In honour of our brother, Todd, my sister Dianne and I recently scattered a portion of  his ashes on a bank of the Saint John river.

The spot we chose was beautiful and peaceful, and just felt like the right place to perform the ritual.

It was a rainy, cold day and by the time we arrived at the location the sun was soon to set.

How we managed to get to the spot without falling will forever remain a mystery. It crossed my mind that if we injured ourselves during the process we wouldn't have been discovered for quite some time. But we were on a mission and nothing was going to deter us.

We tearfully spoke of our love for Todd, honoured him with prose that described the good man he truly was, and shared in the scattering of his ashes.

As we finished the deed we wondered aloud if we had picked the right spot and said the right things, as it was important to us both that we honoured him in the way he deserved.

As we began the trek back up the hill we were given conformation that we had, indeed, done the right thing.

As we climbed the hill the waning sun broke through the clouds. When we looked up we saw an enormous flock of crows fly overhead, heading to their roosting site.

We held hands as we stood in awe of what was transpiring.

Then, as we looked down to better navigate the hill, we saw that it was covered in wild strawberries.

Laughing and crying at the same time we gave thanks for those signs.

Our brother Todd loved the outdoors and spent much time on, and near, the Saint John river. Many of our phone conversations took place as he was drinking a coffee looking over the river's expanse.

Although I'm not sure he would openly talk about it to most people, Todd often fed crows.

As for the strawberries, he would talk about how many rows of his garden would be used to plant them. I would laughingly say I was going to have to start referring to him as the Strawberry King.

I am grateful that Dianne and I got to honour Todd in this way. It will be a lovely memory that will forever stay in my heart and help to ease the pain of his passing.

And I am also so very grateful we got to witness that our deed was accompanied by such lovely signs of confirmation.

Dear Mother Nature, I bow to your superior intelligence and strength.

The landscaping that took me days to accomplish was wiped away in a few short hours by the river you created that ran through my property.

I just spent the morning cleaning up the mess and relocating the plants that very nearly washed away. They are now on higher ground and safe from the flowing water that I suspect will come through with more frequency.

I have learned my lesson.

I will from now on work with you and not against you.

Now is the time for us to fully engage in what it is we came here to do. Humanity and our Earth Mother require the efforts of both Light Workers and Light Warriors to balance the systems that are in a state of flux and chaos. The time for inaction is long past.

Now is the time for each of us to do what we can to promote Peace within ourselves, our community and the World.

Now is the time for us to protect our environment from those who would ravage Earth to put more coin in their pockets.

Now is the time for all of us to speak out against injustice in any form.

Now is the time to protect the vulnerable among us.

Now is the time for us to teach our children how to connect with others instead of their devices.

Now is the time for us to fully engage with Life and all of its expressions.

Now is the time for us to be our best, and to do our best, so that all will unfold for the best.

Over the past several weeks I have had the opportunity to spend time being in my ultimate sweet spot. And for me, that sweet spot is offering training to individuals  in working with the Higher Realm Healing® energies.

From the attunement process to the point where the individuals are working with the energies on their own I feel absolute joy.

Throughout COVID it was next to impossible to schedule workshops, especially group ones but now the time has come to again have regular workshops and to do the work that I came here to do.

If you have an interest in training to become a Higher Realm Healing® practitioner please contact me. I would be honoured to attune you to the energies. 

www.highlevelhealing.com/higher-realm-healingreg-training.html

Today is the beginning of a New Year.

It is my fervent wish that 2023 will be a better year than 2022.

Quite frankly, I have been eager to say goodbye to a year that gave me the opportunity to find out just how tough and how fragile I am.

I'm grateful, though. for the Love and the lessons and I hope that 2023 will bring me, and you, more Love and gentler lessons.

Over the past few months I've discovered a way to access an island of calm in a sea of chaos.

That island of calm is Flowly, a virtual reality and biofeedback process that helps me to deal with stress, anxiety and chronic health conditions.

It is hard to put into words how beneficial using this app has been in reducing stress, anxiety and pain. The best thing I can say is that it has improved my sleep, emotional regulation and pain levels.

Along with the app, itself, the creators of Flowly offer videos on their website and YouTube channel that explain how your brain and body react to stressors and how you can regulate your nervous system while both using the app and when you are going about daily life.

I am so grateful for the access I have to this wonderful way of managing what life throws at me and I am thrilled that the creators will be offering a way to easily access the app in Canada. Coming soon users will also be able to use their android phones in addition to iPhone usage.

If you are looking to experience an island of calm you may want to check out Flowly. I have a sense you'll be glad you did.

It's been my experience that no matter how difficult life gets, eventually... it gets better.

It may take some time and a lot of effort on your part but as sure as the sun rises every day... it gets better.

So, if you're facing what seems like an insurmountable challenge may I suggest you use this truth as a mantra... it gets better.

Please know that I am not making light of what is going on with you or the world at large and I'm not attempting to spiritually bypass the difficulties we are all facing.

I am simply stating what I've learned to be true... it gets better.

Lately, I have been focused on finding calm while in the midst of chaotic situations.

Sometimes it's relatively easy. At other times it seems almost impossible. Each day brings new challenges and new opportunities to rise above the challenges and bring the best version of myself into any interactions I have.

I have structured my days so that I have what I think of as 'calm breaks'. During these brief periods I will meditate, move my body, or listen to music to aid me in getting to a place where I can be both calm and focused.

These calm breaks have become a reward I give myself for working through challenges and provide respite when I've been making my way through emotional minefields.

We are living in chaotic times and although I am unsure of how things will unfold, I believe that if each one of us creates more calm in our lives it will greatly enhance our existence.

Today, my wish for you is that, no matter what challenges you're facing, you find the calm within the chaos. Nurture it and hold it close. It may be the very thing that will get you through it.

I have a very important question to ask you. That question is, "What would you rather be.... happy or fulfilled?" How you answer that question will give you insight as to where you are on your own evolutionary scale.

We are bombarded with ideas and practices regarding how to be happy. The pursuit of happiness has become a primary goal for some of us. We want to have a feeling of bliss permeating all levels of our existence.

We engage in new spiritual practices, buy the latest products, listen to the latest gurus and plan grand adventures. All in the pursuit of happiness. We believe if we are happy all else will fall into place. And if we cannot sustain that feeling of happiness we feel as though we've failed in some way.

Now, let me be clear, I am not knocking happiness. I've had incredibly happy experiences in my lifetime that have brought me much joy and contributed to the person I am in this space and time.

What I'm proposing is that perhaps instead of seeking to be happy we might try seeking to be fulfilled.

Happiness, as lovely as it is, can be fleeting.

Fulfillment will sustain you through any life circumstance you may find yourself in. Fulfillment will get you out of the bed in the morning to face whatever challenge awaits you that day. Fulfillment will allow you to go to sleep at night knowing you've done the best you could that day. Fulfillment will carry you through those times you thought would break you.

So, I'll ask the question again. What would you rather be... happy or fulfilled?"

If you are anything like me you may find it's easier to forgive others than it is to forgive yourself.

There are, I'm sure, a multitude of reasons for this and I've spent much time of late trying to figure how I can be easier on myself for the choices I've made and the effect those choices have had on me and others.

Sometimes I pretend that a client or someone I care for presents me with the same situation and I offer myself the words and compassion I would have extended to them.

At other times I judge myself harshly for the choices I've made and I turn to therapy and spiritual practices to help me gain a different perspective.

Part of being Human is making mistakes. Mistakes can be an effective way of learning and growing. The discomfort we feel can be a tool to help us make better choices going forward and the wisdom we garner can be shared with others to help them through similar situations.

Forgiveness is a balm to the Soul and a gift to Humanity. And don't we all deserve to receive that balm and gift?