Blessings to all and Happy Winter Solstice

Mercury Retrograde

Boy oh boy...and here I thought I had this Mercury Retrograde all under control. Had all the do's and don'ts down pact and ready to embrace all that cannot be controlled. Yeah...well Gemini is laughing at me now. There is no being ready for computer chaos. My mouse stopped working, I get re-directed to other pages (ooh there's a "RE") without clicking on them. I'm not able to make an online purchase even though the card is fine...maybe this is one of those "Re-think" or "Re-consider" the order moments. And I've been doing a lot of "RE-tracing" my steps because I can't remember what the hell I went downstairs for.  So now I must "Re-consider" my approach to this dynamic energy that is playing with us and re-establish myself into the frame of Being in the Now. The retrograde is with us until January 8th. By then, I will either be a zen master or a spiritual reject.  Maybe a bit of both.
Enjoy !!!

My Top Pick for a Book to Curl up to This Winter

   A really wonderful book to help you let go of your past and help you move into your future, is a newly published book called Uncharted by Colette Baron Reid. Not only is Colette an author, she is also a mystic, oracle and has had her own tv show as a medium. Colette is one of the most grounded authentic spiritual people that I have come across on the internet. I have been following her for the past eight months and have been intrigued with her life story that she so generously and bravely shares with people. You can hear some of her stories throughout the book Uncharted, or by listening to some of Colette's videos. Clean and sober for over thirty years now, she really is a wonderful spiritual teacher and understands what life is about. 

   The book Uncharted is an easy read that is layered with wisdom that can help guide you through the times of not quite knowing where you are going, but definitely not wanting to remain where you have been. But it isn't a book that you just read once, in fact, the book has many tools for coping with stress, releasing old baggage, letting go of old patterns and developing new and healthy ways to create your future. It definitely is a self help book for women and men that want to embrace transformation. I highly recommend it for those who would like to find their creative side and dare to redesign their lives. 

Let It Go

   Since today is the Full Moon of letting go of the past, I thought this article would be an excellent read for those who are working on releasing the things that no longer work for them or things they would like to heal or let go of.  Let It Go is an article written by Judith Sills Ph.D. and published in the Psychology Today Magazine, November 2014. 

   One of the things I have been noticing since I have been working on my "letting it go" issues or habits, is that every time I let go of something, a new door of opportunity appears before me. This awareness has been leading me into a new understanding of the Paradigm Shift. Ok, that is just a teaser because I will be writing more on that topic once we get past this last bit of letting go energy. In the meantime, I highly recommend taking the time to read this article and then take some time to apply the wisdom she offers. 

Let It Go article by Judith Sills Ph.D

Letting Go to become Successful

I was just going through my emails and came across this  great video from Jack Canfield who is one of the mentors I am following. It fits completely with the post I put up this morning: The Last Full Moon of 2016.  Enjoy Jack's wisdom!

The Last Full Moon of 2016

Even though we are going into a One cycle new beginnings year, I find it is difficult to see into my future at this time and have noticed that many others are feeling the same way. Even with meditation or communion with Spirit or my spiritual guides, there is no peeking or revealing of the coming year. And then finally this morning, in a blink of an eye, I understood why. 

We are all ending the collective nine year cycle and entering into the number one new beginnings cycle. To understand this fully I suggest to just google it because you will find LOTS of information on the subject on collective cycles and personal cycles. Anyways, we are leaving behind a nine year cycle which is an ending or completion cycle. 2016 is a time for getting rid of what no longer works, removing unhealthy habits and toxic people from our lives, etc.  

Tonight and tomorrow, depending where you live, is the last full moon of the year. And it is another Super Moon, which means it is even more intense. But remember, it is the last full moon of a nine cycle. This means it is very effective in helping you to remove the shit out of your life.  This could be about ending a toxic relationship, getting rid of clutter, quitting a job that totally stresses you out, or letting go of limited beliefs. 

Once we have let go of what no longer works for us, then it is time to focus on where we want to go, or what direction do we want to turn our lives towards. And this is where I received my epiphany.  Because we are submerged in the energy of 'endings' and shaking off the last of the dust, we are being reminded to "stay focused in the here and now". Why is that? Because a person cannot fully purge or remove the toxins if they are filling up on the good stuff. Can't detox your body while eating a slice of heaven pie. Can't have the new lover while your old one is sitting in your bed. Right!  Although it is important to have the Heaven Pie in your sights, you still have to go through the healthy steps before you can reach for it. And right now, we are in the peek of removing the past, the peek of removing what no longer works in our lives. Letting go can seem scary, but for those who have done it, it feels really good after. There is a feeling of relief, a lightness that takes place. 

Because we are at this peek of time, most of our guides and Spirit know that all things are positioned in 'time'. You don't hand a child a huge piece of candy and not expect them to stop what they are doing and not to eat it. You give it to them when they have finished their work and can enjoy it. The child will anticipate in knowing that good is to come, a treat will be there once they are ready and they can think about this treat and how it will feel to receive it, but the treat is still a mystery...how will it taste?

One of the most important things you can do during this time is to Forgive. Forgive yourself and to forgive others. Let go of the pain you carry. Let go of the feelings of resentment. Let go of any poverty consciousness. Let go of your self doubts. Let go of your fears. And then Forgive yourself for caring that shit for so long in your life. And then decide what it is you do want to carry with you. Kindness, self-love, ongoing forgiveness, courage, humor, etc. By emptying your basket of old emotions and filling up your basket with healthy emotions, you will be ready for the next phase of your life. 

It is definitely a time for uncharted territory. And that can be very exciting. So lets all put on our explorer hats, ride this last wave and get ready to see the clear horizon that is so close now. 

In Gratitude

It is so important to remember to appreciate and have gratitude for all the things in our lives. When we take these things for granted, we loose a little bit of that special magic that meets our needs and fills our lives with comfort. 

Christmas At Bob's

When my friend asked me if I had ever seen Christmas at Bob's, I assured her I had not. Since we were already in the area, we decided to go have a look. I had no idea what to expect. A few cool lights perhaps at best. But when we pulled up, I was thrilled to see this was something that needed to be explored and not merely driven bye.

Christmas at Bob's house is a real Edmonton gem. I'm really not sure if Bob's place is a hidden gem or not due to the glow of light that it gives off, but it is truly worth going out of the way to see. It was clear that the owner of this house, which I presume to be named Bob, really puts his heart into this display. After walking around the house, I began to realize that this person, or family, is really offering a gift to the community and those who come seeking its beauty. As I took photos around the yard, I stopped for a moment and really stared at the word Believe. Believe. This one word among a world of images and lights engaged with my heart. And for a beautiful moment, I was once again a little girl filled with hope and could feel my eyes dance with each flicker and blink of a light. I could feel the magic of one man's dream to bring a smile to the faces of strangers. What a lovely gift. 

For those who would like to check out the videos and Bob's website please go here: Christmas at Bob's   #Christmasatbobs  

Why I Write

   At the end of my University practicum, one of the essays I was required to write was "Why do I write?". And as most writers would answer, I said it is because there is a story within me that begs to be told. This seems very generic, but it is also very authentic for most writers. Writing is a passion or an art form that must be expressed. We feel compelled to put that pen in hand and transform our thoughts onto paper. This is the heart of a writer. But in reality, that does not mean that everyone who is passionate about writing should become a professional writer. 

   Actually, I've tried to walk away from professional writing many times. The long hours of perfecting stories or ideas, just to have them rejected or flop is not food for motivation. Breaking into the spotlight can be very challenging and take years. Most never make it because they give up halfway. So why then do I perceiver? It is a question I have asked myself time and time again. And through honest contemplation, I will bravely share my answer.

   The memories of my childhood reflect my passion for storytelling. I was a typical little girl who loved to play with Barbie dolls. I was very fortunate to have many of them and all of the latest accessories. Through these dolls, I could play for hours in my own little world, creating a reality that would reflect the story I created for the day. There was adventure, friendships, family and bad guys too. The dolls and props became my three dimensional storyboard. 

   Another thing I loved to do was read. I loved books. I loved storybooks, picture books, and books with textures. But most of all, I loved encyclopedias. Yes, you read that correctly; encyclopedias. I had three sets of them. One was the beautifully bound Britannica  and the other was the equally lovely Funk and Wagnalls.  My grandfather had invested in them for my brother and I. He was an Irishman that understood the value of an educated mind and wanted to be sure his grandchildren had the opportunity of having access to good books. The third set was created specifically for children. Although I cannot remember the name of them, I do remember there was a girl and a boy alternating on the covers. I recall green and orange.  These books presented the information with coloured pictures. I loved reading the little bits of information and relating it to a picture. I was absolutely fascinated with these books. 

   It was no surprise then that I loved poetry and creative writing class in school. When the teacher told us to pull out our books, I would become very excited. But when I was told it wasn't the story writing time, but rather the grammar and structure lessons, I would feel anxiety. Years later I would learn this was because I am dyslexic and naturally struggled with spelling and grammar. By the time I was in grade nine, the school system put me in an English special needs class, and well, any thoughts of becoming a serious writer went out the window of opportunities. 

   Then by grade eleven something peculiar happened to me. Throughout high school, I became a rebellious type of child (that would be my adhd and dysfunctional home life). I decided to duck out of a class and go to the girls washroom to have a cigarette. It was the 1980's and smoking was frowned upon, but not illegal. While in the washroom stall, puffing away at my cigarette, I had an epiphany. It was strong and absolute. It was, "I will be an author of a famous book". I tossed my cigarette butt in the toilet, flushed and left the stall. One of my friends was standing at the sink, so I shared my moment of an epiphany with her.. We both laughed and shrugged it off. How could I the English reject, possibly become a writer I had told myself.

   Without going into the details of my life path, I will tell you that writing was always a part of it, but remained at just a personal level. I was always writing poetry or aphorisms, and recording quotes I would find, or create some quotes of my own. I would write songs, essays for no one to see, or endless pages of research. I would practice my skills of swirls and curls to perfect my hand of writing. Writing was just a simple part of life that I never saw as anything more. 

   It wasn't until my late thirties and  I was in an unemployment office that the window of opportunity would become wide open. I was trying to piece my life back together, hoping something would create a pathway to the future I wanted to live in. It was there that the seed of becoming an actual writer was dropped into my head. Having to upgrade my English 30 and write an exam to gain entrance into a University was the gun going off at the starting gates. I cried when I passed that test. And I silently cried tears of joy when I walked the halls of the University on my first day at school. I understood very well the privilege I had just received, and I embraced it with all my heart. There were lots of directions I could have chosen to go within the program. Technical writing was sure to land me a good paying job. But I was not able to ignore that yearning to be an author or creative writer and explore the vast "what if's". It took me a lot longer to finish the program than most students. But I was also a single mom with three little kids. I was at a pace that would lend me compromise. 

   Since graduating, I have written a few books and taken on a few jobs that helped to pay the bills. But it always seemed like the jobs damaged me physically for one reason or another. And there was this one time while I was looking for a new job that I had a very intense and powerful dream.  The dream was of me working for a big retail company. The manager told me to push the shopping cart into the river. I said no that it would not be right to do so. The manager insisted that I do it. I insisted it would not be right. Then from behind me, I heard my own voice yelling at me to turn around. So I turned. There I was standing on a pedestal looking down at myself with a look of authority. I yelled at myself, "What are you doing? You are a writer. You must continue writing."  I woke up and never forgot that clear message.

   The truth is, I'm still always looking for another job, because that big famous book hasn't actually manifested just yet. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t. Perhaps I’ll be one of those authors that only becomes famous once they are dead. Classical Immortality. But it would be sad to leave with regrets of not even trying. So, to stop writing is not an option for me. Perhaps I write because it is my destiny, or perhaps it is because words are my art form that I cannot contain. Perhaps it is because that little girl is still inside of me creating stories of magic and adventures, or the part of me that embraces logic, reason and nonfiction wants me to show others how life and the world is such an exciting place to explore. I write because I could not imagine my life otherwise. 

Beauty in the Storm

It was very cold last night, but a few of us braved it and went to the Alberta Legislature Building to see the annual lights. Even though it was a snowstorm, I found it magical. 

#Edmonton, #Christmas

Gratitude

Just a little reminder to my fellow Canadians. These harsh cold winters is what keeps the creepy crawlers such as big scary snakes and humongous hairy spiders in the tropics. 

  #humongousscaryassspiders  #gutstranglingsnakes  #goodtofreezeassoffinwinter

It's this simple...

Old Blue

Some of you may be wondering why there is usually an old blue electric typewriter on my Facebook banner that is being decorated with the seasonal theme. This blue typewriter is very sentimental to me and serves as a reminder of how far I have come as a writer. 
When I first began school at Grant MacEwan University, I did not own a computer. I handed my first essay in as a hand written essay. My professor, asked me what it was. I joyfully announced it was my essay. He accepted it, but informed me the next essay would have to be in type form. 
Being a single mom of two young children and pregnant, money was tight. There was no way I could go out and purchase a computer. So I waddled down to Value Village and like a miracle, there was this electric blue typewriter sitting there waiting for me. And the best part was it only cost me $10. 
Being dyslexic, you can imagine the amount of white out I had to use. LOL. I remember late at night, once the children were asleep, I would start it up and it would hum. I'd give it a hug for good luck every time before using it. I eventually did get a computer, but I kept Old Lucky Blue close at hand. Funny how random things can become such a big part of your life.

Removing Stress With Music

Just love this mans work. Last year my stress had accumulated to the point where I had developed psoriasis and I had become a mess internally and externally. Then I discovered Mark and his work. I listened to his music and meditations which brought me to a place where I began to heal myself. I highly recommend looking into his work. Thanks Mark!

#MarkRomero  #healing   #music

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Simply Beautifull

As I work on constructing my books, especially with the visuals, I like to listen to audio lessons of some sort, whether it be learning how to be a better writer, letting go of limitations, or some kind of awesome science stuff. Tonight I found a very unique and beautiful soundtrack to listen to. Being that I am a Celtic mystic, I often will go see what is offered in that particular area, but tonight to my delight, I came across a soundtrack that I will be definitely listening to again, and again. I hope you will enjoy it too!

Her Last Breath

After enjoying a lovely dinner I had prepared for my children and their friends, we ended the evening with table chit chat about being at scary Halloween houses. The Deadmonton place on Jasper Ave. to be precise. This lead my eldest daughter, her friend, and I to talk about real ghost stories, which of course led us to the stories that are in my upcoming book Flight of the White Crow. It was a fun hour of do you remember that? Or ya, that was really freaky. But I also talked about some stories they have never heard about, particularly of a place that I lived in while in Toronto. While reminiscing my stories, I actually encountered one moment that I had totally forgotten about. I don’t know if it was a repressed memory, because it was strange that I would forget to include it in the draft of my book under the chapter “Some Other Really Strange Shit”.  Tonight I quickly wrote the tidbit of my experience and slipped it where it needed to be.

Since Halloween is coming up, I would like to share with you my first ever ghost story that happened to me when I was a little girl. This is from the chapter “Spirits Among Us”.

HER LAST BREATH

"Hey, will you two get to sleep. We can hear you all the way from in here." hollered my mother from the old part of the house. We referred to it as the old part of the house because that was exactly what it was. It was the original part of the house. Our home was on Carmel road, Centreton, the Northumberland county, Ontario. It was an old 1940's country house that was located in the middle of cattle ranches, tobacco farms, and forest.  

The old building had a new addition built onto the back of the original foundation. The new addition resembled a small apartment. As you walked in there was one large room that acted as a living area  space and an attached kitchenette. On either side facing the large room was a bedroom. There was also a full bathroom at the far end beside the kitchen. The door leading outside was beside the bathroom, but it was always locked as my parents didn't want us using it.

A large mud room separated the old part of the house from the newer part. The mud room was where my mother kept the large freezer, the washer and dryer, and a large coat rack. There was a step in front of the wooden door that led into the old house. The door opened into a short hallway. To the left was a bathroom. To the right the entrance to the kitchen and my parent's living quarters. Straight ahead from the door entrance was the dimly lit stairway leading up to the attic. Also straight ahead was the door that led to the basement. When ever I would enter the old house I would run straight into the kitchen to avoid having to look at the basement door. Behind it was creepy old stairs leading to a dirt floor basement.  

My brother and I had the bedrooms in the new half of the  house and our parent's bedroom was completely at the other end of the building. We couldn't be any further apart.

"Yes mother," we synchronized our voices for good effect and began to giggle some more. We were enjoying each other's company and the novelty of having to share a bedroom for the next few weeks. Our mother was in the middle of renovating my older brother's room and had installed a bunk bed in my room. We were glad for each others company because neither of us had felt very comfortable alone in the house. Especially at night. The strange thing was that although the old part was creepy with its spooky attic and the decaying dirt floor basement, it was the new part that sent shivers up our spine. 

Once again a voice of reason bellowed from the old part of the house. This time it was our father. We understood we had reached our limits at this point. Our giggles and small talk turned to hushed whispers. As I began to settle in, my brother quietly asked if I could hear 'that'?

"Hear what?" I asked."Shh, listen." he replied.

Lying in my bed I strained my ears to hear what my brother was referring to. Through the closed bedroom door, I could hear the faint sound of someone gently walking across the common room floor. "Sounds like Mom or Dad is checking in on us." I finally answered.

"Yeah, I guess." exhaled my brother from the bed above.

As we lay quietly in the dark, the sound of the light footsteps slowly made their way to my room. "Dad is that you?" my brother asked. The footsteps stopped but there was no reply. There was a deep silence.

"Mom is that you?" I giggled nervously. There was still no reply.

"Well one of them must be out there." my brother whispered to me.

For the next few moments we were content with the idea that one of our parents was merely checking on us to make sure we were going to sleep. Either that or our father was up to one of his tricks again. Although he was a man of discipline, he was also a bit of a trickster.

Then just as we were beginning to relax, a faint but detectable breathing came from the corridor. "Did you hear that!" Concern was rising in my brother's voice.

"Uh huh." I managed to whisper. "But I am sure it is probably just Dad trying to be funny. Maybe he is testing us to see if we are asleep?"

The breathing stopped. Our hearts raced as we hung onto the silence that filled the corridor. Not even our own breath could be felt or heard. Then it started again right outside the bedroom door. It wasn't a heavy breath such as someone gasping for air, but rather light and fluid. Regardless of it being a parental hoax or not, my brother and I were becoming very uncomfortable. I'm sure to this day that my eyes widen as I stared at the door expecting it to open. I could feel the bed above me shift as my brother sat upright. "Ok, they are taking this too far." my brother whispered in half annoyance, the other half fear.

"Okay Dad. You're not funny." growled my brother towards the closed door. "I'm scarred." I admitted.

For the next brief moment we sat frozen in our place, I with my soft blanket wrapped around me, and my brother positioned like a tiger ready to pounce from a tree limb. The light breathing commenced once more. And then the unthinkable happened. The breathing came through our closed door and into the bedroom.

"What the heck!" shouted my brother. Leaping from the top bunk, he flung open the door and ran out of the room. Too petrified to move, I pulled my blanket over my head and prayed to God to take away whatever it was that was in my room. Gathering courage, I unwrapped my head and listened. The only sound I could now hear was the clamber of feet coming from my brother and parents running towards my room. My father searched the room and the rest of the house but found nothing. Perhaps if it wasn't for the sheer look of terror on our faces, our parents would have passed it off as a child's prank. Instead our parents tried to rationalize it as the settling of the house. In the wisdom of my youth, I turned to them and announced, "Houses do not breathe."

Years later, I came across an Ouija board and inquired about the ghost of the old Carmel house. It revealed to me that the ghost was an old woman. I then asked my mother if she knew who the previous owners had been. She confirmed that the resident before us was an old woman that had passed away in a hospital. This made a lot of sense because the room that the ghost had walked to and entered had pretty wallpaper that was covered with tiny pink roses. This was my room at the time. It made me wonder if the old woman had passed away of a respiratory disease.

I also find it interesting that years ago, when we were living at the farm, while we were digging up our garden in behind the house, we came across old coins and one rusted out old handgun that had been long buried. From what our elderly neighbors had told us, back in the 1800's there was a military group had made camp in the area. Perhaps it wasn't just an old woman walking in our halls of our home.

 

Who is Amara?

Amara The Oracle

Since Netflix has uploaded the latest episodes of the popular series Supernatural, one of my kids is concerned that people will now think that my book Amara the Oracle will be considered dark and evil. Why is that? Because the newest character to be introduced to season eleven is named Amara, and she is no angel. I must be honest and tell you that I was quite surprised to see any character named Amara as it is not a popular name. But I can tell you this, my Amara is in no way evil or dark. In fact, she is funny, wise, and encouraging.  Perhaps I should share how I manifested Amara into this world.

In 2009, I was finishing up my last year of university at Grant MacEwan. I only had to complete the practicum so that I would graduate and get my Applied Bachelor in Professional Writing and Communications. In the beginning of my studies, I had chosen the path of Rhetoric over Technical writing, which then led me to fiction, nonfiction and screenwriting. At the end of my studies it was time to dive into the work practicum. After a period of long deliberation, I decided I did not want to be employed by a firm or corporation because that route did not resonate with me. I wanted to create books, and I wanted to be true to my nature and calling. I decided to base my practicum on the business of self publishing. Back then, which was actually only eight years ago, the self publishing industry as we know today was just getting started. My university did not have a program in self publishing, therefore this was truly a new field for me to explore.

As I started my journey on self publishing, I began to research what was available to me for very little cost. I found Blurb. Back then, Blurb only had the BookSmart program to work with, but the single start up cost was the price of one copy of your book. This still stands today. At that time, my main interests were children’s stories. Being  a bit ambitious for getting a decent grade, I also decided to incorporate another angle to my project. I hired a friend who was just starting out as a motivational coach to work with me. The second part of my project was “Can a motivational coach help a writer to succeed as a Self Published Author?”  And so my journey began. Seemed pretty simple and straightforward. Ya right!  What in life is simple and straightforward?

A few weeks into my project, I began to receive strong inspiration to begin a third book. But it wasn’t a children's book. It was something that called to me from my personal and private world of being a mystic intuitive. An oracle called out to be created. And as any mystic knows, you cannot fight these kinds of things because you know Spirit is knocking on your door and most likely will not be walking away anytime soon.  Intrigued, curious, and even excited, I began to listen to what I needed to do.

Although I knew about the art of using a book to reveal a message from the Spirit, it wasn’t until I was creating this book that I learned this art of divination was called Stichomancy.  Stichomancy has been used for a very long time. (The oracle seems to think it has been thousands of years, lol, and who am I to argue.) It is the act of seeking answers to one’s questions by randomly picking a passage or excerpt from a book. Amara has been designed for the sole purpose of being an Oracle.

Finding the name for the Oracle was a small challenge. I knew the voice of the book was definitely female. And before I could begin, it was important for me to find her name. Intuitively, I also knew it began with an ‘A’. So I went on line searching female names beginning with the letter ‘A’. At first I began to second guess myself because none of the names were resonating with me. Then I saw it. AMARA; Grace, Eternal, Immortal. Covered in goosebumps and a profound Aha moment, I knew my search had been resolved. Amara it was.

Right from the beginning, I understood that Amara needed to be very simple. No long explanations, no fancy jargon, and keep it to the point. However, at first I was surprised at how the format of the book was shaped. On the left page was a quote from someone who had been or was somewhat famous, and the right page was where the Oracle spoke to the inquirer of how the quote pertains to them. So, both the left page and the right page work together. Most of the quotes are from people who have already passed on. For some reason, the only people who are among the living that have a quote in the book are; Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Dylan, Richard Bach, Alex Collier, and I. Everyone else has left planet Earth.  And that is an interesting point because there was one deceased person in particular that made a point of getting my attention in order to have his quotes put into the book. His name, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Surprised, ya, so was I. But I soon became comfortable with having Ralph as one of my muses. It got to the point though where I had to tell him to stop trying to influence me because the book was not about him. There was even a day when I came home and found a bookmark with his quote on it sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room. There was no one home and no way it could have gotten there on its own.  I was a bit confused why someone so famous as Ralph would chose someone who was incredibly not famous, like me, to creatively influence. I decided to put away my kit of self destruction and researched him.  Like everyone else, I knew of Ralph Waldo Emerson, but I did not actually know about his personal details. But then as I read more, an understanding began to form. Ralph and I actually shared many values and philosophical concepts. Ralph was also raised and influenced by the women of his family. He liked and respected women. I was honored. But still insisted he was limited to his amounts of quotes.

Once finished, I had sent the book off to press. When the time came to hand in my projects, my teacher was quite shocked to see three books; two children’s books and one oracle. I received a good mark in return. Since that time, I have revised the cover of Amara and confident that she is now complete.

But I must share the strange thing that happened one day while I was working in a retail store. While I was assisting a customer she asked me what else I did with my time. Well of course that was an invitation to begin talking about being a writer and my books. When I told her about Amara, she gave me a strange look and said that she heard about my book because a Psychic had talked about it on her tv show. Unfortunately she could not remember the woman’s name. I was shocked. It made sense though because the views on the book had spiked at a certain time frame and I had no idea why. Amara was definitely making herself known. Synchronicities were a wonderful thing.

Amara the Oracle is unique and there are no other books like her. I hope others will see her as a kind and wise energy that has been created and manifested to help inspire and entertain people.  

Patricia Travers

Reading From AMARA

quote: When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his death bed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.
~Sir Winston Churchill

AMARA replies: DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY.....if you know this song...sing along!

More Please

This boy could eat an entire bag of dog food in one sitting. But today, Charlie feasted on turkey livers and gravy with his food. He's always hopeful for more.  

Thanksgiving

Wishing all my fellow Canadians a Wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! May you openly receive and recognize the beautiful abundance that surrounds you, and hold gratitude close to your heart. 

Snow in October

For the past three days it has been snowing here in Edmonton, Alberta. And it is only October 9th. In some ways it is a nasty reminder that nature does what ever the hell she pleases and follows no true schedule. And on the other hand, the first snowfall has a nostalgia of being cozy and beckons us to curl up and read a good book or start working on another writing project. Perhaps both. I'm hoping in a weeks time this will all have melted and warmed up a bit for the little trick or treat'ers that will soon be knocking on my door.  Either way, I do believe it is that time of year to restock the Irish Cream.

Autumn

From Moments in Time, distilled Poetry&Prose.

Photo by Patricia Travers (that's me too!)

Amara the Oracle Reading

Quote: "Hope only turns into Reality when followed by Action" ~ Anonymous

AMARA'S RESPONSE: "Do some Research. Make a plan. Follow it through. There are things that Holy Grace cannot do for us; brushing one's teeth in the morning is an example. 

Amara the Oracle

Nature in the City

Nature reminds us that there are many paths to choose from. Some paths are made to be super safe, while other paths offer a bit more adventure into the unknown. What path would you choose?

Nature in the City

A person never knows what will be hanging around in the midst of nature. 

The woods is full of surprises. One thing I love about nature is that it reminds us that not all beautiful things get our attention right away. Sometimes we need to be in the present moment to see what is in front of us. 

Happy Equinox

Good Bye Summer

Today is the last day of Summer 2016. This summer blessed me and my family with new adventures, new friendships, and a new place to call home. It has brought huge transitions into our lives and I am so grateful for the new beginnings. 

My daughters and I, summer of 2016.

Nature In The City

As he cawed out my name for a second time, he roamed the sky. 

Circling above, he pointed to the trees. I followed. 

Looking up at the majestic beauty, I was reminded of the importance of being able to fly. 

My heart soared.

Nature In The City

He Cawed my name...and I followed, leaving behind the web of illusion.

And took me to a place where I could reflect upon life.

A New Fun Project

Once I reached ten poetry & prose challenges I needed to change things up a bit. LOL The life of being adhd.  But I have a new interest to share with you. Getting to know my Pentax camera has led me into a creative direction that allows me to reflect my love for Nature's Spirit. But the back story first.

Hooray...I have finished the first draft of my book Flight of the White Crow. This book is a collection of my personal paranormal and mystical stories that date back to my childhood and up to the present time. I also offer some of my own theories and reflections in the book. The process of picking up the old manuscript and diligently working through it to the end has been very enlightening, healing, and a great sense of accomplishment. I have also decided to do my own book cover, which means, getting a good picture of a crow. This need for a good photo has led me on an adventure with my camera. In trying to get that great photo, I began to open my eyes up to the nature that surrounded me here in the city. Also, having just written a book of my spiritual journey, I have  rekindled my relationship with Spirit at a deeper level. No, I am not a religious person, although I do respect those that are, but rather Spirit for me is in everything from the butterfly to the great universe. So as I was searching for my Crow, I began to see that the idea of nature not thriving in a city is an illusion, and began taking photos to illustrate this point. When one steps away from his or her technology and material things, and sits quietly, then he or she can see that they are surrounded by the spirit of nature. 

My camera is a Pentax K-S2 DSLR camera with a 18-50mm lens. Years ago I used an old Cannon that was a complete manual camera. Back then it was rolls of film and no option of digital images. Now it seems that everyone photo-shops their pictures to enhance colours, remove imperfections, and alter the reality for creative purposes. I can totally see why people do this, especially for creative purposes such as a book cover. But for this project that I am embracing, I will be keeping my photos authentic. I will use different modes such as forest setting, sky setting, fast moving object, etc. Since I am working with nature, I will let nature express itself. Here in Edmonton, Alberta, some days the sky is the most amazing blue and other days it is a white wash.  The only Photo-shop I will use will be to crop a photo. 

I hope you enjoy my journey while I embrace nature in the city.  I will attempt to post a picture every few days. 

Face Book Memories

I'm sure most of you that read my blog have a face book page and are use to seeing "your year ago face book memory".  Sometimes I cringe at my past memories, but then remind myself of the personal growth I have achieved. lol  But this morning I was happy to see a memory from last year and I wanted to share it with you here. It is actually two-folded. One part is the reminder of how much I like Mark Romero's work. When I healed my psoriasis condition it was while I was listening to his music. I really do think that he is a person of integrity and is doing what he is doing for all the right reasons....and his music really is beautiful. 

Second...birds are important to me as I love them dearly. I find them incredibly good at being messengers from the the spiritual perspective. So it was really nice to have a reminder of this day because my personal world changed drastically soon after this. Good - bad...who knows....change is change and it takes awhile before we see how our life unfolds, but I think I achieved a lot of personal internal growth in this year.   So here it is....

Face Book Memory from a year ago....

While I was playing this video four blue jays and some other bird I have not seen before came to the tree out side my window. At first they were squacking but when I turned up the volume they all became quiet and just listened. It was a really lovely moment. Really love what this guy is doing with music. I'm pretty sure his techniques are from a lost art.

Keeping Life Simple

I've been working on my website for the past few days. It has a completely different feel from the last one. Instead of focusing on being a publishing house, it is focused on me being a writer. It took a little bit of soul whispering, but I understand now that building up a publishing house isn't the life I want to have. I just want to be a writer and create my own books. I don't have huge ambitions, just want to be happy and live a creative life. I think this is being authentic.

My daughter and I went to a cafe the other day. Can you tell which writing gadget is mine???  lol   And check out these adorable drinks. Mine was the kitty and she had the bear. Not only was it delicious, but artistic. This is the Gama Cafe on Whyte Ave (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). Such a cute little cafe.