Monday, July 7, 2014

Get Moving!: An Angel Message



These are crazy, shifting times -- sometimes we may be trying too hard to make things happen by foolishly compromising and falling short. Wanting to make a change, is it really for the better.  Only time will tell. The ego will prompt any change is a good one, just get moving!  Deep down, if your heart is 100 percent into it, that's a green light.

All things work together for good, eventually.  Remember old fears surface to be healed.  The enormous energy it takes to suppress an emotion can be released.  You feel lighter and more energetic.

Get moving now! came to mind when our next door bachelor neighbor torched the stack of hardwood trees he felled in his backyard.  From our  den window, a circle of flames shot up, so overpowering it could have held back Pharaoh's army.  And my neighbor was standing wide-eyed, holding a limp garden hose, looking bewildered.  The tall hardwoods standing were a sad sight.  Their leafy canopy was beginning to singe from the heat of the fire. I called out to the angels for help, and soon the fire was under control, but my nervous system was drained.  Fire is one of my biggest fears.  My mother's baby sister died in a fire.

Then our new neighbors, on the other side, moved in with truck loads full of overflow items that couldn't fit into the house. Their backyard looked like a scene in Sanford & Son. The family had downsized from a home with a garage.  Even a rental shed couldn't hold all their belongings.

That did it.  It was time to move.  The search began.  We found a place in a rural setting and signed a lease.

After packing up, I began to have doubts.  This new home was more modern, but lacked the old world  charm of our 1927 bungalow within walking distance to the college and downtown. And the beautiful meditation garden I'd worked so hard to create with nature over the years was tugging on my heart. Whenever I thought about the upcoming move, I'd get teary eyed.   I found myself secretly not wanting to move in spite of our troublesome neighbors.  Then, I began to see that the world is my reflection.  I could choose to see the Christ in everyone, to go beyond appearances and judgment.

 Anyway, the week of the move, we stopped by to look at the new location once more. Somehow the house had become smaller. And, it turned out, to be in a flight pattern for landings at the nearby airport for small aircraft.  The early morning sky was puttering with lawnmower engines, breaking up the serenity of country living. 

We knew then it was not the right move.  I unpacked all the moving boxes and re-energized our old bungalow, happy to be at home again.  Maybe I'm learning to accept the what is factor and enjoy life in the moment.

Love and blessings,


Rae Karen

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Easter Lilies: An Angel Message


Lilies are associated with Archangel Gabriel.  It is the flower of birth and awakens the opportunities for new birth on all levels.  The sturdy tall stalk symbolizes the divine mind awakened within a person.  The low hanging leaves represent the humility that comes to life, and the pink hues, the divine love being activated.

The lily is a sacred flower that holds great power. It expands our consciousness; new Life is about to bloom for us.  After the heavy rains recently, the Easter lilies finally bloomed. Everyone is affected by color. We are drawn to those colors that have a message for us.   I love the deep pink hues here, a message to add more Love to all we do and say.  

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and blessings,


Karen

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Hibiscus, An Angel Message


(New hibiscus bloom in the garden this morning)


This colorful  big reddish orange bloom caught my eye early this morning.  After yesterday's rain, she had burst wide open. There's nothing subtle about her energy pattern with its complex diversity. Not only are her five blossoms expansive and beautiful, she continues to open to creative expression in a burst of yellow flowery spikes, that bear their own versatility with five bright red circular heads .  Five is the number of expansion, the pentagon,  going outside the box, and freedom.  Something new is happening, getting ready to blossom.

This exotic flower messenger, the state flower of Hawaii, makes quite a statement.  She is free to be herself.  Her appearance indicates that freedom is our birthright; although we may seem to be unpleasantly stuck in some set of circumstances, mindset, or condition, if we take a hint from hibiscus, we can tune into our inner freedom and become masters of our own glorious destiny. We can put ourselves back in the driver's seat and take responsibility for our own life, truly expressing who we are.

Hibiscus appear freely and consistently on bush-like plants for many weeks although each flower may live only as long as a day. That's why they symbolize rebirth and youthfulness. A message to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, if only for a short time.  Enjoy each moment.  Live in the eternal "now".

It is a flower of new creation.  It stimulates positive feelings of warmth and sexuality.  It reminds us of our own ability to create anew. 

Thank you, Hibiscus for being such a beautiful messenger.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and blessings,


Karen

Friday, May 30, 2014

Iris - Message from the Angels


Let me hear from thee;
For wheresoe'er thou art in this world's globe
I'll have an Iris that shall find thee out.
                    --Shakespeare

Last week the soldering clips on my favorite iris stained glass broke. Elliot discovered  the iris resting on the window ledge, having made quite a drop during the night. It seemed as though the angels had embraced the fall as it had not shattered.  It was protected in its wholeness having "gently" slid down to rest on the window ledge below; although it made a large gash in the window sill.  

The iris came from my Mom as a birthday gift over twenty years ago. At that time, I was beginning a new life; irises held a special meaning for me.  Whenever I came across one, I took it as a sign that God loves me and He's walking with me.  

Recently, I'd taken the message of the iris for granted. So its reminder was a timely one. 
A quick trip to a stained glass artist restored the harmony.  Double soldering both sides, the iris returned to her rightful place by the front door.  A reminder to go with God.

If an iris crosses your path, remember, too, it once was the word used for a rainbow. Whatever you may be going through, the rainbow awaits you. Your victory is assured just keep your focus on God and the angels.

Love and blessings,


Karen 

Thursday, May 15, 2014

A Birthday Angel!

                                               (Special delivery:  A birthday Angel

This month I celebrated my birthday. In preparation for the day,  I had bought a new journal to write down my goals, helpful quotes, watchwords, and inspiration for the new birth year. A birthday marks a new beginning, the old has passed away and  new energy gives us the momentum to start fresh. In her book, Gateways Into Light, Flower Newhouse offers the following guidance:

"On birthdays we meditate upon our guardian Angel, the Kindel Archangel who drew the diagram of our incarnation, the karmic relationships of which this life is made, and our daily and spiritual duties."

I've found that time spent in meditation everyday is important, but especially so on your birthday. A journal is a wonderful reminder throughout the year as to where I am and where I am joyfully going.  On my birthday, I had a special delivery. When I returned home from an outing, an angel had been delivered to our doorstep.  Her message seemed to be: Spread your wings!  I still don't know who the  messenger was, but I am thankful for their thoughtfulness as well as the message.

Enjoy your day with the Angels and spread your wings!

Love and blessings,

Karen


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

An Angel Message from a Meerkat

                                                   (Meerkat, Wikimedia Commons)


Lately the Angels have been directing my attention to many gifts in nature.  On Mother's Day while enjoying a spontaneous dinner picnic at a nearby lake, a family of Sandhill cranes were waiting to greet us.   The two babies, the youngest I've yet to see had fuzzy golden feathers; their long stick like legs blended in with the tall reeds and golden sunlight as they made their way to the water's edge.  Soon an eagle flew by whistling loudly, happily carrying a large fish back to the nest.  I love to be surprised by what nature has to offer; the varieties and messages are endless, and always on purpose, although it may take a little while to discern the meaning.  If you pay attention to nature, you won't be disappointed.

On Monday while exploring a rural part of town in search of an orchid farm, we found ourselves musing about living out in the country.  There is such a feeling of expansiveness, I find myself breathing more easily.  We were traveling on Route 11, when I spotted a strange little critter standing by the side of the road, looking much like the one above. A cute little thing with his big dark rimmed eyes, looking tall on his haunches, I wondered what's the message?  He wasn't an animal I recognized.

At home, I looked up prairie dog, but the picture was all wrong.  Then an idea popped up out of nowhere.  An angel message came to me.  Meercat.  I remembered seeing Meerkats at the zoo in Virginia.  When I saw this photo, I knew it was a hit!

The keynote for these cute little creatures is watchfulness and community.  They have binocular vision, a large peripheral range, and depth perception.  The dark eye markings around their big eyes are like built in sunglasses.  Watchfulness also includes listening, and they are equipped with ears that stick out from the side of their heads for better hearing. That's exactly what my "friend" was doing when we drove by; being vigilant, or else he was just hoping to get a ride back to town.  

It's interesting that Meerkats live in large communities (colonies) underground, keeping cool from the hot sun.  They use their strength to dig complex underground burrows.  It's amazing that they can shovel dirt several hundred times their body weight.  Some of the tunnels are up to ten feet deep with winding interconnected tunnels. Some have as many as 20 different entrances and exits.

When the Meerkat caught my attention, I thought about the message.  Lots of unseen activity is going on below the surface, so don't be fooled by appearances.  There are many doors for coming and going to keep up the flow of energy and ease of access.  It's through a sense of community, working together that we can live in harmony.  These mammals each have a particular job they like best (babysitter, guard, builder, etc.) but often rotate as well.  Group cooperation is another keyword for the Meerkat.  This one seemed to be saying:  Don't move out of town in isolation, stay in the community where you are. Meerkat is a reminder to be sure to turn to your friends for support.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and blessings,


Karen 





Friday, May 2, 2014

A Prayer of Gratitude

                                          NASA Apollo 8 Sunrise on Planet Earth



If the only prayer you say in your whole life is
"thank you," that would be enough.
             --MEISTER ECKHART



Each day begins anew. Yesterday is gone, the past is over,  and the slate wiped clean.  I love this NASA photo of the Earth's sunrise taken from Apollo 8. Sometimes it helps to see the big picture; out of the darkness comes light, illumining our way.  Before getting out of bed, I find taking time to welcome God and the angels into the day brings more harmony into my  daily activities.  Keeping my thoughts light-filled, I attract more peace, joy, and divine love.  That's not to say that my ego doesn't try to grab my attention with some by-gone drama.  This is where willingness comes in, to choose again which thoughts I will entertain today.  Will I be host to the Holy Spirit or a prisoner of the ego?  I will experience the results of my choosing and that, too, is God's gift of free will.

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and blessings,


Karen

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Angel Message from a Hummingbird

                                           (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)


Life is sometimes presented in such a contrast.  Elliot and I were enjoying the warm weather on Saturday when out of the blue, five jets roared in formation, flying low above the treetops across the street. Passing over our house, the decibels were ear shattering not to mention unexpected. Theo, our friendly stray cat,  took off with his tail in the air, hiding in the crawl space under the house.

Before long, nature sent a more gentle winged one.  There is something joyful about seeing a hummingbird close up.  He enjoyed sipping nectar from the tall orange spiked aloe vera blossoms.  I held my breath not wanting to frighten him away.   I read that these dainty little birds sometimes eat 50 meals a day!

Our garden guest also had a ruby throat and jewel colored markings (as in the photo).  It's amazing  something this small has so much will power to keep on going. It can reach a high speed as it takes off and can stop also immediately in flight. It can fly backward, forward, sideways or hover in the air. Hummingbirds cannot walk, but fly everywhere.  A reminder that if we really enjoy what we are doing we become light as a feather and life is rich with the sweetness of nectar.

The ruby-throated hummingbird is a wonder as they have been known to make a journey 2500 miles or more from Alaska to Central America.  Because of this feat, this fascinating bird is a symbol for doing that which seems impossible.  In Animal Speak, author Ted Andrews states: "It will teach you how to find the miracle of joyful living from your own life circumstances."  

Enjoy your day with the Angels, and remember that you live and move and have your being in an "atmosphere" of Divine Love.

Love and blessings,


Karen

P.S. I was guided to look up the symbolism of aloe.  It is a plant used in the treatment of burns.  The message of the aloe: time to soothe the irritations we are experiencing.  Are we being too sensitive? Or are we ignoring our sensitivities?

Nature is always communicating but we need to listen.   

Sunday, April 20, 2014

For He Has Risen...


Happy Easter!


Love and blessings,


Karen

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Angel Message from A Dragonfly


(dragonfly high up in the tree)                                    
Yesterday afternoon I took a break and sat down in the den.  From the large window, I can see the treetops. It gives me a feeling of being in a tree house, surrounded by nature.  All of a sudden my attention was drawn to the tiniest detail.  With such an expansive view, I wondered how I could spot a dragonfly perched high on a branch tip?  It seemed too good to be true; as I have always had a fondness for these beautiful delicate creatures. 

 I grabbed my camera to make sure. Steadying the zoom, I was delighted to see it was a beautiful blue dragonfly!  It seemed quite content to rest in the warmth of the afternoon sun and enjoy the view of the garden, right up there with the blue sky.

I took several photos, but for some reason my zoom wouldn't magnify to full-throttle.  Out of quiet respect for my little friend, I stopped trying, not wanting to disturb her peace. This one would have to suffice.

The visit seemed so deliberate that I recognized it was an angel message from nature.   

I looked up the symbolism in Medicine Cards (by Sams and Carson).  Dragonfly breaks illusions.  It is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment, and communications from the elemental world.  Dragonfly always beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which you need to change.  Call on Dragonfly energy to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation.  See how you can apply the art of illusion to your present question or situation, and remember that things are never completely as they seem.

When I finished reading, dragonfly was still there. I thanked her for being a messenger.  It's amazing how the universe sends you  what you need the most.  The inner-connection I felt with nature in that moment made me feel an overwhelmingly precious touch of  tender love for all life.  God is in the details.  "Things are never completely as they seem."

Enjoy your day with the Angels.

Love and blessings,


Karen

Monday, April 14, 2014

Jesus of Nazareth - The Film


                                           (Wikimedia Commons)


During Easter week, Elliot and I like to watch the film Jesus of Nazareth. A 1977 British-Italian mini-series co-written and directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Robert Powell as Jesus. The story of his life is told in a simple and straightforward way by an all-star cast. There is no attempt at sensationalism.  "The story, in all its simplicity is allowed to make its own impact." (William Barclay, author of Jesus of Nazareth)

Last night after watching the film, I woke up in the middle of the night recalling a scene from the movie. Judas was talking to Jesus by the light of the campfire. He thought he knew the answer to Jesus being accepted as the Messiah. He only needed a hearing with the Sanhedrin to convince them of the truth. Jesus' eyes had as much impact as his words in that moment. Judas you are thinking with your head.  Think, with your heart.  

I was reminded of how Judas unlike the other disciples had no trade, but was a learned man who could read and write. He was ruled by the power of the intellect.  When the truth was finally revealed to Judas, he couldn't live with the deception, and took his own life, before he could witness the victory of the resurrection. 

It got me to thinking about how often I try to solve things with my own head and not my heart, yielding to the wisdom of Divine Love.

If you'd like to see this remarkable film, it's available on amazon.com and there are clips on youtube.

Love and blessings,


Karen 



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Sunday, April 13, 2014

Holy Week - A Time for Reflection

                                                  Wikimedia Commons
                                                 

This is Palm Sunday, the celebration of victory 
and the acceptance of truth.  
                                                  A Course in Miracles

Today begins Holy Week, the journey that fulfilled the mission of Christ. "I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly." (John 10:10)  The egg is a wonderful metaphor.  Christ demonstrated that we are more than we can presently perceive with our physical senses.  Within each of us, there is a pure consciousness just waiting to be born and soar to new heights.  Christ is the Way.   

May you feel His Love and the holy angels enfolding you this blessed week.

Love and blessings,


Karen