NOVEMBER 2003
We control what we attract; the Prosperity Game; photographing ghosts
during our haunted hotel stay in Cassadaga Hotel; communicating with
those who've crossed to the Other Side.
Hello and welcome to the November 2003 issue of Horizons Magazine. As I write this,
I've had my windows open and a/c off for a week and am enjoying the cooler, less
humid weather. It seems to be an even split here in Florida, 6 months of hot humidity
and 6 months of beautiful Paradise! As I look outside my office window, the oaks are
full of acorns and the squirrels are out in full force. A woodpecker the size of a turkey
has taken up shop across the street and I can hear him rat-a-tat-tatting right now.
November is a month of weekend outdoor fairs and festivals, and I'm looking forward to the Harmonic Concordance event in Yalaha, the Omega Yoga Conference in Miami Beach, the Universal Lightworkers? Conference in Hutchinson Island and Deepak Chopra in Miami, as well as others. Check the calendar to see what is happening in your area, and email me with anything you think I might like to know about and pass along.
"Law of Attraction (that which is like unto itself is drawn) is a wonderful thing, because it is responding to the vibration that is within you," Abraham-Hicks says. 'so, since you can control that which you give your attention to, you can control what your vibrational output is, therefore you can control what Law of Attraction matches you up with."
That's empowering to know. Easier said than done, though, huh? controlling that which we give our attention to? *hehe* We're so used to letting our mind just wander anywhere it wants to go, aren't we? Until we learn what a useful tool this mind of ours is, and until we learn that we can train it to do OUR bidding and have it take us where we want to go!
Speaking of tools, my favorite galpal, Suzie Miller, has come up with a great game designed to train your mind into having prosperity consciousness. And it doesn't cost a dime to play the game - see http://www.suziemiller.com for details! In just 22 days of playing, which entails making specific daily lists of what you'd like to spend money on, you slowly and deliberately train your mind to accept an ever-increasing dollar amount as what is 'the norm? or possible for you. When you get so used to working daily with the large dollar amounts that you stop thinking of them as large or unusual, then large dollar amounts will begin to flow into your experience.
It's all a matter of training your mind to respond deliberately and appropriately to whatever is going on around you. It's all a matter of training your mind to see what you'd like to see. For me, I look for evidence of happiness, well-being, synchronicity and enough of everything. And I welcome new opportunities to practice what I know! Here's a great example.
Last month we went on our first ghost tour guided by my friend Barbara Dobson of Spirited Adventures. We had many sightings and will have great photos for you in an upcoming issue. After a stop on the ride up, we all begin to notice a smoky electrical smell coming from inside the bus. The driver had checked out the vehicle and nothing seemed amiss, so we began our trek to our haunted village. Barb was sitting behind the driver, facing our guests and talking as we rode along. I was sitting in the first seat on the opposite side, keeping a watchful eye on the driver's control panel. We had the door open to expel the bit of smokey smell when suddenly from beneath the control panel to the left front of the driver, there's a snap and crackle, and a quick flash of smoke. The driver quickly checks everything and doesn't seem concerned, so I figure it's under control and the smoke soon subsides.
In the meantime, one of our guests began talking about when she experienced a wiring fire. Another mentioned a transportation delay she had. It was the type of conversation you'd expect under the circumstances. As soon as I caught it happening ? as soon as my trained, conscious mind kicked in - I said, "Hey, if it's true that we attract into our experience by our thoughts and words, is this really what we want to be talking about right now?" They all stopped and smiled, because we'd all been caught at it! This was the perfect opportunity to practice what we knew about Law of Attraction and group consciousness!
This was one of those times when we didn't want a small event (unknown smoke) to turn into a bigger event (raging inferno!) by our attention to it. This was one of those opportunities to have a different response at the first sign of trouble, to avoid turning a molehill into a mountain.
Our natural tendency during times of stress is to start playing the "what if?" tape in our head. I do the same thing. But I've changed my tape to say, "What if the best thing happens? What if exactly what I want happens? What if there's no problem with the bus? What if we get there earlier than expected? What if we all have a great time in the process?"
If I know my natural tendency is to run a tape in my head, I have can either stop running the tape, or re-script the language in my tape. I know me. While I'm fairly mentally disciplined, I know I can't be trusted not to run a tape *hehe* But I can take action to re-script it, and I can practice the new script long enough and often enough that it becomes my automatic response.
So, here we are on the bus, smoke subsiding, and we'd just caught ourselves talking about fires and delays and such, and realized that if we attract into our experience by our thoughts and words, we didn't really want to be talking about that right now.
I said, "I'd like to make some observations right now, just to remind me of what I already know. By making these observations, I'm not only reminding myself of the truth of the situation, I am also consciously choosing my thoughts and words to steer the conversation away from what I don't want, and toward what I do want."
"I know that I don't typically attract unpleasant and dangerous situations into my experience. I know I've never been stranded or delayed while in route somewhere. That's a good thing to bring to mind right now. If it hasn't happened so far, why should I think it will begin happening now? I know that whenever anything goes 'wrong' in my life, it's usually very minor, over with quickly and no big deal.
"Can we all agree that it's possible that there is nothing seriously wrong? Can we all agree that it's possible that we'll still get to our destination on time? Can we agree that we'll arrive safe and sound?"
One by one everyone began making similar statements and within minutes everything was fine, the smoke had subsided, no warning lights were lit, and we continued the journey without further ado. I was flattered by what Barb Dobson wrote after the bus trip, "Andrea, of course, had everyone in stitches and always kept the conversation light and positive, no matter what the situation." Thanks, Barb, it was easy, because we had really fun people along with us. We checked into our hotel and after dinner were given the tour, describing the history of the building, and showing us which rooms were haunted by whom. It was easy to sense presence in many rooms.
We began taking pictures, knowing that the camera can record things our human eye can't see. We got lots of activity in the photos and will share them with you in future issues.
While on the tour, Barb (who grew up with a ghost in her house) and Karen shared an experience. Barb writes, "When our group passed through the lobby, our guide Carole looked up the main staircase and remarked that one of the resident spirits was peeking down the stairs at us. Karen and I stayed behind to take photos in that direction (we saw nothing) while the rest of the group went into the cafe. Karen asked the spirit to come down to join us while I thought the same invitation in my mind. What happened next nearly blew both of our minds! We both felt a sudden rush of tingling electricity as something whirled around us and then seemed to go right through our bodies. It then came back a second time and did the same thing again. In an instant it was gone. What a rush! It was the most incredible thing that either of us had ever experienced. I was left with an adrenaline high that would last until the wee hours of the morning. We weren't afraid, only dumbfounded. I can truthfully say that this was the wildest moment of my life and this encounter has sealed my destiny. I now know in what direction my spirit guides are leading me. What a true blessing I consider this to be."
Barbara photographed lotsa action with her digital camera. I think she's a real catalyst for psychic activity, as I know I am. We make a good team! As she and Karen were having their experience in the lobby, the rest of us were in the cafe. We looked toward the lobby when we heard them exclaim, and we could see them through the glass doors that separated us. Clearly they both were experiencing something pleasurable, but their eyes were going all over trying to see it. They were not looking at us and not looking at each other.
After that, the picture-taking took on new enthusiasm! Bright orbs appeared in many photos, and Barb got a great face in a mirror. She was very high-energy for the rest of the night, and about 30 of us sat in the lobby discussing the paranormal, many of us until after 2:00am. We were going to take a walk down to the cemetery for some photos, then were reminded that in Florida it's against the law to enter a cemetery at night. An adventure for another day!
One of the things I like most about Barbara is that she is not just into the sensationalism of the paranormal. She knows there's a higher purpose to it all. She's not just into the ooohing and aaaahing of it. Sharing stories of paranormal and psychic experiences lets us know we're not alone, and that it's a natural phenomenon. Hearing the stories of others helps us consider what might be possible for us.
I'm not talking here about the tall tales you hear passed around, although in every walk of life you find those who DO, and those who want you to THINK they do, so they can get at some of your dollars. Unfortunately, the history of spiritualism, psychism and mediumship is also a history of fraud, feigned trance states, and phony messages, so it's up to you to cultivate common sense and personal integrity so you don't attract those types into your experience.
I'm talking here about people sharing stories of being influenced to make major life transformations after having had a personal paranormal or psychic experience. There have been many times in my life where I've had an experience that gave me a big wide look at something, after which I made changes.
What is the value in knowing that ghosts or spirits exist? It confirms that life goes on and that we survive physical death. When we lose our fear of death, a more expansive life becomes available to us.
What is the value in interacting with ghosts or spirits? It demystifies a natural experience for us. It shows us that, just as here on Earth, there are many personalities to be dealt with and many levels of understanding, many dimensions some call it, many planes of existence. Most of the ?ghosts? you encounter that inhabit a particular haunted place might be termed earthbound, and often have a repetitive routine that seems to be ultimately pointless. If they are able to communicate, they may be 'stuck' on particular sentences and phrases, despite what you say to them in your attempt to engage them in dialogue.
So far that describes lotsa physical people I know as well * hehe* And that's a big point. There are a lot of us in this world and we all can live harmoniously, together; physical, non-physical, big, small, all ages, despite race, religion, whatever?
And not everyone in the nonphysical world is stuck or earthbound, that just happens to be who might be easiest to contact, since they're hanging around. And remember, just because you're dead doesn't mean you're smart or that you know what you're talking about. Example: You contact someone from the other side and ask them to describe what they see? You may get a former 5 year old boy telling all the colors and shapes he sees, as many as he has words for anyway. You may get a former botanist who goes into detail about plant species. You may get a former architect who describes the style of the buildings. You may get one of 5 blind men trying to describe the elephant. And they're all telling you what they see, but they are all seeing it through their own personal filter.
Each is telling you what he sees, according to his capacity to see it and his ability to convey it. No different than the humans right here on Earth. You just have to know who to listen to so you can tell who's blowing smoke and wanting attention, and who's sharing useful information. Not much different than here on the physical side of our world, huh?
And then there are the contact sessions, where someone wants to contact a loved one. Many times it's only after a loved one dies that we realize how much they meant to us. For many people, the guilt and shame of not having had a chance to reconcile with parents, siblings, children, before their death is a burden they carry with them their whole lives.
When they are learn they are able to communicate with those who have crossed to the Other Side, their life takes on new meaning. They are able to have their say and make their peace. They are given the opportunity to apologize and forgive. They are given the reassurance that they never walk alone and that they are watched over and guided every step of the way. They can heal past issues and bury past swords.
As a psychic medium, I often witness people going from being grief-stricken, emotional wrecks to being once again productive members of their family and society, merely upon reassurance that their loved ones still 'live' on. One new client had lost her husband of many years and, months later, she was still having daily crying jags that she felt affected her ability to concentrate at work. I went to visit her in her fairly new subdivision. She said they were in the process of moving into the new home when he passed unexpectedly.
The furniture and furnishings all appeared new, and she had 3 small white poodles who all danced clickedity-click across the tile floor. She put them in another room so their sounds wouldn't distract me. We sat and got comfortable and almost immediately I got an image of a man, whom I described to her: tall, big shock of white hair, bifocal glasses with a paper clip where a screw should have held the earpiece on, plaid shirt and khaki pants and a booming voice. I saw him with a big tiger striped cat which he seemed to pet and scratch absent-mindedly. She said that was him and that the cat had just died earlier that week. He'd always said he didn't like cats, but she said she knew better and this proved she was right!
At this point, the dogs began barking and I told her he said one of the dogs was new, he didn't recognize the one dog. They all looked the same age and size to me - a cat person - but two were several years old and one was very young. Suddenly a young woman was with him, and she picked up the cat and was affectionate with it and it with her. As I described her kinda old fashioned wedge hairstyle, red glasses and hoop earrings, I was told that was their daughter who had passed 13 years earlier. The cat had been hers from a kitten. She did not know these particular dogs, however the family apparently always had small white poodles. She made a remark to her dad that mom finally got her way because 'his' dog - a studly male - now had pink toenail polish, and indeed all the dogs had pink toenail polish.
Her husband also noted that his wife had his favorite chair and desk back in the den she was using for storage, and that his clothes were still in their joint closet when she really could use the space for herself. He advised her to not hang on to anything on his account, he liked the way the new place looked and thought she would be happier there with less clutter in the back rooms.
It was such a lighthearted exchange that my client said most of the questions she wanted to ask were no longer relevant. I told her that if she spent some quiet time in meditation, that slowly she could attune to her husband and daughter, and communicate with them whenever she wished. I told her to know that, whenever she put forth the intent that she would like to communicate with them ? or anyone else who had passed ? that she could just express that thought and say what she wanted to say. And ask what she wanted to ask. And see what thoughts and guidance came to her in response.
As she became more practiced at this exercise, she was able to have a sense of direct communication with her passed loved ones, without having to have me, or another psychic or medium intervene for her. She once again went back to work and got involved in several projects with friends, no longer overwhelmed and burdened by a sense of grief or loss.
As the holidays approach, it can be a sentimental time to recall holidays past, and it's reassuring to know that there is really no death, no loss, no separation, except that which we choose to perceive.
Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, I feel my whole family is with me, just as in days past, and the only difference is I've learned to be much more grateful now than I ever was way back then! Enjoy our offering this month. Hari Om.
Horizons Magazine
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