Star Trek Beyond Absolutely Is

I saw the premiere of Star Trek Beyond last night, which opens in theaters today, Friday 22.

The film is aptly titled, because it stretches this young version of the original Enterprise crew in every way.

In the first reboot, trekkers needed to see Chris Pine as a believable, but respectful, Jim Kirk.  He was, and continues to be, masterful, as are the rest of the cast.

From the beginning, too, we became aware that this new franchise would not follow the timeline set forth in TOS (the original series).

Straying from the time line bothered me then.  The X-Men have taught me to appreciate the limitless possibilities that flexibility can offer the imagination. The characters and their relationships remain, even as their backstories morph from episode to episode.

I’m not the only person who has a hard time with the reboot pushing beyond Gene Rodenberry’s vision. George Takei, the original Sulu and current gay rights activist, wasn’t thrilled that young Sulu (now played by John Cho) has a husband and daughter. Takei has been quoted as saying he was happy to see a gay character, and understood the tip of the hat as it was intended, but felt it unfortunate to stray from Rodenberry’s originally character.

While the timeline may change, and the character’s backstories may grow, a few things remain consistent. Star Trek stories have always reflected our societal struggles. TOS brought us the first interracial kiss on TV, for example.

In Star Trek Beyond, the crew faces a villain who believes that strength and identity come from conflict, and the unity created by the United Federation of Planets is dangerous. Doesn’t that sound like conversations heard around the world today, where some fear unity between countries will lead to a dangerous “world government”?

The special effects in Star Trek Beyond are dazzling, but almost so over the top that they distract from the story, making it hard to follow at times.

The death of Leonard Nimoy is paralleled in the story line.

It was a bit hard for me to enjoy Anton Yelchin’s brilliant portrayal of Chekov, knowing that the actor himself didn’t live to see the movie open.

What made this movie work for me wasn’t the story or the tech, it was the chemistry between the cast, and the way they developed their characters and relationships. For me, it felt like spending time with old friends, and learning new things about them.

An added dimension to the cast came from a surprising new female character whom we’ll expect to see in the next adventure.

This movie should not be missed by Trekkers, Trekkies, sci-fi geeks and people who enjoy watching the destruction of intricate spaceships, and explosions in space.

Remembering Who We Are In These Dark Times

I have some thoughts about troubled times, the Pulse Terror Attack, and the way forward.

Sunday, in Orlando, crowds of people stood in line to give blood to help the survivors, some of whom were fighting for their lives.

This morning, the gofundme to Support Victims of Pulse Shooting had already raised $1,392, 281 of its two-million-dollar goal.

In the end, after the smoke has cleared and the graves have been filled, this is what matters most, I think.

We must remember who we are.

We are the people spending our precious Sunday afternoon in line to give blood. We are the people sharing resources to help those touched by tragedy.

We are not the politicians, trying to position themselves to get a few more points in the polls.

We are not the two-dimensional beings on social media, using this tragedy to prop up political agenda, be that gun control or access to mental health or a fiercer stance on security.

When tragedy strikes, no matter its origin, we need to stop seeing ourselves, and each other, as gay and straight, black and white, red and blue, rich and poor.

When tragedy strikes, we must stand together as humans.

Cable news channels will sell plenty of advertising this week.

There are many who will capitalize on this tragedy. But there are many more who will be a light in the darkness. There are many more who will give their time, their money, and  their blood.

There are many who are responding to this horrible attack with fear. But there are many more who are responding with love.

In these dark times, it is important to remember and find comfort in the words of Anne Frank, a young girl in hiding from an oppressive government who would eventually take her life.

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

Imagery and Energy: The Importance of Imagination in Divination, Magick and Healing

Imagery and guided meditations are tools in every metaphysician’s toolbox. We use imagery to foster intuition, divination, psychic connection, mediumship, past life regression, inner child work, physical healing, animal communication, manifestation and many other things.

Our ability to hold a picture in our mind, and to breathe into a particular part of the body, determines our success in our ability to unlock and decode the influential energies around us.

The more we become aware of the energies that surround everything, and the more we work with visualizing them, the more we become able to actually seem them.

For example, after years of smudging my home, I finally became able the see the gray clouds of energetic shmutz that cling in the ceiling corners.

Likewise, after years of doing energetic exercises with my hands – pulling energy between them, rolling it into a ball – I finally began to see the strands of energy with which I was working.

I am amazed at the number of naïve spiritual seekers I meet who describe, in great detail, the things they see. To me, this is often proof of both the veracity of their claims and of the standard visualizations which we are all taught.

It’s easy to believe that the chakra images are based on truth when a person with no prior knowledge of chakras asks me why they see purple light shooting from the heads of some people, or a glowing blue light on particular foreheads.

Some people are naturally gifted with an ability to see energy. Other need to consciously work with energy for a while before they are able to see with their eyes what they have been trained to see with their mind’s eye.

Working with the mind’s eye, that is, visualization and imagination, sometimes feels counter-intuitive, because we want our spiritual work to be real, rather than imagined.

It’s important to remember that the third eye, or brow chakra, is the seat of eyesight, psychic ability, and imagination. It’s impossible to use your psychic awareness, or to work with energy, without using your imagination.

Recently, I’ve notice a connection between tarot and yoga. A lot of great tarotists are enthusiastic yogis. Now that I am becoming enthusiastic about yoga, I wonder how I read tarot for 20 years without it!

I think this connection exists because yoga works with energy, as well as with the physical body. When we engage in psychic work, healing or magick, we are also working with energy and the physical body.

Much of our exploration of energy can be intuitive and accidental. Recently, I realized I always do the same visualization when I want to connect with my Higher Self in divination. I imagine rolling my eyes up and back, so I can see my third eye from the inside. When I do this, I always perceive a bright blue light, and feel a connection to spirit that becomes obvious in the reading.

You might ask if I am imagining that light, or if I am really perceiving the brow chakra. My question is, as long as the psychic connection is made, why does it matter?

Hermetic wisdom teaches “as above, so below”. This is key to the concept of imagery and visualization. If we can spiritually, with our imagination, visualize something into being, it can truly come in to being within the material world.

Energy can be made manifest. Energy can create healing. The more we work with the energies around us, and the more clearly we can visualize them, the abler we become to direct those energies to the purposes of healing, divination and manifestation.

The Casual Way Medicine Tries to Kill Us

I’ve always been a bit wary of modern medicine, but I trusted the professionals and the technology enough to become a living kidney donor in 1997.

The results were good. My recipient is only just now losing function of the kidney I gave him – that’s a good long run away from dialysis. During this time my recipient went to college, started a career, got married and became a father!

My health has been quite good during this time as well, and my remaining kidney has functioned brilliantly.

My husband recently reminded me of a cautionary bit of advice given us by one of the transplant surgeons at Hartford Hospital. The doctor told us that his peers would, from time to time, try to give me medication that could harm my kidney. I was instructed to be vigilant about this.

Truly, I had forgotten this sage piece of advice. I had grown complacent enough with my good kidney function and decent medical care to trust the doctors a bit too much.

A few years ago, after some routine diagnostic imaging, my pharmacy called to tell me my prescription was ready. “What prescription?” I asked.

My doctor had called in a prescription based on the fact that the imaging revealed I had a small hiatal hernia.

Mind you, I had never complained of symptoms, nor asked for any help in that particular department.

Dutifully, I took the medication. That was my bad. Intuitively, I didn’t feel that I needed it, or wanted it.

However, subsequently, two other doctors affirmed my need to be on this drug. One gave me an upgrade to a stronger, more powerful version. He seemed to feel that if I really experienced the benefits, I would come to appreciate the medication.

Each doctor was aware that I was a living kidney donor, and was aware that I had not complained of these particular symptoms. Regardless, each doctor felt I needed this particular type of medication.

Fast forward to this year’s annual check-up. My routine blood-work caught a problem that labeled me with “chronic kidney disease stage 3”. At that point, the doctor took me off the medication that I had been questioning for two years.

A recheck two weeks later showed my champion kidney functioning beautifully.

I had dodged a bullet.

That bullet was fired directly at me by three different doctors.

Why do doctors push medications to the possible detriment of their patients? There are probably many economic and political reasons for this. The lesson I learned, however, is that I cannot count on my doctor - any doctor - to have my best interests at heart.

It’s my job to be vigilant, to get the help I need from the medical community, and, at the same time, to question even more stridently each thing they suggest.

But, that’s the tough part.  What more can I ask than “Are you sure this won’t hurt my kidney?”

I’ve asked doctors this question about prescriptions and OTC medications regularly for almost 20 years. Never has one of them taken my question seriously, until they could see the damage they had done in my blood-work.

This is an especially interesting question, given my profession as a tarot reader. Many times, in readings, clients ask me about their health issues. Of course, I always respond first with the disclaimer that “your doctor is your best source of health information”. That this statement often gets a laugh and a story suggests that I am not the only person who is frustrated and befuddled by their doctors.

Often, tarot gives helpful insight for navigating the path toward treatment and healing. It was tarot that actually suggested I donate a kidney to the brother of the young girl for whom I was performing a reading.

Nonetheless, there is something that has seemed to me inappropriate about asking the tarot to help me decide which medications would be in my best and worst interests. However, given what the medical community has done with the same questions, I think it can’t hurt to pull a few cards on any new meds going forward. I may bring my crystal ball and a pendulum to my next doctor’s appointment.

The primary medication that caused the alarming blood test is one of a group that has recently gotten a lot of press for (wait for it) causing kidney disease.

When I asked my doctor why she prescribed it, and insisted I take it, knowing I only have one kidney, her answer was, “It’s only just recently been proven to cause kidney disease.”

This begs two larger questions.

How many other medications are doctors pushing that have significant unknown dangers?

Why are these dangers not discovered during the testing phase, prior to release?

I’m grateful to the medical community for the research, treatments and medications that can save our lives, and improve the quality of our lives. They did a splendid job on the transplant surgery, increasing my recipient’s quality of life substantially.

At the same time, my recent experience suggests that blindly trusting doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to not take risks with our health is naive and unwise. 

It would be equally unwise to consider that I could figure out health issues and prescribe treatment solely with my tarot cards.

After this recent experience, I clearly believe that using divination and intuition to weigh medical options and check in with higher self on issues of well-being seems less random and more helpful than the cavalier way the medical community now prescribes dangerous drugs. 

An Eagle Needs Two Wings to Fly

I usually enjoy election season. Voting is like being a soldier in a bloodless revolution every few years. Of course, my chosen candidates don’t always win, but, to me, that’s not really the point. I don’t think patriotism can exist without participation, and voting is the clearest way to actively participate in the process. That sometimes less than fifty percent of eligible voters actually show up at the polls sickens me. So often, those who don’t vote still manage to loudly voice political opinions, without realizing how badly they, themselves, have failed their country by avoiding their electoral responsibility.

I have always loved political discourse. Over the past few years, that sort of intelligent conversation with people who share differing views seems to be less and less possible. Where once we seemed to understand that free speech meant listening to each other rather than yelling at each other, most forums of discourse (including presidential debates) now resemble kindergarten sandbox brawls.

I’m embarrassed by our behavior on the world stage. I am stunned that necessary compromise is often seen as weakness instead of strength, and that growth in understanding is often seen as disloyalty, as if, once formed, opinions should never change or evolve.

One thing that strikes me is the amount of name-calling and disrespect that people hurl at each other over political differences. When I ask proponents of particular ideologies to enumerate their opponents’ reasons for disagreeing with their stances, the answers I hear, invariably, are insults that show no understanding of the issues.

“They don’t agree because they are stupid.”

“They are simply filled with hatred”.

“They are lazy people who want free stuff.”

“They are evil”.

“They just hate America”.

If a person cannot make an argument for their position without name-calling and finger-pointing, how valid can their position possibly be?

If a person doesn’t take the time to understand their opposition’s point of view, how can they effectively represent their own interests, and how evolved can their own stance really be?

It’s impossible to consider American politics without thinking about the political spectrum which we describe as right and left, or more recently and more divisively, as blue and red.

I think all countries function best when there is a balance between the left and the right, and when both sides can compromise and work together. That we have villainized those who try to cross the isle in Washington to do just that is a sign of how sick we have become.

The question is, how did we get to this place of pedantic name-calling, and how can we fix it?

I believe the political spectrum describes natural human traits, all of which are needed for the survival of the community.

Virtually every American has the best interest of their country at heart. We may disagree about what is best for our country, but we all want our country to be the best it can be. We have to use that understanding to treat each other with the respect that has sadly gone out of style.

Imagine a small village in ancient times. Within that village, different people would have different personalities, and would be concerned about different things.

Some folks would be primarily concerned with the safety of the village. They might worry that a neighboring village would invade. They might be concerned that the village would have enough food and fuel for the winter.

These folks, concerned with security and basic resources, would take responsibility to guard the village, and make sure the food storehouses were full and safe.

Other folks wouldn’t find it in their nature to be so worried about safety. Their primary interest might be the general well-being of the population.  They might concern themselves with educating the children, entertaining the community and providing care to the sick and injured. They would be able to effectively minister to the well-being of the community because those security-conscious people kept the community and its resources safe.

The security people, likewise, would understand and appreciate the value that the education, medicine and entertainment brought to the community.

In our modern American society, those concerned with security are likely to identify as Republican, or “Red”, while those concerned with health care, education and general well-being are likely to identify as Democrat, or “Blue”.

In our mythical village, it is clear that neither type of person is evil. It’s clear that the community needs both types of people to thrive.

Here in the US, we have plenty of Blue people, and plenty of Red people. So why aren’t we thriving?

I think there are three specific reasons our precious eagle’s wings are so battered we can’t fly.

1.       Dumbing Down America

There was a time in our nation’s recent history when we really valued education. After Sputnik, the race to the moon was on. We won that race by making quality education a national priority. Arguably, an unintended secondary result was the youth movement of the 1960s. Since then, education has been vilified as “elitist” and “unnecessary”.

2.       Changes in News and Media

Cable news and the 24-hour news cycles has removed all hope for unbiased reporting, and replaced it with news-as-entertainment. This forms the conversations we have at the water cooler and online, without actually informing anyone.

3.       Mixing Religion and Politics

In any country, it’s often the most superstitious, extreme religious sects who want to frame and lead the national conversation. Let’s face it, if you believe that God sends natural disasters, war and illness as a punishment for particular behaviors, you are going to make preventing those behaviors a matter of national security.

While our national conversation has always honored a Higher Power, the hijacking of the Right Wing to serve the agenda of Evangelical Christianity was craftily planned and executed, much to the disappointment of many right wing politicians and moderate Christians.

In 1994, far-right Republican Senator Barry Goldwater, said, “Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”

 Goldwater’s words seem eerily prophetic today.

We have to respect the belief sets of others. At the same time, suggesting that we should elect officials who will prevent an angry God from punishing our nation makes as much sense as sacrificing a virgin to ensure a good harvest.

We can see how the confluence of these three problems have created the problems we face today.  Perhaps we can blame our unwillingness to fund education, to truly understand world events and to legislate according to the needs of the people rather than the perceived demands of an angry God, on one huge American problem.

What is that huge problem?

It’s greed.

Over the years, the wage gap between the heads of corporations and their lowest-paid workers has increased dramatically. We’re OK with that, because even the poorest of us is trained to admire the wealthy, and to believe that they, too, could one day be a member of that millionaire’s club.

Perhaps, the fundamental reason our national community is so dysfunctional is that we are all working to create wealth for just a few people. It happens that those people own the media, so they get to shape the conversation that keeps us in a place of fear.

We can thwart their efforts.

Turn off the television, and talk with your neighbor. Listen to people who disagree with you. Don’t quote soundbites, discuss issues.

Educate yourself about issues by reading material from many different sources. And yes, I said READ. Don’t watch cable news and believe yourself to be “informed”.

Don’t share inflammatory memes on social media unless you are willing to have polite conversation about your views, and listen to opposing views.

Resist the urge to unfriend people on social media who disagree with you. Perhaps, instead, you could find common ground with them, or learn something from them.

Honor folks with conservative values for their real concern for our safety and security.

Honor folks with liberal values for their real concern for our overall well-being.

We need both the left and the right in order to thrive. Let’s respect each other and work together. If we can learn to do this as average citizens, perhaps our elected leaders might follow our example.

It is possible to be united as a nation, even when our citizens hold diverse beliefs and values. 

Not only is this sort of unity possible, it is absolutely vital. 

Can We Please Stop First-Worlding Spirituality?

I think very few people would openly suggest that greed is a valuable characteristic to cultivate. Most people see greed as dangerous, or at least unpleasant. And yet, there are many churches, ministers, philosophers, healers, mystics and teachers who are promoting greed as a spiritual practice, and feeding their own greed doing so.

We don’t always recognize greed for what it is when in raises its ugly head. Truly, we’d prefer not to recognize our own greed at all. Many of us are happy to have a spiritual excuse to be selfish and self-absorbed.

It’s true that there are many religions that find grace in poverty and austerity. This can be damaging, too. Perhaps this new wave of “Prosperity Gospel" and “Law of Attraction” ministries (“Greed Ministries” as I call them) were borne of our need to heal from the idea that if we become professional artists we have to starve, or if we love God we can’t drive a nice car.

There’s nothing wrong with financial success. It’s also true that the focus and clarity one can achieve through spiritual dedication can aid us in creating our worldly success. But that is not the same thing as saying that we can achieve success by currying favor with God, or by creating good karma, or by simply setting our intentions to do so.

There’s a difference between being motivated toward success and being greedy. Greed is a response to fear. That is, fear that we aren’t secure, fear that we can’t be happy without certain possessions, fear of hard work, fear of not having enough.

Greed also suggests that we are more worthy, or have needs that are more important, than other people.

There are spiritual teachers and organizations that prey on our fear and narcissism, and then entice us with promises of that luxurious good life they convince us we so richly deserve. They teach extreme and unrealistic versions of solid practices like the Law of Attraction. In the Christian community, there is an actual “Prosperity Gospel” that teaches its congregation that God wants to reward them with money and health, if they are worthy of that reward.

Until recently, I had thought of the adherents of these philosophies as the fringy few – those who are easily misled by greed and false hope, and those who are greedy enough to give that false hope to others at a hefty price.

The other day, I read something that suggested that this concept of material gifts from a Higher Power is not just present in these extreme, fringe philosophies and “Prosperity Gospels”. This concept is ingrained in our western culture.

 Scott Dannemiller recently wrote a great piece for the Huffington Post Religion section entitled, “The One Thing Christians Should Stop Saying.”

According to Dannemiller, the thing Christians need to stop saying is that our good fortune is a blessing from God. He points out how quickly and easily we say things like, “God has really blessed me with a great job.” Or “My new car is a great blessing”.

I think it’s appropriate to be grateful, and to acknowledge and appreciate the good things in our lives. Dannemiller’s point is this. In the Western world, we say God blesses us with jobs, raises, new cars, and beautiful homes. In some parts of the world, “God’s blessings” just aren’t the same. He reminds us that thousands of people are blessed with only a dollar a day on which to live. How can our shiny new car be a blessing from God, when our neighbor is blessed with homelessness and unemployment, or famine and disease?

Dannemiller’s wise repudiation of Christian first-worldism can easily translate to Pagans, New Agers and the spiritual-but-not-religious. We can all be guilty of assuming our good fortune comes from a Higher Power. When we do, according to Dannemiller, we are turning that Higher Power into a fairy godmother who only answers the prayers of the privileged few.

New Age philosophy borrows from Hermetic wisdom to tell us that we only need want something enough, and set our intention correctly, to attract the thing we desire. But how can this be, when the citizens of nations like Burundi and Eritrea desire food every day, and continue to not attract it? You can’t tell me it’s because they haven’t visualized it correctly, or don’t really want to eat!

You also can’t tell me that the Universe grants the wishes of wealthy western women and gives them jewelry, but refuse the wishes of impoverished African women for clean water and food.

This is a hard topic to ponder, because it calls in to question the very nature and purpose of spirituality. If our spiritual faith can’t make us prosperous and preserve our health, does it still contain value for us? Do we still desire a relationship with a Higher Power when we truly understand that no spiritual practice can shield us from our basic vulnerability inherent in life on planet Earth?

It’s easy to say that your neighbor became ill with a terminal disease because he didn’t please God as well as you do, because that gives you an implied measure of protection. We can feel smugly safe, while our neighbor suffers.

Greed ministries and prosperity doctrines allow us to live without straining our compassion. When you can blame the poor and the sick for their condition, there really is no need to minister unto them, is there?

I’ve always felt it was in that space of compassion, that place of ministering to those who are struggling, that we truly find enlightenment, and make a true connection to Higher Power.

There is a certain “Universal Flow” that one can attune to. This does not seem to depend on doctrine or dogma, but on mindset and practice. Once you feel that flow, success becomes easier to attain, whatever your motivation and challenges might be.

I practice magick, and know that magick works. However, magick has limits. I can’t cast a spell to feed every hungry person on the planet.  I do cast regular spells for peace, and hope that the little energy ripples I send will help keep that precarious balance. I know others do this as well.

Whether you call it prayer, flow, magick or intention, we know there is real transformative power in these practices. We also know there are life coaches, pastors and intuitives that can help you learn to work with these energies. In many cases, the techniques and philosophies you learn will be absolutely beneficial.

On the other hand, beware of coaches, ministers and counselors who want to help you “fulfill your financial destiny” or “embrace your sacred financial destiny”. Think about it. Do people in Haiti also have a “sacred financial destiny”?

The idea that some of us (theoretically, the people who pay for the course) are destined to be rich but need help to fulfill that destiny is absurd.  Money is an invention of humans, not of Spirit. None of us is “destined for wealth”.  Sometimes wealth is an accident of birth, or the result of a little luck and a lot of hard work.

Sadly, there are enough people who want to believe that spirituality equals presents that they are willing to make teachers, authors and ministers wealthy in hopes that they, too, might share in that mythical wealth.

There are some spiritual teachers who are working the Law of Attraction in what I believe to be its most legitimate form. That is the simple understanding that like attracts like. For example,  Armand and Angelina, who take their musical ministry all over the country, teach us that if you want more money, you need to be more generous. To me, that makes a lot of sense, and seems to be opposite of cultivating greed.

In my work, I also help people find their success; whatever success means to them. But do not come to me expecting to simply wish your way to your goals. I can lay out the steps you need to take to get to where you want to be. Prayer, meditation, gratitude and intentions are an important part of that journey. Energy work is real, and it matters. But all the manifestation work, prayer and magick in the world won’t create change unless you do the actual work that needs to be done.

God helps those who help themselves.

And if there is a God, Goddess, Pantheon, Great Spirit, Universal Consciousness or Higher Power that drives the Universe (I believe there is), then that Higher Power must be present on all continents, and for all people. The blessing of that Higher Power is life itself – the greatest gift of all.

Everything else in our lives is neither a blessing nor a curse. Everything else that makes up our particular set of circumstances cannot be attributed to a Higher Power without making God only an imaginary friend to the world’s most fortunate. Starving people need not apply.

When we, as Americans, view our circumstances in this way, we no longer need to think about whether or not God does or will “Bless America”. God has blessed every continent. What happens next is up to us.

If spiritual thought and practice has value, it’s value is in helping us find personal strength and inner peace. Our spiritual practices help us find the beauty that exists everywhere, even in the midst of tragedy.

Our spiritual practices are not an insurance policy against tragedy, nor are they a mail-order form for some Universal Santa.

Our spiritual practices can help us be and do the best that we can, in whatever circumstances we happen to have been born into.

Anyone who promises more than that is operating from a place of greed, and wants you to operate that way, too.

I’d like to see an end to first-world spiritual elitism, and to philosophies which conflate wealth with spiritual grace and moral rightness.

In his famous life-advice prose poem, Desiderata, Max Erhmann encourages us to “Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune”.  

There is no promise to avoid misfortune, nor to win reward. Our strength of spirit will simply help us get through our difficult times. Shouldn’t that be enough?

But We’ve Always Done It This Way! Embracing Change for the New Year

Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

I grew up as the daughter of a Methodist minister. As any PK (preacher’s kid) knows, the parsonage can be an interesting vantage point from which to view some very pedantic behavior from some otherwise good church people.

One of the behaviors that irritated both my parents was the inevitable resistance to any type of change. When my father changed Sunday service from 11:00 am to 9:30 am to avoid the heat of summer in the days before air conditioning, the protest was loud and long.

The battle cry of those resisting change was always the same. “But we’ve always done it this way!” They would exclaim, as if repetition guaranteed a better outcome than innovation ever could.

Many years later, I see the same resistance in myself, and in the people around me. Nowhere does it show up more clearly than in my constant struggle to stay current with technology.

“What do you mean, I can’t use the same password for everything? I used to be able to! Why should I have to deal with unique passwords now?”

Of course, the reason in this example is obvious. New security measures dictate new passwords.

What is it in the human mind that makes us so very resistant to change, even when the change is obviously necessary? Familiarity is comfortable, and routine can become tradition/

My resistance to every upgrade sheds light on why it is so hard to create personal growth in our own lives.

The New Year always comes with our heartfelt resolutions to do better, but we usually backslide to our default behaviors pretty quickly. Maybe that’s not because we are weak or lazy. Maybe that’s because we are inherently comforted by routine, and therefore inherently afraid of the change that takes us away from our routine.

This year, I am going to try something different. Here is the prayer/affirmation/resolution I am going to use for this New Year.

In 2016, I will be willing to release the comfort of familiarity, whenever that familiarity is keeping me from something better.

In 2016, I will be willing to learning new things, and try new things, especially things that are outside of my comfort zone.

In 2016, I will embrace change, even if I am fearful.

I truly believe these affirmations could make a difference for me, and for other people. Perhaps, if we all released old ways that don’t work in favor of ways that do, we might find the whole world benefits from some much-needed change.

A Quick Guide to Psychic Protection

Who needs psychic protection? Quite possibly, you do!

Regardless of your daily activities, or whether or not you consider yourself to be “psychic”, it is very possible that you are affected by the energy of people around you.

If you are an empath, that is, one who feel the feelings of others without trying, you are especially in need of protection.

If you are a tarot reader, hairdresser, or massage therapist who feels drained after a few clients, you are definitely in need of psychic protection.

Many people refer to their method of psychic protection as a psychic “shield” or a “bubble”. I don’t like either of those images. I call my method of psychic protection a “psychic condom”.  To me, that is the perfect description of what I am creating; the ability to safely interact with people in a loving way.

Try this energy exercise before you leave the house in the morning. Quickly recharge it on your lunch break. If you are a professional diviner, try this short meditation before each client. You’ll find you end your day of readings with more energy that you had when you began.

Start simply by breathing. Focus on your breath, and nothing else. Breathe as deeply and slowly as you can. As you exhale, consciously release worries and tension that aren’t helpful or pertinent.

As you continue to breathe, send energy from your root chakra (base of the spine) down through your legs and into your feet. From your feet, send energy down, through the floor, and into the earth.

Feel your energy dig into the earth and connect to the earth. You are now rooted to the source of your sustenance and support.

Now, breathe energy up from those energetic roots, bringing that energy from the earth into your feet and legs, and then bringing it up your spine and up to the top of your head, your crown chakra.

If you have the time and inclination, you can spend a bit of time with each chakra on your way up, but that is not necessary for the process of protection.

Now, as you breathe, consciously open the crown chakra and send your energy up to heaven. Open yourself to the wisdom, protection and love from your ancestors, loved ones in spirit, guides, guardians and Higher Power.

You are now rooted to the earth and connected to heaven.

Now, bring that energy down and around you. Wrap yourself in that heavenly energy like a cloak.

Focus again on the energy coming up from the earth. Think of the energy leaving the crown chakra. Now, rather than sending it straight up to heaven, picture the top of your head as a fountain from which water flows in all directions. Picture your energy flowing, like water, from your crown chakra, around you in all directions, down to the ground, and then cycling through again, up through your feet, to your head, out, and down into the ground.

The constant flow of energycan continue, even after you begin your regular activities. It’s easy to recharge simply by remember to visualize it.

Once you can feel the energy flowing around you, give it a color that feel protective, and appropriate for the day.

If your daily activities cause you to interact closely with people, it’s also important to remember the following.

You have a limitless supply of energy and protection from the earth and from heaven. You do not need to give of your own energy, or take on anything from another person’s energy.

Think of yourself as a straw, or a conduit. You are able to channel whatever energy you need, and whatever energy you need to give, from an abundant source.

After you have practiced this meditative visualization for a while, you will be able to don your “psychic condom” in just a few moments. The differences you will notice in your daily life, in your energy, patience and sense of well-being, will be dramatic.

Six ways to know autumn has come to Florida

I come from New England, where you don’t need a calendar to tell you that fall has arrived. You can feel it in the air, and see it in the fashions and the foliage.

Here in Florida, we don’t even really say “fall” or “autumn” very often, we say “The beginning of season.”  When January rolls around, it’s not “winter”, it’s “high season”. Springtime is known as “end of season”.

So how do you know it’s “the beginning of season” in Florida? The weather isn’t much cooler, and most of the leaves don’t change. But, there are some tell-tale signs.

1. Prices increase. Remember that rental car you got for dirt cheap this summer? In October it could cost you twice as much.

2. Your evening swim now happens in the moonlight. This is not a bad thing.

3. Everything you do outside of your home, like grocery shopping or going to the doctor, will now take at least half an hour longer, due to traffic.

4. Your options expand exponentially. Suddenly, there is great variety in the grocery store. Every day offers a new stuff to do for entertainment close to home.

5. The number of languages you hear increases dramatically. If you are in West Palm Beach or south, you may hear more French than Spanish or English. The blending of different sounds, smells and tastes is part of Florida’s seasonal magic.

6. It’s time to plant your garden.  Enough said.

I love Florida summers, or the “off season” time. At the same time, I really look forward to seeing my snowbird friends, and taking part in another wild and wonderful Florida season!

Have a Good Day!

I have always despised banality in language. Expected responses are boring, and often untrue. I remember, as a teenager, challenging my father, the minister, after hearing him exchange pleasantries with his congregants.  I knew the essence of those pleasantries were often untrue. He wasn’t “fine, thanks,” he had a million problems that I knew about, and they didn’t. It just didn’t seem honest or useful to me.

I feel differently now. I tell everyone to “have a good day” when I see them, whether I particularly like them, or not, just as my father did. I don’t do it to be polite.

I do it because I’ve realized the power of positive words and thoughts.

The phrase “Have a Good Day” has been used for centuries. Its counterpart, “Have a Nice Day”, is a newer construct. Both are now synonymous with “goodbye”. With the right inflection, both can be said sarcastically, in a way that makes us think a good day is exactly the opposite of what we are being wished.

These days, when I say “have a good day” to someone, I say it as a prayer, or a magical spell. It costs me nothing. If the three-fold law holds, my day will go well, too.

Perhaps the more we tell folks we are “fine, thanks,” even if we are truly not, the more energy we may have to be fine.

Wishing each other well is more than a simple courtesy. It’s a radical act of magick for world peace.

The more people having good days across the planet, the better the planet will be.

Have a Good Day!