healing

The Importance of Freedom

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Happy July! We sure don’t have to think twice that Summer is truly here!

The heat certainly makes everyone want to step into an ocean or lake or pool and cool off! I know some folks aren’t crazy about the heat, but I can tell you that my tomato plants are very happy!

I recently returned from a trip to Eastern Europe where, as we know, many countries were occupied by the military forces of Nazi Germany. So on this July 4th , more than usual, I was very emotional about, and grateful for, our freedom.

Unless it’s just me, this year it seemed that so many people were expressing the importance of freedom, what it means, and that we should never take for granted what we have. This is something we all know about, especially those who have had family directly or indirectly impacted by the events of World War II.

My travels took me to Vienna, Prague and Berlin. I had different guides wherever I went, and each guide had an interesting story.

For example, my guide in Vienna had a Jewish father, and her mother lived in fear of anyone finding out, so she hid that fact her whole life, and changed her name.

My guide in Berlin was raised in East Berlin, while her mother’s parents had lived in West Berlin. When the grandmother turned 70, only her daughter (my guide’s mother) was allowed to see the grandmother for her birthday, and she had to have “strict” papers to get past “the Wall.” The rest of the family was not allowed.

Today, however, Berlin is truly a happening place where younger people from all over are flocking. Did
you know that there are more opera houses in Berlin (3) than New York City (1)? While I was visiting, they had had concerts everyday! Many were free.

And of course, in that part of the world, the music means so much. To be where all the great composers lived, and to actually see the manuscript of Mozart written in his own hand, well, that was something else!

On another note, I’m looking forward to three wonderful upcoming events with Thomas John at the end
of the month in Sturbridge, MA, Mansfield, MA, and Baltimore, MD. You might also check out Thomas’ show, Seatbelt Psychic, premiering July 11th on Lifetime.

As always it is my honor and privilege to connect our loved ones here and in Spirit.

How Hurricane Harvey, Lady Gaga, and Love Has Brought People Together

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So . . . Are we feeling the “shortest” season fade away? No doubt that this summer was for many very challenging, especially for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Whether Harvey was a natural event as the mainstream media states, or a geoengineered event as some experts have found, our hearts and support go out to all those who ended this summer on such a tragic note – loss, loss, and more loss.

The Northeast had the coolest August in like, forever, but we’re not complaining here, since so many places are hurting and need all the love, positive thoughts, and whatever help we can send, in any way.

I personally know people in Houston, about whom I happily can say are okay. Others I know in Louisiana weren’t as lucky.

I’m still waiting for my friends and family on the West Coast to give an update of what is going on there, as I write this. A very difficult and painful time. How do we put it all back together?

Of course, our prayers go out in the hope that family members and friends made it out alive. But if not, we know that they were met by their loved ones on the Other Side. And, believe it or not, tragedies like this are always harder on the folks who survive.

When a tragedy like Harvey strikes, people band together. There are so many wonderful warm and giving folks who step up to the challenge. This moment was no exception.

I can’t tell you if it’s in the air or whatever, but . . . this is a very difficult time to live in. So many people with whom I have come in contact over the last several months have expressed just that.

My thoughts and words previously expressed in other newsletters and in my books, I shall repeat: In the BIG scheme of things, the one constant is Love. Hang on to Love, and it will help you through these very rough times.

Remember that our loved ones in spirit had their own conflicts and challenges while here, and they faced all that. For many, facing up to those challenges made them stronger. We can learn from that.

I am often told wonderful stories about grandparents, great grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc., who endured so much but kept going on. For many, it was the love of their family, and/or other loved ones, that helped them persist.

Things can be replaced. People cannot. So when our loved ones cross over, there is no need to try and replace them. They are there for us, on the Other Side. Connect with them through dreams, feelings, and intuition. As I indicate at my events, every soul gets out alive.

On another note, a quick sharing from one of my 2017 summer highlights. I saw Lady Gaga at Boston’s Fenway Park, the oldest major league baseball park in America. Needless to say, Lady Gaga filled Fenway. She is an amazing talent.

There were many moments that stuck me of her gift of giving every part of herself, but what I didn’t know initially was who “Joanna” was.

I had learned that Lady Gaga’s song to Joanna was a tribute, and when Lady Gaga opened up in song about who Joanna was, I could feel the connection. Joanna was her aunt, her dad’s sister who died when Lady Gaga was three years old. That event impacted her whole life since her father sort of smothered her (they are Italians) because he was so devastated by his sister’s loss. This somehow translated to fear of losing his daughter.

Lady Gaga’s story is one of many similar experiences reflecting how physical loss of a loved one can impact our lives. This was as true for her just it is true for so many of us who have walked a similar path.

However, what was wonderful to me was that Lady Gaga decided to, and did, share her experience with the audience, many of whom, I am sure, totally understood.

This is one thing an effective artist can do, but discussing the death of a loved one is not something many artists dare to share.

Kudos to you Lady Gaga! And as far as the music was concerned, I sat among so many wonderful people who had such a great time. We all did hoop and holler!

One gentleman near me was around 75 years old and wearing a red “Joanna Tour” tee-shirt from Cape Cod. Boy, was he a fan! He knew everything about Lady Gaga and it was he who told me who Joanna was before Lady Gaga shared her story on stage. And when she did share, it was at that moment she asked, “Can you feel all the love in this room?”

Yes! We did! A night I will always remember.

Enjoy the rest of what summer is left. Technically, Autumn doesn’t come until late September.

“All things come to an end,” they say, but never the one thing that is most important: Love.

As far as my Fall travels, I’ll be going to some new places and returning to favorites. I’ll be in Atlanta, Asheville, and Tarrytown this September, and California in October; specifically, Sacramento, LA, and San Diego.

Looking forward as always to seeing some of you for the first time, and others again.

Connecting with Nature

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Okay so we’re in August and yes sorry that summer will soon be over. But wait! There is a whole month left before summer unofficially ends on Labor Day September 2nd, and three weeks more until the official end of summer on the autumn equinox. So it’s not like it’s the last minute. There is still plenty of time to do all those summer things that we want or need to do! Here in the Northeast, we are still waiting for tomatoes to come up so we can prepare our very own Caprese salads, soups, and sauces. Oh the endless joys of gardening!

Speaking of joyous things to do, for all of you who have ever wanted to visit a spiritual community geared to adults, I would strongly suggest Omega in Rhinebeck, New York. I just did a weekend intensive program there with Dr. Eben Alexander and Dr. Raymond Moody, my fourth time with those remarkable man. And quite a weekend it was!

While Omega is primarily a camp for adults, they do have a “teen week” and things to do for younger children. The grounds are so very beautiful and peaceful. One of the best features is that you can free yourself of electronic gadgetry (but choose to engage if you’re in the lovely café). If the cabins are a bit too rustic for you, there are plenty of bed-and-breakfasts in the area which is famous for its great gardens and sustainable farms, something New York State is becoming noted for. Truly amazing and very inspiring is Omega’s day of “Healing the Earth” with participants doing their part, even if it’s just a little bit, to correct the carbon footprints we all leave. If your dance card is filled this summer, really think about visiting Omega next year. You will make your mark and leave very happy!

Someone who has made her mark worldwide is the truly inspiring Jane Goodall, the world’s most famous primatologist. I just read an article about her which noted that fifty years ago, Jane became the first person to prove that nonhuman animals make tools. More recently, Jane has been focusing on a life form less intelligent than the chimpanzees she studied in Tanzania. In fact, a species that has no brain at all: plants.

Jane’s newest book, Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder From the World of Plants, co-written with Gayle Hudson, chronicles Jane’s lifelong love of all things leafy. In the book, Jane writes that “There would be no chimpanzees without plants – nor human beings either,” and confesses that she might never have started studying apes had she not, as a child, been obsessed with Africa’s forests. Now 79 years young, Jane runs the Jane Goodall Institute to protect chimpanzees’ habitat, and Roots and Shoots to encourage children to become conservationists. Jane has inspired me my whole life. She is a big part of why I became an avid gardener and lover of Nature which is the closest tangible thing to “God.”

I would suggest that if you are of mind to present yourself with just one gift during this rest of summer, make that gift being active in Nature. And while you are there, listen. You never know when a loved one is going to “call your name” from the Other Side.

Spring and Nature’s Lessons on Overcoming Grief

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Once again, I’ve been wanting something to happen sooner rather than later. This time it’s Spring! However, Mother Nature says Spring will arrive when she’s ready, not when I want it to. I understand that, of course, but after all, we’re now past Easter, having devoured the chocolate rabbits, the colored eggs, and those special dinners. Before that it was the passing of Groundhog Day and the March 21st equinox, neither of which brought much warmth. Come on Spring, get here!

Okay, that’s my mini-rant. Now I’m calming down because this morning the birds – thank God for the birds – and especially robins were everywhere. As has been in the news, so many birds had to change their flight paths to adapt to climate change, some not so easily. But that life, isn’t it? Things change.

As many have experienced, sometimes when we lose someone, our lives change dramatically and it feels like we will never be the same. There is truth in that, of course. So we need to take time to grieve, and then sort things out. Sooner or later, we begin to figure out how to move on as best we can, despite that initial devastating blow.

Just like with the delay of Spring this year, when we lose someone close, there are no magic wands or remotes to fast forward us to the next chapter. As humans, we need to go through the grieving process. Those of us that don’t take the time to grieve, and instead do everything we can to avoid facing the reality of our emotions, are merely postponing the inevitable. At some point, now or 10 years from now, the loss will impact us emotionally. It’s a good idea to deal with the loss sooner rather than later, and let the healing process begin.

Here’s another thing I’ve learned in all my years doing this work. However long it takes you to get beyond the passing of a loved one, and into a mode of normalcy, honor that. If someone tells you to “Get over it” or “Move on already,” tell them, “Walk a mile in my shoes, and then we’ll talk about it!”

Just like getting beyond Winter is taking longer than usual this Spring, overcoming grief can take longer than we hoped and planned. If you find yourself in that kind of situation, just let Nature take its course. Don’t rush it.

Even though Spring is only here on the calendar, it’s very exciting to know that – unless there is another upcoming event that I am unaware of – I will be seeing many of you in the coming months. My special return to Cromwell always warms my heart, and I’ll be doing a fund raiser for Liam Nation this month. I’m then off to Roanoke, Chicago, Denver, Baltimore and Philly. Check out my events page for details.

Motherless Daughters : The Legacy of Loss ~ Hope Edelman

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Going through breast cancer with my mother, who is a survivor, thoughts of loss are always very present in my life. Recently through my work and personal life I’ve gotten phone calls from close friends about their mothers passing from Cancer.

In my book “Everything Happens for a Reason” I wrote about a yearly convention that happens in October: Motherless Daughters. It was by “coincidence”  that I happened to be on book tour when the convention was being held. Interestingly enough I was on book tour for my 3rd book, and was finishing up “Everything Happens for a Reason” while being in the hotel during the conference.

In my book I had just written the section on losing a parent, when I came across Hope Edelmans’ article on her book. The passage I remember reading was that there is something about the loss of a mother that affects us on a very deep level. There is a real sense of loss of a part of ourselves. We have lost the primary role model for womanhood.

When a woman loses her mother before she reaches maturity, she’ll always wonder how different her life might have been if her mother had lived. It will effect her thoughts on having children of her own, should she have children and will she herself die young. Whatever her reaction to the loss, you can be sure it will impact her life on so many levels for her entire life.

Excerpt from “Everything Happens for a Reason” Suzane Northrop

The ripple effects in the aftermath of the largest mass shooting in US history have traveled well beyond Aurora Colorado

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We are all connected. A tragedy such as this is proof that though we may not know any of those who have passed personally (or their family members and friends), the experience nonetheless hits a core in all of us.

Death — especially one of this magnitude — awakens the fragility of life. Most people, even those who have a strong spiritual base, may be confronted on their faith or belief of “life after death” no matter how they define it. For many, death is their number one fear. This is the end.

I have spent over the last 35 years dealing quite literally with death, specifically with the living who have lost loved ones. Although I’m not a traditional “grief therapist “ with a PhD, MD or MSW degree, I have helped thousands connect with their loved ones who have died. And for most all of them our work together was the most significant healing that helped them with the death of their loved ones.

There is no magic wand to grief, and no one way to heal. I have helped others work through the process of grief in large seminar settings to small family sittings to intimate, private sessions. And if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that everyone grieves in their own unique time and way. However, there is one consistent experience I can say is always there with every connection. It’s that 90% “closure” never completely happens. The experience of a sense of “loss” is always there. And similarly, the experience of the shootings last week will always be there for those who experienced it. What I most hope for is that each will experience their own sense of “healing” even if the sense of “closure” will never be realized. There are no rules or magic wands that will help anyone easily get up each day, put on their socks and shoes, leave the front door and live their life like the trauma or loss never happened. The “daze” that is experience after loss can last for a while, it is unique to each individual.

So when someone says to you to “get over it, it’s time to move on,” look them square in the face, take a breath, and don’t feel guilt for where you are and how long you may need to be there. What everyone refers to as “closure” is little more than a myth. And only those who have lost can really appreciate this truth. However, if you can begin to work towards “healing” and opening your heart again…then a whole new life awaits you. One that may never have full closure, but one that does go on and has the same possibilities of love as it’s always has. As a client of mine said in reflection of her son’s death — “there simply was the life before Justin’s death and there’s a life after.”

Merry May!

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Welcome to the merry month of May! Clearly one of my favorite months, in part because my birthday is in May. And of course, May means Mother’s Day which is said to be the day on which the most phone calls are made nationwide, even beyond Christmas!

As a reminder, I will once again be doing the “Mother’s Day Special” for radio station WXLO in Worcester, Massachusetts, to honor all mothers aound the world who, without enough recognition, do all those many special things that are so important to all of us.

While a title doesn’t necessarily earn you the reality, there is no doubt that by giving birth, a woman does become a mother. However, I have met so many women who could easily claim the title of mother even though they have never had biological children of their own. I can’t tell you how many sessions I’ve had where a “mother’s presence” is coming through and then I learn that the woman was not a biological mother, but the woman who was identified as a mother, because she played the part so well. I’d like to honor those women who take on the role of mother so eloquently, without claiming the title.

On another note, I’d like to share with you one of my favorite stories that is fitting for our Mother’s Day theme. I got an email a while ago from a mother, and it provides a unique insight into the lengths mothers will go to make things easier for their kids. See what you think.

Dear Suzane,
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to Heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in Heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her. You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love,
Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to Heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, “To Meredith” . . . in an unfamiliar hand writing. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, When a Pet Dies. Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in Heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don’t need our bodies in Heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I’m easy to find, I am wherever there is love.
Love,
God

Just one example of the little things that mothers do for their kids – this time with a unique assist from someone in the U.S. Postal Service who also knows the importance of motherhood.
So let’s remember to give thanks this Mother’s Day to all those mothers and mother figures here in the physical or waiting for us on the Other Side. And let’s also take a moment to honor how much better it is to share a world with mothers so willing to prepare a loving meal, lend an ear to listen, a hand to hold, or a shoulder to cry on – whenever there are kids in need.
Have a Happy Mother’s Day!

The Beauty of the Seasons

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It’s March, and the vernal equinox is around the corner, arriving March 22nd.  There is beauty in all of the seasons, but poets, artists, singers and gardeners love the Spring.

Most of us, including myself, are biting at the bit waiting for the warm weather to arrive.

Well, it’s just a few weeks away!  Get ready!

Although Spring is associated with new beginnings, it’s not always easy to get into that poetic mindset if you’ve gone through a really tough winter that included experiencing the loss a loved one.  I get a lot of questions about how to cope with loss, and one typical example, from Renee, follows:

“Dear Suzane, Thank you for the work that you do.  I received a message from my dearest husband through you at your seminar at the Omega Institute in New York.  I am surrounded by people who are in pain because of the death of a loved one (what I call the “walking wounded”).  It occurs to me that our culture seriously does not know how to deal with death.  People are left to fend for themselves, or are drugged, or just lose their minds.  Even after eight years, the pain of the loss of my husband is so great that I find myself withdrawn from the life that I once knew, and basically just waiting to die.  THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!

I have read so many books (yours, Raymond Moody’s, Hank Wesselman’s, Dannion Brinkley’s and MANY many more…).  I have been through the eight week grief therapy process, and had personal counseling.  I have consulted mediums.  Now, I am trying desperately to come to terms with death and find meaning to the time that I have remaining here on earth.  At this point, I feel I should have some answers, but I only have more questions.  I found myself over and over again hearing these words, THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY”

I wish I could tell Renee, and everyone, “Yes, there’s a better way and here it is…”  But the truth of the matter is that grief is a process and we each have to get through it as best we can, in our own way.  There are no magic wands to wave, or secret levers to pull.  To be totally honest, while practicing mediumship over all these years, I am continually amazed by how well people actually deal with their grieving processes quite naturally.  This is perhaps a commentary about the kind of open-minded people who attend my events, and I am certainly honored that they come to me for whatever extra comfort I might be able to provide.  Yet, even in the everyday world, so many folks already have an intuitive sense of what it’s all about, and patiently get through the process and soon start looking forward to their “next Spring.”  I know that this may not be what Renee wanted to hear, but it is the truth.

Now, with all that being said, there are indeed so many things that can help you progress through the grieving process.  First of all, keep loving.  Also, try to go about your day as best you can, as normally as possible.  It’s important to keep sight of the fact that you have a responsibility to yourself and those around you to resume living your life to the fullest, and eventually recapture joy.  Read up on the afterlife if you feel drawn to that – one of my books or the many others that are available.  Be patient with yourself.  There are no deadlines to meet.  When you start feeling upset, focus on your breathing, and try to relax.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt to cry.  When times get tough, remember that eventually your new beginning, your Spring, will arrive.  Have faith.  Yes, it’s difficult, but you will get through it.

One other thought, know you are never alone.  Your loved ones in spirit-along with your guides, angels, spirit helpers, whatever you want to call them-are there keeping an eye on you always.

This Spring I’m so looking forward to getting back into my gardening work, planting those seeds and watching them grow.  It is so amazing how that magical journey unfolds. But before we get there…I am very pleased to announce that I’ll be at the Afterlife Conference in Virgina Beach-one of my favorite venues-beginning Friday March 9 and lasting thru the weekend.  Lots of wonderful speakers and presenters, as you can see here:

http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=975447 Hope to meet up with you there, if you can make it!

To all of you, THANKS for being a part of the work I love to do.

 

The Love For Dogs

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At times, people come to me to see if I can connect them with their beloved dogs or kitties that have crossed over.  I’m sort of known to be a medium who animals come to.  Indeed, I’ve had many types of animals-horses, pigs, donkeys, and even iguanas-show up at my sessions.  That’s because pets who have been part of the family are still connected to their owners by Love, and are capable of reconnecting and being reconnected with those of us still here. 
 
In my experience, I’ve seen that for many people, the loss of a pet is often as intense, sometimes even more so, than the loss of a human family member.

For example, last week, I got an email from Lisa, a friend who lost her beloved Logan, a beautiful Golden Retriever.  Lisa words were: “Suzane, I lost my best friend and companion of 14 years.  I buried him in my back yard because I couldn’t bear him being far from me.”   I had gotten to know Logan since he lived in the apartment next to mine for the first several years of his life.  I had Lucky Star at the time.  Lucky was older but tolerated the young pup.  He was a joy who touched many peoples lives.   Of course, Lisa will miss her Logan, but truth be known, their connection continues.  That connection, like the connection during life, can be very healing.

My work has taught me the power of healing and its importance in life.  Indeed, the role that many dogs play as healer, is crucial.  Like Lisa’s dog Logan, many dogs touch the lives of their owners in very powerful ways.  If  you’ve ever seen a child  hugging their dog, or telling the dog about their troubles and heartaches, then you know what I mean.  Indeed, merely stroking a dog can help bring relief.  And obviously, dogs don’t do their healing work for money or  fame-they do it simply because that is what they are about. 
 
Most of you have heard me talk about “Best Friend” in Utah, that wonderful organization which takes in all animals, and turns none away.

I read recently that Best Friend was giving some of the dogs from Michael Vick’s fighting ring a chance to help heal people, most prominently soldiers that have post traumatic stress (PTS) syndrome. A wonderful job for those dogs who also suffered in battle. 
 
Now imagine you have the symptoms of PTS-the anxiety, the stress, and especially the inability to sleep.  One veteran I spoke with told me that the only way he could sleep was if his dog was on the bed with him, because that the only time he feels safe.  In that situation, who wouldn’t want  a dog?
 
As further evidence, a program at Walter Reed – “Paws for Purple Hearts” – provides trained dogs for wounded warriors in wheelchairs. The trainers themselves were service members diagnosed with PTS, according to a story in the Washington Post.   And now the Paws for Purple Hearts program, which began two years ago, has drawn the interest of a cluster of scientists who think that the human-dog relationship may have measurable clinical impact on the health and well-being of patients, including veterans with PTS.  So now, even science is getting in on what we’ve known all along-how valuable dogs can be. Witness the 200 veterans being treated for PTS who are going to become partners with service dogs that have been trained especially for the veterans.

According to American Women Veterans, Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. has recently partnered with the federal government to provide highly trained service dogs to the Veteran’s Administration (VA) for a multi-year scientific study examining the impact that service dogs have on veterans with PTS.   The Guardian Angels study, which is being conducted by the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital of Tampa, Florida, is designed to quantify exactly what it is that veterans with PTS can gain from having a service dog.   I think we know already the answer: unconditional Love, and healing.  Someday, maybe, science will catch up.
 
As I’ve said many times before, even death cannot  destroy the energy of Love. Which is why when our pets cross over, the connection of Love continues, as documented in so many of my readings.  So rest assured that even whey their time here is done, all the Logans and Luckys everywhere will be forever in our hearts, and our connections to them will continue. 
 
Here’s hoping that the news in this August newsletter makes you go out and wag your tail a little bit!  Yes, be happy! it’s still summer, after all!