| Welcome! I am very honored to share with you a dear friend/teacher/mentor and loving Being who shifts energy in spaces and blesses others with soothing balm for the soul. She welcomes illumination and is a co-creator for transcendence. Part of what she is offering here today is, in my own words...a vibrational attunement through prayer. Michele is sharing a beautiful prayer today to help support and comfort during times of grief. On a side-note, I couldn't help it, but want to hear her voice speaking the words, so I called her up and recorded her right over the phone! There are no limits when it comes to soulful work!
| | | | You can listen to the prayer and continue into a meditative space with the music.
Download ebook and prayer text here.
 | The Spiritual Purpose of Grief, Michele DeMoulin | | File Size: | 441 kb | | File Type: | pdf |
Download File
| Giveaway! A signed copy of Loving Grief, by Paul Bennet!
| When Bonnie died, Paul Bennett lost the one person whose loving presence had been pivotal to every decision he made about his future. Loving Grief collects his eloquent reflections, written as he passed through the depth of his grief and into a new life he could not have imagined.
Bonnie's Bridge
An excerpt from Loving Grief by Paul Bennett
Maybe the gift of rituals is the gift of simple presence.
::: One day there were tiger swallowtail butterflies that swooped around me and then followed me a half mile along the creek back toward the car. There was the great blue heron that flew over my head one day and on another day stood in the water watching for fish. There was the hawk that flew low over my head one summer afternoon. There is a healing power in the kind of attention I was paying, in being intensely present to Bonnie’s place. There was a healing power in laying everything else down and being with all my feelings, all of my anguish. And being with my fear, if I couldn’t lay that down. But fear is really about the future. So if you are really here, right now, really present, you can lay the fear down also.
One Sunday in early September, walking down the road to the bridge, I was practicing seeing things with complete presence, and I was practicing breathing with my hand on my heart, a friend’s suggestion for calming myself when my heart is full. As I walked up the road, every tree stood out with its own personality, and I would stop before a tree, riveted, as if I were staring at a gorgeous woman or an ancient magical face. Whole hillsides on either side of the valley seemed vibrantly alive, and I was so present to them that it astounded me. On this magical day I wept for Bonnie, and the people who passed by were practically invisible to me. In this place that we chose to be Bonnie’s, life was vibrating around me.
So is creating a dedicated time and space truly all you need from a ritual? Maybe it is. Maybe the gift of rituals is the gift of simple presence: A ritual makes you completely and honestly here, right now. That can bring deep relief from all the stirring around and talking and wrestling that we do with our emotions. If you give yourself the right ritual – something simple like standing on a bridge with water running under you, or sitting in front of a candle with a picture of that beloved person you are never going to see again – it is so simple. There is absolutely nothing for you to do but to be there. And that is a tremendous gift.
Copyright 2009; used with permission.
Enter name below for a chance to win! | Comments from readers of Loving Grief
“Paul’s book is an excellent and soothing source of continued wisdom.”
-Susan Zimmerman, Author of Rays of Hope in Times of Loss
“Comforting, hopeful and uplifting! This beautifully written book is about love and loss, and about one man’s discovery of growing through loss and finding meaning in it….An inspiring book that will bring comfort and hope to anyone mourning the loss of a love.”
-Marty Tousley, CNS-BC, FT Bereavement Counselor, Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix AZ
“Loving Grief is a sacred text, a guide to the mysteries of grief;… Paul Bennett has defined a space between the living and the dead where hearts can meet He teaches by example how to keep a broken heart open and growing in love. This book is good nourishment for anyone who is ready to go deeply into life and love.”
- KC Conway LCSW, Chicago
“It is one of the best books I’ve read on the grief experience, and I wish that I could purchase hundreds of copies to give away whenever I hear of someone who is newly bereaved.”
-Betty Ann Rutledge
Bereaved Families of Toronto
Best Inspirational Book Fall, 2009
-The Montserrat Review
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| Welcome to Day 7.
Today, we have the lovely Renee guiding us through a journaling exercise, further deepening our intentions for this time of reflection. During this time, we hold space for realignment & reconnection. In the Pagan tradition, Samhain presents us with the opportunity to once more celebrate the cycle of death and rebirth in all things. We can also allow ourselves to get clear by releasing beliefs and behaviors that no longer serve our highest selves and- it also is a time to reflect on our current beliefs and make room for new perspectives, possibilities and miracles.
| | Renee shares her thoughts about what Samhain is-- in her own words...
"The veil is thin, the Witching Hour arrives. The stillness and peace that surrounds us all on this New Year is welcoming as we take those first few breaths just passed midnight. Deep breath in, and you can feel the love of spirits gone before you ... it's a time for reverence and of remembering, reflecting and accepting ... no one is truly just 'gone' .... Loss is merely a journey to another state of being .... take those deep breaths .... and honor this time". | |
Download the worksheet below.
| Samhain Journaling Exercise | | File Size: | 268 kb | | File Type: | pdf |
Download File
| Giveways from Renee! StarSteps Aspects of Self Kits
| | Are you ready to create a 'Divine Ripple'? Are you needing to manifest prosperity in your life? Are you looking to find love? Need to work on your self-esteem? Wanting to take control of your health? I am currently offering specialized and unique-to-your situation StarSteps Aspects of Self Kits. I create a Kit specific to YOU and your EXACT need. The text you receive with your kit is unique to you and you alone.
A kit comes in a small, mesh, drawstring bag and includes the following:
~ 2 sticks of four inch specially chosen incense
~ 1 tea light start-up 'intention candle'
~ 1 votive 'maintenance candle'
~ Text written specific for your intention
| For this special Dia de los Muertos Celebration, I am giving away 3 kits! There will be 3 names drawn for this giveaway! Enter below for a chance to win!
| Welcome to Day 6.
The amazing Lori Lyn Hurley is offering a beautiful blessing in the form of ceremony today. It is lovely and powerful. A way to deepen the connection with our loved ones can start with pure heart and the allowance of energy. She expresses,
"It is in the energetic act of release, in fact, that we allow energy to move with us and through us. With energy flowing through the heart center, we are free to truly connect to our loved ones in spirit." | | | |
You can download ebook here!
| A Ceremony for Release | | File Size: | 854 kb | | File Type: | pdf |
Download File
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| Welcome to Day 5!
Today, I am honored to share with you Maya Zaido, Rebel ReWriter and perspective alchemist (imho). She is sharing with us an incredibly rich and nourishing ebook and tutorial. She offers soothing and supportive tools to help you along. And, she candidly shares her experiences and processes- that I personally use OFTEN! She's definitely carrying some soul medicine and healing wisdom. Enjoy!
| | Download the epack now to experience it's goodness!
| Express -n- deGrief epack | | File Size: | 411 kb | | File Type: | pdf |
Download File
Memorial Collage {Mini Tutorial}
| Day of the Dead Collage Sharing | | File Size: | 3842 kb | | File Type: | pdf |
Download File
Giveaway! Journaling essentials!
| | Jot down your gratitude and change your attitude. Inspiring quotes are sprinkled throughout this journal keep you giving thanks. Includes a durable, flexible cover and elastic band closure for easy travel. By: Studio Oh!
And-
Sakura 5-Piece Gelly Roll Assorted Colors Silver Shadow Pen Set. Silver shadow set displays an extra special touch of care and thoughtfulness with a unique metallic glint outlined in color line. | *Names will be drawn and announced at the end of the week-long event.
| Welcome to Day 4.
We've welcomed the energy of our loved ones to our altars and now... what? Connection and communication with the "dead" for some reason is discouraged and looked at as something scary or unnatural. It should NOT be, imho- and Ronni Ann Hall, professional intuitive, author and Fairy Online School Teacher over at www.designingfairy.com shares her wisdom on this very topic.
| | Signs You've Been Visited. Missing someone special you had lost ? They miss you too.Holidays can be very difficult for many of us who have lost a loved one. The holidays are not the same without their presence. But what if they never really left you? What if, on special occasions, they were very near.My mom, who had crossed over back in 1995, has been an active visitor in my life lately. Without her love and advice on relationships, I would have been lost. Other visitors included my departed grandmother who has dropped in to give me the same crazy advice she would have given when she was in earthly form. And the appearance of Foxy, my beloved red dog, has been very comforting during times I've been overwhelmed with missing her. And, there have been some very unexpected visitors.Last night a dead relative I had no name for visited me. The irony of this visit was I was watching Paranormal State, the television show about college students doing after-death investigations. I got spirit hugged. My legs felt cold and tingling and a rush of energy ran up my body. I felt a presence in the room. I dismissed this as I was super-tired and watching a spooky show, and I have an active imagination. But what happened later, I couldn’t dismiss. After the show, I nervously crawled into bed with Emma Lou, my beloved basset hound by my side, deep under the blankets and then Sarah, my other dog girl, quickly joined us. I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone else was present and it felt female. Shadow Person As soon as I turned off the lights, I saw my very first shadow person. I have to admit, it was seriously creepy. The clock radio diagonal to me that usually blares its light all night long disappeared when the shadow stood in front of it. This dark thing gradually hovered over me on the bed. I jumped upright immediately, and as calm as I could be, turned the lights on while screaming out a few expletives. Gathering my wits, I remembered all my psychic training and kindly let the spirit know that was a big no-no hovering over me while I slept. Then I did what every medium should do, I tuned in. The communication was so clear telepathically, it was unmistakable. ME: Why are you here? SPIRIT: To check on you after everything you have been through this year. ME: Who are you? SPIRIT: Aunt. ME: Why did you scare me like that? SPIRIT: I thought you liked that kind of thing…the show you were watching. (It was obviously an aunt who has a sense of humor.) ME: Please visit when I am awake and not so freaked out. As I tried to fall back to sleep, I had a very clear vision sent to me from this spirit. I saw myself as a child lying in bed with a ton of stuffed animals surrounding me. There was a very small space left for me. The spirit was remarking how now I sleep with real animals covering my bed, and how some things never change. She obviously knew me well as I was a child growing up. I thanked my aunt for the visit, and then called in Archangel Michael to act as a doorkeeper to make sure I didn’t have any other unannounced guests interrupting my slumber. So, how do you know if you've been visited by departed loved ones this holiday season?Signs You've Been Visited: - Your smoke detector goes off. The other day, I was talking out loud to my departed mom hoping for a response. Next thing that happened was my smoke detector started to beep and then wheeze. Ordinarily I would think this was a symptom of a dying battery, but my psychic spot on my head ached at the same time. Our loved ones can manipulate things in the environment especially electrical or mechanical devices.
- Your head hurts. As I previously mentioned, if you are psychically in-tuned, you may have a part of your body that announces the presence of a ghost or other-world-ly. Some folks get chills, others stomach flip-flops, my head will ache. My head will ache a great deal if a spirit insists on my attention. I have a different head ache if a spirit that is around is negative. This is a good warning for me. The ache will also be present with the stomach flip-flop. (I've often felt this with spirits attached to people).
- The dog acts weird. There’s been some nights where my home has been Grand Central Station with ghost visits. Emma Lou seems to flow with whatever is occurring, but Sarah, my little sensitive, will pace the hallways, agitated.
- Intrusive, recurring thoughts. This could be your own active mind, or you have an intruder bothering you. If the thoughts seems very foreign to your own thoughts, even random, especially if it feels like a negative running commentary, simply ask your new friend to take a walk out the door or call in Archangel Michael like I did to be the bouncer.
- Seeing shadows.
- You hear them. If you are clairaudient (clear hearing), you may hear with your inner ear the ghost’s voice. (see #4). This is a great opportunity to ask the spirit what message he/she has for you or to find out who is visiting and why.
- You feel a ghost hug like I did.
Bonus offering from Ronni:
| If you do have a visitor that you don't want in, grab your Doorkeeper to act as a bouncer. Handle those who have died like you would those on this plane. You wouldn't let just anyone in your door, nor should you with Spirit! Be strong and set those boundaries. | |
| Welcome to Day 3!
Today, let's make some art! Monica, a musician & multi-talented artist from Mexico City will guide you through an art journaling tutorial using a Day of the Dead theme in an altered book. She says, "art journaling is a process of having fun and being creative in the moment." It's about play and freeing your creativity! Make sure to sign up for a chance to win some of her art collage sheets for your own altered art journal!
| | A giveaway from Monica! 8 Day of the Dead digital collage sheets... *Names will be drawn and announced at the end of the week-long event.
| Welcome to Day 2. I had the most awesome opportunity to interview Kara Jones, heART-ist, coach, & creative grief educator- and visit with her over Skype! She shares such soul-deep wisdom and offers such beauty and sacredness in her work. There are comforting and soothing elements that she shares as she creates such a sacred container for healing and permission {important one here, I think}. She encourages you to continue to celebrate the lives of our loved ones. This is precious work. What a blessing she is. Watch the video below to hear about her work and her own personal process.
| | Offerings from Kara! Two beautiful tutorials...
| | | Day of the Dead 2009 heARTist Collaboration | | File Size: | 20389 kb | | File Type: | pdf |
Download File
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Welcome to the event! This will be a home base for all sharings, please bookmark this page!
Setting Sacred Space: Creating your altar {ofrenda}.
I began creating this special space with my family yesterday. We have been painting and crafting for this very photo shoot ;)
We saged, cleansed, lit the candles and gazed in awe at our co-creation. Pictures of loved one will go up this evening after a welcoming ceremony.
How is your process for setting space? If you would like to share photos of your altar or ofrenda, please click button below. Today's Giveaway!
Sugar Skull & Butterfly necklace.
Designed by Mary @ Blue Goose Studios
"This fun piece just kind of drew itself together. The butterfly is a symbol of the movement, the transformation, the continuous metamorphosis of everything (in both modern Mexican and ancient Aztec cultures). at 20 1/2 inches long this beautiful turquoise colored necklace goes well with just about everything. Its delightful conversation piece and suitable for all seasons. The skull on this piece is 16mm" *Names will be drawn and announced at the end of the week-long event.
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