Oh, How I Love the Tarot!

This past weekend I participated in a metaphysical fundraiser for Unity of Nanaimo.  My weekend began with a pesky sting from a wasp that had tucked itself into the flowers I purchased for the event (they were from a neighbour's flower stand down the street - pictured in photo above).  I had put the flowers in my passenger car seat, and when I went to reach over to open the passenger window my arm met the wasp's stinger.  OUCH!  I immediately put tea tree and peppermint essential oil on my arm to clean and sooth it and that act definitely helped.  Amazingly my arm only swelled mildly and the pain was fairly minimal. 

As for the fundraiser, what an event?!  I offered my Tarot consulting services, along with 17 other practitioners offering various services, and I was busy from the moment the doors opened to their closing.  I managed to carve out time for a quick session with Alexis Gilchrist, a talented Iridologist, and for some home-cooked veggie chili.  YUM!

The energy was friendly, compassionate, and good-spirited, and the volunteers were delightfully helpful.  Overall, I felt like I provided insight, a bit of entertainment (with my fun loving facial expressions), and compassionate guidance to the consultees, and I too gained valuable experience in working with all of them.  Oh, how I love the Tarot!

An extra special thank you to Andree, who recommended me, and to Jacque who graciously opened her home to me so I could avoid the lengthy commute.  Looking forward to next year's event!

Hope at the Spiritual Cafe

Yesterday I made my way to the spiritual cafe for some sharing of great minds and great hearts around the topic of hope.  How fitting, given I sleep with this hope pillow every night?!

I arrived at the cafe ripe and ready for a good discussion with my pillow in hand, and indeed I left with fresh insight and, you guessed it, HOPE.

Here were a couple of quotes from the discussion I especially liked:

1) "Never deprive someone of hope.  It might be all they have."  ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  

I felt this quote reminded me of the huge impact we can have on each other, and especially the detrimental impact our words can have on children.  When I was in grade five I recall my teacher poking fun at me for talking so elaborately with my hands.  She made me sit on them when I spoke so they wouldn't be flailing in the air.  What she didn't realize was that my hand gestures were a way for me to express my deep passion and excitement for what I was speaking about.  I felt flattened.  I remember not talking as much in school after that experience.  Gratefully, I now happily lead workshops with lots of full felt expression. :o)

2) "Hope...is not a feeling; it is something you do." ~ Katherine Paterson

What I love about this quote is the call for taking responsibility for one's life.  It makes me want to make a t-shirt that says, "I do hope!".  This quote sparked my first "ah-ha" of the afternoon.

Insight # 1: Hope is a state of being, from which all action stems.  (hey, that can be my quote!)  As I see it, hope is always innately within each of us and can be used as a tool for manifesting your destiny.  The pitfall lies in attaching to specific outcomes, as we can make all the plans in the world and then life happens.  Hope is about being open to what we can not predict.  The less we can invest in a particular outcome, the more open we are to infinite possibilities.

Insight # 2: When feeling hopeless, and likely we have all been there at some point, this can be viewed as a signal for the need for change and/or a new understanding of one's situation.

Insight # 3:  Hope creates intention and intention creates hope.  As I see it, when one is being hope there is space for new intentions to be born.  Likewise, when one creates an intention, this breeds a sense of hope.

I was amazed by the depth of conversation that transpired in relation to hope.  Too, I loved hearing all the different perspectives from various people in the group.  When a bunch of minds and hearts gather, expansion is inevitable.  I look forward to more wonderful discussions and idea sharing; it is surely a great way to create and sustain community.  Thanks to Sarah, Serina, and Robert for your consistency in organizing these lovely little events. 

Nanaimo Metaphysical Fair Fundraiser

My next stop for summer will be in Nanaimo at their annual Holistic Metaphysical Fair.  Looks like it's going to be a fun good-spirited event! 

Powering Up

What does it mean to be in your power?  I have been pondering this question for a while now and recently I have gained new insight. I am eager to share my reflections.

In my view, power can be generated from two different sources: internally and externally.  I used to equate power solely with external possessions and control.  From this perspective, power comes from being a millionaire, having a high rank position in a company, or engaging in an abusive relationship (on the negative side).  The kind of power I am beginning to understand, and is tons more interesting to me at this time, is the power that comes from the inside - the power from within.

Perhaps the kind of power I am referring to is better known as "empowerment".  The prefix "em" comes from Latin and Greek, meaning "in" or "within."   Therefore empowerment can suggest the power within us. It is the enormous reservoir of creativity and potential contribution that lies within every person.  Imagine how the world would look if we were all tapping into our highest potentials.  Radiant is what comes to mind.

So where does that power come from?  What does it look like? .What I have recently discovered is this: there is calmness and clarity when you are in your power.  There is the deep knowing within as to when to say yes and when to say no.  It is knowing that you always have a choice even when it seems like you don't, and it is learning when to move towards something  and when to walk away.  Internal power is operating from a place of integrity and authenticity versus operating from your ego.  Essentially inner power looks like the Strength card in the Rider-Waite Tarot deck....I had to toss that in being a Tarot Consultant and all!


I believe this inner power comes from making a commitment to understanding what robs you of your power.  It comes through disciplined observing of self, being one's own witness, and sometimes seeking outside support and guidance.  It comes from making a commitment to self reflection as a daily practice, even if it is as little as 10 minutes on some days.  The process looks different for everyone.  For example, I often use the Tarot as a way for me to gain insight and clarity on many different situations. Wouldn't it be wonderful too if we all went on some form of personal retreat annually?  This should be mandatory!


For me, I have been in a process of unraveling the tightly woven threads that had me feeling weak and ineffective deep down for so long.  At times there has been great struggle, and I have been through some downright difficult and uncomfortable experiences.  Yet I am beginning to see how all of these experiences have played an essential role in bringing me to where I now stand.  More and more I am knowing myself to be a strong and empowered woman, making effective life choices that support myself and others. Additionally, I am grateful for being able to help others in this process, especially in the work I do with the Tarot.

Last weekend I received an immense amount of support and guidance and it marked a significant turning point for me in relation to my inner power.  That experience spawned the birth of this post.  What I am seeing is that the more empowered we are the more freedom and fun we get to have.  So in writing this piece my hope is that it may potentially create a spark in someone, somewhere, at some time.  After all, we are all in this earth school together. :o)

Come One Come All to Courtenay, BC this Saturday!

42nd Annual Market Day and Local Colours Festival!

 "Saturday, July 21 from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm the downtown will be filled with wonderful things to do during the Downtown Courtenay Annual Market Day.  You’ll find handmade, one-of-a-kind products along with some of the best deals from favourite downtown shops.  The streets will be brimful with over 100 vendors; some of the Comox Valley’s very best.  There is something for everyone to do and enjoy!"

I will happily be offering mini Tarot Consultations and will be joined by some other wonderful women doing tea leaf and clairvoyant readings.  It is an especially good time for clearing the cobwebs, setting new goals, and gaining new insights, considering we are currently in mercury retrograde (July 14th-Aug 8th).

We all need a little outside support on our journeys from time to time.  :o)

Please spread the good word, and hope to see you there!

The Gift of Giving!

The act of giving is truly a beautiful thing.  I have written about this topic at least once before, though I feel it is good to re-address this one every so often. 

Yesterday, I gave the gift of time.  I spent my morning volunteering at the Comox Valley Therapeutic Riding Society - the task was cleaning tack.  It reminded me of my childhood years.  I would diligently clean my bridle and saddle after every horse riding lesson; it was a ritual of sorts for me.  I loved the smell of the saddle soap mixed with the fresh smell of leather.

In the afternoon, I stopped by my friend's backyard garden to water her plants.  She went away for the week, and had asked if I would stop in given the intense sun and heat this week in the valley.  It took me a bit to figure out her watering system, and once I did it was smooth sailing!  I am completely inspired by her lush and bountiful garden - her goal is to grow an abundance of food for her and her children this summer and into the fall.

To me, the act of giving is receiving.  They are two sides of the same coin.  For example, when I went to water my friend's garden there was a huge raspberry bush in the yard - snack time for Ashley!  The less tangible form of receiving is just as valuable in my opinion.  My heart felt happy knowing I was being of service in some way.

There is a concept in the Kabbalah, called the Bread of Shame, that refers to a situation in which people take more than they give.  This situation ultimately creates resentment and possibly other low vibrational feelings in those people that ultimately hinders them and also those around them.  Clearly, these people have moved into a state of imbalance.  I suppose the equal opposite can be true as well.  Deep feelings of resentment can arise when a person over-gives out of a desire to be loved, for example.

I think the key is balance.  The energy of giving raises one's frequency and those of others.  Also, people who receive give joy to those who give to them. Again, that practice raises the frequency of those concerned and positively impacts the planet.  With that in mind, I encourage taking a day where you consciously give of yourself in some way and notice the impact. From my experience, it feels good to give!

Strawberry Delight!

After a busy festival weekend I wanted to have a quiet morning, so I headed on over to a nearby u-pick strawberry farm called Ash Berry Farm.  Interestingly, I first stopped by my local grocery store to get a few things and I saw a shelf full of organic strawberries in big plastic containers from California.  The grocery store was having a big special on them.  I was tempted to buy them and forgo the picking, though the purest in me was determined to pick my own fresh local organic strawberries.  So glad I maintained my position.   

The vibe at the farm was relaxed and sweet.  The owners promote sustainable practices and they solely use natural and organic methods on the farm.  The strawberries looked much more vibrant and red and juicy than the ones in the grocery store and they tasted heavenly; my tummy hurt from eating so many of them!  What can I say, I was excited.

As I see it, u-pick farms are a win-win.  I had a fun and memorable experience, I felt really good to be supporting my local community, and the farm received my business.  I especially loved the little children who had a stand set up next to the parking lot selling fresh cool mint water.  

Whether it be herbs like mint, fresh berries, or kale, I am still in amazement of how those little tiny seeds we put into the ground transform over time.  With care and good nutrients, the seeds flourish to become a source of deliciousness and nourishment for us.  Having said that, I will definitely be returning to the u-pick again for some more fresh berry goodness, and I encourage you all to support fresh local organic farm foods whenever and where ever possible.

Reflections from the Heart on Canada Day

Today I feel celebratory on one hand and heavy hearted on the other.  It has been exactly one year since I first arrived in beautiful British Columbia.  This year, or rather year and a half, has been a time of self exploration, transition, transformation, navigating unknown and uncharted territory all the while discovering myself and being supported in the most beautiful and life affirming way.

In the past couple of weeks I have been working through some uncomfortable emotional territory in the heart chakra realm.  Fitting since the focus of the past week at the store, where I do Tarot consultations, was on the heart chakra.  What has been bubbling up to the surface is anger, and what lies beneath are old limiting beliefs that I likely learned as a youngster.  They  have been filed somewhere deep in my unconscious mind surely for quite a while now.  Somehow my mind is ready to show me these beliefs.  Perhaps because I asked to be shown or perhaps because I need to see them in order to shift them to allow for something new to enter.  Regardless, limiting beliefs separate us from who we truly are at the source: divine love - deeply radiant beings. 

I won't go into all the details of my experiences over the past couple of weeks, though they have all seemed to surface at this time for a reason: to allow me to see how I give away my power in relationship, through clinging to things that are not.  I am also seeing my relation to abandonment or rather fear of being let down.  My perception of the situation and objective reality do not match.  The lens through which I experience life is created by my beliefs - two people in the same situation can have two completely different experiences.  The message I received is that I need to cultivate patience and just let go.  Easier said than done!  I get that I cannot control other people and I also know that I will continue to create similar experiences like these until I fully process them and get to the root.  I suppose now is the time.  This is an uncomfortable process and I am committed to myself.  I am beginning to understand that if you pay attention to your own thoughts, you can become your own wise guide and your own best friend. :o)

Today felt like a suitable day to write this kind of post.  I tend to write exciting excerpts about fun new  adventures and discoveries.  Too, I love sharing the wonderfully exciting bright and shiny parts of my life, yet sometimes there is grit.  I am okay with that.  It feels like I am authentically honouring myself in acknowledging these parts.  So while I am quietly celebrating my "self" for having the courage to go on a journey, to carve out a life that feels truly nourishing and fitting for my soul, I am also working through some darn uncomfortable feelings.  I think I am clearing some darkness in my heart space to prepare for new light to enter....expansion.  A new heart connection is on its way. 

Happy Canada Day!