Halloween

Dragonflies and Fall Fairies

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Welcome to fall! And October!

I have a friend who is a little “kooky”. When her son was little, she used to tell him that when fall came around, fairies would appear and paint all the leaves on the trees beautiful colors.

Of course she is Irish which might help explain her telling this fairy tale (I can get away with saying that because I’m Irish too), but I always thought that this story created a beautiful image for her impressionable young boy. As anyone who experiences the amazing fall foliage realizes, the change is actually quite mystical — which is why the story works so well.

Of course, there are scientific reasons why the leaves change colors, but I prefer hearing how the spirits flitter around and do their magic with paint brushes.

This year when I heard the story about the fall fairies, it got me to thinking about all the wonderful songs and poems and stories which express that sentiment. And I also thought of how loved ones in spirit do in fact visit us.

In my work, one question I often hear is whether dragonflies help us to connect to our DPs on the Other Side. The short answer is yes.

For example, recently, a lovely gentleman came to see me. He had just lost his wife of 46 years, and said he has been seeing tons of dragonflies! This reminded me of a dragonfly story that someone had sent me years ago, which I have included below.

While the fairies are painting the leaves, “Halloween” is approaching! It’s a day when we can be anything we want to be, yes, even fairies! I have no doubt there will be a few young girls who can’t wait to put on their costumes with “wings” that perhaps mom or grandma created just for this occasion!

I’ve never quite understood why some folks don’t enjoy Halloween but I guess, like with anything, if you had a bad experience on Halloween, it would taint your view. That’s too bad because it’s such a fun time — between bobbing for apples, getting tons of candy, and most importantly dressing up to be anything you want to be! Yes, even a dragonfly.

Enjoy the fun this October.

I will be flying on my broom to Southern California, hope to see many of you there. And Thomas John and I are doing several events in Florida in November – Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Boca. And last I’ll be returning to Roanoke for “Hope for the Holidays.”

The Dragonfly
(Author Unknown)

Under the lily pads in the muddy water of a pond, there lived a colony of water bugs. They lived a comfortable life in the pond, but once in a while, sadness would come to the colony when one of the water bugs would climb a lily stem and disappear.

Then, one day, one little water bug felt an irresistible urge to climb up that stem. However, she was determined she would come back and tell her friends what she had found at the top. When she reached up and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, she was so tired and the sun felt so warm, that she decided she must take a nap.

As she slept, her body changed into a beautiful dragonfly. She spread her wings and flew! And, as she soared, she saw the beauty of a whole new world she had never known existed. Then she remembered her friends. She wanted to go back to tell them that she was now more alive than she had ever been before. But her new body could not go down into the water. She could not get back to tell her friends the good news.

Then she understood that their time would come when they, too, would join her in the sunshine. So she spread her wings and flew off into her joyous new life!

Signs, Connections, and Gratitude

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Welcome to the month of giving Thanks!

There is not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful for our ability to connect to the spirit and energy, of Love.

Amazing too is how by just listening to your inner voice, or acting on a hunch or a feeling, we can open our hearts and minds to infinite possibilities. Let me share just one of those kinds of happenings, involving a person I had never met.

I was doing a radio event recently (a relatively rare occurrence nowadays, sadly, given the dynamics of the radio industry), in front of a live audience. Just before I am about to go on, the radio person who sponsored me for the event says that there is a guy in the audience who wasn’t sure but thought I might be dead! Yeah, that’s right. He came to this conclusion because he recently “saw” me with his deceased mom, while he was in the cemetery, and I was in my forties.

Well, this is what I call loaded material, scripted before I even walked out on the stage. I’m of course aware of the difference between receiving messages and interpreting them, so I knew that I had to be on my toes.

I walk out on stage, and, alluding to the story about the guy who said I was dead, I tell everyone that I’m quite sure I’m still alive and well. The guy who said I was dead steps up and sweetly and graciously proceeds to tell me that he took his mother to see me many years ago and that she had just died a month ago. He said that when he was visiting his mom’s grave, I popped into his head. From this, he had drawn the conclusion that I was deceased. He decided to Google me and found out that, on the very next day, I was going to be appearing just down the road from where he lives! I guess he should have realized at that point that I wasn’t dead, but sometimes, logic does not prevail.

It was pretty clear to me that his momma was connecting to him in the graveyard and getting him to come see me, although in a very roundabout way, which is often the case with messages from beyond. I have to say that this was, in some ways, very very funny, and yes, his momma did show up at the event with lots of other family members. And of course there were messages that came through me for him, and were very helpful.

Kids, you can’t make this stuff up! And right before Halloween! I guess that the veil between the two worlds was really rocking!

Now, with Halloween behind us, we are in the month of Thanksgiving. A difficult time for those who have had family members who were with them last year at this time, but who have crossed over in the interim, and will not be at the dinner table this Thanksgiving.

It’s during this time of year when that feeling of being alone can really hit hard – the first year after the loss of a loved one being the hardest, as I have so often said. Those who have lost someone near and dear during this past year may tend to feel especially despondent and isolated because that special someone isn’t around this Thanksgiving. But what we must always remember is that they ARE around, just not in the physical. Trust me, they are near you. Watch for those little signs. Trust our sixth sense and see how you recently departed loved one is making herself or himself known. Like I said before, listening to your inner voice, or acting on a hunch or a feeling, can open our hearts and minds to infinite possibilities.

I know it’s not easy, especially when your heart is broken. But take control. Open your hearts and minds and realize that your loved one is in a better place-a place we all are destined to ascend to eventually. Focus on this aspect of reality, recognize the Truth, and you will be able to heal your broken heart.

Now I realize that this is all easier said than done. Heartache is a deep emotion we all have to deal with sooner or later, and with the holidays coming, starting with Thanksgiving, even more so. That is why I most strongly suggest that you open up your hearts and minds, and recognize that, eventually, every soul must leave her or his body, and travel home.

Take time also to focus on others who are so much more in need. Perhaps you can become one of those wonderful volunteers who deliver food to the needy – or at least donate to that cause. But what may be even more important than food for those so down on their luck, believe it or not, is having a kind face acknowledge their presence, and wish them a happy holiday. Even better, if you can manage it, give that person in need a hug. We ALL need nurturing; no man or woman is an island.

And don’t forget your partner, or significant other, or friend, or wife or husband, whatever the term of the one you are closest with. Remember, family does NOT always mean blood. Connection is about Love, and we get it from so many different places.

So, if you are fortunate enough this year to be with all the family members who were around you last year, keep in mind those who have lost someone. Consider reaching out, and connecting with that person. The look in their eyes as you recognize their situation will be priceless.

And if you get a message about me while visiting the cemetery, like the guy on the radio show did, let me know!

And thinking of hope and thanks, I’ll be returning once again to Roanoke for Hope for the Holidays, with a stop off to ARE (Edgar Cayce’s Foundation) in Virginia Beach.

Warmly,
Suzane

P.S. Another suggestion . . . consider forgetting about your diet this Thanksgiving. I’m not saying overdo it, but, it is time to soak in all the festivities, so let yourself go, just a little.

Thoughts of Fall

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I was listening to the weather guy last night saying he knows that many of us are upset that summer is gone, but then reminded listeners that fall that is quite spectacular. I have to agree with him. Of course, it depends where you live. In the Northeast, we get to see all those incredible fall paintings by Nature-which are so spectacular that people from all over the country come to visit. If you’re thinking about coming, don’t wait too long or you may find that all of the B&Bs and hotels are booked. Do it now, and eliminate all the “woulda, coulda, shoulda’s,” which come up so often in my line of work. For instance…

Recently, while visiting my hometown where my mother is in the hospital, I got to talking to a childhood friend Sherri, whom my mother always called “my fourth daughter.” As all of us sat around, I mentioned that two years ago, Bonnie, the best friend of my sister Sherri (same name as “the fourth daughter”) from the age 2, had passed over at the age of 52. Sherri, “the fourth daughter,” broke down in tears sharing how sorry she was that she never went to California with Bonnie to visit my other sister Cindy. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Yes, I often hear this, almost on a daily basis: “I am so sorry that I didn’t [fill in the blank] while she [or he] was still alive.” So if you’re thinking maybe you should visit someone, give it real consideration. And if it feels right, don’t wait, do it now. If there is one key thing that I’ve had the honor and privilege of learning from my work with the DPs, it’s important to connect or re-connect with your loved ones while they are still here in the physical. So give it some thought. If you follow my advice, my take is that someday you will be thanking me. You might still be haunted by the idea that you didn’t do enough, but don’t beat yourself up over that one. Just “do it now” and you will recognize in the future that you did what you could when the time was at hand.

On a related note, a friend of mine who just lost his dear wife said quite insightfully that “You are never prepared even when you know it’s coming.” But he, like so many others who made the best use of time together, has in his heart all the words, times, and things they shared-moments that were and remain so precious. Memories of lifetime that you wish you could have back, and will have them back because you never lose what your heart feels.

Hold all those dear to you in your heart, and never forget that they will be there forever.

Before I sign off, let me not be remiss and instead mention that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. This can be a wonderful memory for children, as they dress up as their favorite characters, heroes, and heroines. For those of you lucky enough to be in an area where the fall brings all those spectacular colored leaves, consider suggesting to your kids that they collect a few of those fantastic fall leaves and preserve them in between sheets of wax paper or ziplock bag. Just another way to keep a fond memory intact.

Changing of the Seasons

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Fall is here, and it’s time to let summer go…with it’s own rhythm and flow—an approach we all can and should learn from.  That’s right, go with the ebb and flow, in this case the changing of the seasons, and prepare for a new beginning following our wonderful summer.
I have noticed that there is something about the transition from summer to fall that triggers our minds to prepare emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for what we need to focus on. For the kids and their parents, of course, the focus is on “Back to school.”  But beyond that obvious example, there is something in us that naturally makes us think about change.  Since that program is already part of our existence, i would suggest that you use the program to your advantage and see if there’s something new you’ve wanted to do, and go for it!  For instance, begin another phase of your spiritual quest, remembering first and foremost, that we are spiritual beings inhabiting physical bodies for this current time on earth.
When we begin something new, there is no guarantee of course that everything will go perfectly.  For example, one of the issues that came up during my recent Omega workshop was from people who had started meditating and were getting headaches. While this does not happen to the majority of people, it is not all that uncommon.  Usually the headaches are more intense in the beginning and soon go away, but then every once in a while the headaches return.  I believe this phenomena has to do with the fact that your brain—or “muscle” (if you will)—is being used in a different way.  Everyone knows this kind of thing happens when you haven’t exercised in a while—your muscles let you know about it.  The same thing happens during meditation because you are not used to working your brain in that fashion.  But hey, like with everything else, the more you practice meditation, the easier it becomes.  Just don’t overdo it!  Pay attention to what your mind may be saying.  If you get a headache, then just take it easy for a while.  The early discomfort will usually be outweighed by the benefits.  As many gurus and self-help people will tell you, meditating is a practice that can be so very rewarding.  Whereas prayer can be thought of as talking to God, meditating is like listening to God, and/or your higher consciousness within, which is “God” to some.  And every time we perform either of these spiritual practices—prayer or meditation—the activity brings us closer to connecting with and listening to our loved ones in Spirit, our beloved DPs.
One new thing I had to connect with this fall was cabling my huge pine tree.  I had learned that while the tree was very healthy and happy, if lightning or some other act of God intervened, my huge friend could fall and seriously damage my house.  I knew that I needed to do something new, and cabling arose as the answer. The basic idea is that one tree, in this case my sugar maple, and another tree, my big pine, would be “cabled” together.  If the pine gets hurt, the sugar maple could be of great help, and vice versa. For the trees themselves, it’s kind of like making a new friend you can depend on, and having him or her there to help you, as you coexist in the same connected community!  Think about it, and see if there is some new friendship that needs to soon begin in your immediate future this fall.
October for me is always a very busy month, and this year is no exception.  I will be traveling to Utah, California, and Toronto.  At the very end the month comes on one of my favorite holidays—Halloween—when I’ll be doing my fall seminar in Cromwell,  Connecticut.  As always, I look forward to reconnecting with many of you around the country, and the new folks who will join us for the first time, as part of their own new beginning.