivate this relationship in my life, as opposed to fighting it (as was my way for most of my life).  Sometimes I don't understand life, but I don't think we're always meant to 'understand' it as much as we're meant to 'experience' it.  Understanding sometimes comes over time, and sometimes not at all.


I try to remember that life is a mystery and there are no certainties.  As I remind myself of that more and more often, I've become more patient than I've every been and I've become more trusting that life isn't working against me, it's just working how it works.

Peace, Love and Timing

Last night I was listening to an interview with James Van Praagh as he took part in an online event called Healing with the Masters.  James is a well known psychic medium who communicates with souls who have transitioned to the other side.  I understand that many people are believers in this, and I also understand that not everyone believes that our souls continue on after this life.  I do.  Even if you're not a believer, please stay with me here, because I'd like to share a perspective that if we can remember to live by, might change a lot of lives for the better.

First, I'd like to say that I believe no human on this earth knows about such things 'for sure'.  We're only going to know 'for sure' how this all works, when it's our turn to leave this world.  My personal experiences are what make me a believer in the after life, and that we are souls from spirit having an experience here in human form.  The goal of the experience being that of love.

So, last night I'd drifted off through part of the interview and was nudged awake so I could hear a specific part of the conversation, I'm sure to inspire this blog! haha It was about karma.

After working for many years communicating with those on the other side, it's James' belief that when our souls cross over, we experience what is called a life review (this is not a new concept but keep reading), where we are taken on a journey back through our entire lives.  He believes as we experience this journey, we are made to FEEL (not see but FEEL) how we made others feel.  He says we are made to feel it even more magnified than how it was felt by those we experienced with.  Interesting concept right?

James went on to say it is never too late to change our lives and learn to be a better version of ourselves while we're here (which is nothing new to me but maybe someone reading might feel like it's too late - well let this inspire you!).  He said it's actually best, to make those changes here in this lifetime versus waiting or not changing at all.  He believes it's more powerful as far as affecting our over all karma if we do.  He spoke about our crossing over experience being one that felt like heaven versus one that felt like hell, depending on the karma factor we lived out while we were here in this life.

It's interesting how we humans are self absorbed most of the time, making it quick for us to pull up those memories and feelings of when we were hurt by others, yet we don't always think about how OUR words and actions might have hurt someone else.  We have all hurt others and we have all been hurt by others.  Period.  The starting point from here, is the willingness to forgive ourselves and do better from now on.

So, imagine if we all decided to take full responsibility for our lives and our actions from this day forward?  Imagine if we stop focusing so much on how others made us feel and waiting for karma to get their asses, and start focusing more on how we make others feel?  Imagine keeping in mind this concept of a day that will come where we are made to feel how we've made others feel?  Imagine.

We're not perfect though, and likely will not get through our entire lives without being the cause of someone's pain at some point, but if we let this concept remind us to live our lives more aware of how we affect others, the more peace we live while we're here and the less pain we feel when our souls go home.  Keep in mind too, that the happiness we've made others feel will also be felt in our life review!  Kinda makes a guy wanna spread that around instead?!  

So there you have it, food for thought. 

Peace, Love and Karma Baby