When God closes a door...

I'm sure you've heard the saying (and I'm probably hugely missaying it, but I think I got it from Sound of Music)... when God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.

Today, that could not be more true. Some big doors closed today - and it seems just as many windows opened.

I'm not entirely sure whether to laugh, cry or scream... but I'm smiling and that's got to say something. Maybe I really am making progress with my faith in the universe - maybe I am finally trusting and allowing.

Because, you know, the universe works in mysterious ways - and we can't possibly understand it's ways until we come out the other side.

A Space to Expand Into..

I had another great reading on Saturday with my favourite psychic, Angie. One thing that came up in relation to my move to the suburbs was this notion of peace.

I love many of the things that the city has to offer - the movie nights with friends, the restaurants, and definitely the big city paychecks. BUT (and this is a big but), I find it hard to breathe here. Not literally, but psychically, spacially. It's like I feel cramped at all times. The minute I leave the city, whether by air, car, train or other, I almost immediately feel my blood pressure drop.

We talked about this and about personal space in general - that sensitive people, people who are open and working on their connection to the sacred, often have extended fields of energy or auric fields, if you will. And the problem with having these big auric fields is that when you're sitting in a cramped streetcar - there are literally 20 people sitting, thinking, talking, venting, crying, laughing, etc. IN YOUR FIELD. This can make you crazy as you cycle through these emotions yourself... feeling the cumulative stress of every single person on the car. And there's a lot of stress on my streetcar - it rolls right through the financial district.

She talked about me needing to make my field smaller - keep it closer to my body and control it a little more in the city.

But the real solution, it was agreed, was for me was to get out of the city - be able to walk to the lake, be in a forest, see the sky (I miss the sky sometimes, the condos do a good job of blocking it out). She said that this would be a life-changing move for me, in that it would renew creative juices and reconnect me with nature. Even having a garden in the backyard would ground me and remind me of what really matters (and it ain't the big city paycheck).

It's amazing how overlooked the value of geography is in our spiritual path. Angie reminded me of how the Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert remarked on Oprah how much her new house has changed her. That after all that traveling, all that prayer, all that meditation, a simple little house can transform a life too.

I feel it will be that way for me too - a little retreat where I can extend my auric field as far as it will go :)

Clairvoyants, Psychics and Hacks - Oh My!

Back from my holiday but not quite in the swing of things just yet. I promise to get back into the habit of thinking deeply and blogging about interesting things shortly.

In the meantime, I am getting excited about this weekend - mostly because of my annual present to myself... a psychic reading from my good friend Angie Aristone. She's a wonderful woman who always points me in the right direction... or at least to the right book (and sometimes that's all you need).

If there's anyone reading this who hasn't ever had a reading by a legitimate medium/clairvoyant, I highly recommend it. That being said, I fear that for every legitimate one there are ten hacks waiting to take your money. I have personally had some hilarious readings by the worst kinds of hacks (mostly at psychic fairs, which bring them out in droves).

How to tell a hack from a real psychic... (in my humblest opinion)

1) Hacks use props. Now... I will say that tarot cards are great tools, and sometimes necessary for beginners and those trying to tap into their intuitive powers for the first time but experienced, gifted psychics would probably see them as a crutch. Same goes for crystal balls (oh god), pendulums, candles, ouija or any other kind of physical tool. The best psychics I've come across don't use anything except maybe a tape recorder, for your benefit.

2) Hacks will bombard you with "proof" of their gift. Call it massive overcompensation, a hack will feel compelled to tell you just how good they are - they may have testimonials by the truck load, celebrity endorsements or my personal favourite - pictures of their aura. All of this will undoubtedly PROVE that they are talented and that you should pay them more money. Personally, every celebrity-endorsed psychic I've ever gone to (there have been a few) has been completely and utterly full of $#^&.

3) Hacks charge by the minute and/or can be found in the yellow pages. Please. A good psychic rarely needs to advertise. The few ones I know have a very steady client base and months waiting lists. They don't need psychic fairs or midnight television ads to drum up business. Want a good psychic? Get a referral from someone you trust. Word of mouth generally yields the best candidates.

4) Hacks ask a lot of questions. Don't get me wrong... there's no fault in trying to clarify something. From time to time Angie may get an image or in some instances a full-blown movie playing in her head. She'll describe it, in vivid detail... and may ask something like - is that your grandfather or uncle? But it's a far cry from general questions some "psychics" ask like "did you recently finish some kind of schooling or take some classes?" ... questions like these apply to almost everyone in their 20s - and are easy fishing techniques to get info off of you. A good psychic should give you validations, not ask for them.


All in all it may be hard for some to find a psychic they trust. But talking with the other side or getting clues about future events is a real thrill. Everything, of course, should always be taken with a grain of salt, because let's not forget we all have free will - and psychics can only tell you what is most probable to happen.

That being said, I can't wait to find out what my next couple of years will probably yield.

Out of Mind, Into Body

Relaxation cannot be underestimated for its regenerative properties. A time for the body and the mind to shed excess stress and remember itself free of the daily grind.

For me personally it's a time to get a little perspective, see things from a bit of a distance. I'm so in my head these days that I need to reground myself in my body... and sadly it often takes a trip away from this cerebral city to do so.

And so, with this in mind (and body), I am off to visit the sun, the surf and hopefully scuba dive among some beautiful Bahamian coral reef. I plan to regenerate, recuperate and relax in all the most indulgent ways. My own little micro Eat, Pray, Love... but more like Eat, Swim, Sleep... and maybe only slightly less enlightening (by the by, if you have not yet read the aforementioned book... it really is a happy and enjoyable read - what are you waiting for).

I will return to my regular blogging by April 24th.

If you're missing your daily fix of Silly Buddha, why not peruse my archives... lots to read there.

I'll send each of you, my readers, a little bit of relaxation and sunshine from my destination.
Namaste.
Diana

That's A Lot of Labels

I was waiting for the elevator, on my way up to my office this morning when a guy from my floor approached. He's from my neighbouring office and he and I see each other often. We usually make small talk in the elevator. He's got a good sense of humour and it's fun to banter with him.

So I pulled out my earbuds and starting stowing my fancy iPod when he commented on it. I laughed, said I was a big of a tekkie. He nodded appreciatively. I continued (why? I don't know) to say that I was a fan of gadgets - I believe I may have even used the term "gadget-lover" and then went on to say that I was also an avid gamer. Not sure why I felt the need to disclose...

His response? "That's a lot of labels."

Jesus. He was so right. It took all of two seconds for him to figure me out.

Let this be a reminder to me that the greatest spiritual teachers come from the most unexpected places  .. and today's lesson was "stop labeling yourself - because you are infinite".

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Happy Return(s)?

I'm fascinated by my recent discovery of "Saturn Returns". I had heard the term a couple of times before during various astronomy readings and courses I've attended... but it never quite hit me that it was as powerful as I'm beginning to understand it is.

The all-knowing Wikipedia defines a Saturn Return as:

a regular astronomical occurrence relevant to the science of astrology to occur in a person's life at approximately 27–30 years of age and again around the age of 58–60, with the third and usually final occurrence around 86-88. The planet Saturn takes approximately 29.5 years to orbit the Sun; when it returns to the exact degree along the ecliptic it occupied at the time of a person's birth this is referred to as their "Saturn Return".

And it sure does explain some big changes in the lives of the people that I know. For one, I keep making fun of my husband's rather exciting 3 years (spanning 27-30 wouldn't you know)... He got up the courage to leave a toxic marriage, met me, married me and changed his job (twice) during his Saturn return. A lot of big changes in a small amount of time. And he's never been happier!

I am slowly (or not so slowly) approaching my Saturn return and already I feel the changes on the horizon. My parents are also approaching their Saturn returns. Will be interesting to see how that manifests.

The more I read, the more I'm beginning to understand the power of this marker. Through discussions with my father, who is "cracking the code to the universe" and attempting to understand the symphony of the spheres, I've come to believe that the planets really do affect us more than we will admit.

BUT - I wonder how a specific location of Saturn could affect us. If it has nothing to do with proximity, could it have something to do with frequency? Is the "sound" of Saturn at a particular angle or position meant to trigger some internal alarm clock? It would be interesting if it were indeed some kind of cosmic trigger... So that just in case you were completely ignoring your true calling and your heart's desire, Saturn comes around and kicks your ass back into the flow of your true purpose.

Please do comment if you know more about this. I'm very interested to hear how (and if) Saturn kicked your ass.

Personal Anarchy

The weather here has finally broken its icy spell and that little bit of warmth and sunshine is going a long way for me. There is something so incredibly redemptive about spring - which is likely why it's always been my favourite season. Spring, unlike any other season, epitomizes hope. And when the trees, the flowers, the crop all open their eyes to peek .. "is it okay to come out yet?" I, too, feel a bit of that urge. Is it okay? Can I come out now? And the answer comes with the sun, a booming YES. It's okay.

All things are beginning to feel possible again - and that positivity is melting away inhibitions that have been holding me back.

One particular thing I have noticed about myself lately (that I think has been holding me back) is that I've turned my life into a democratic process. My future is up for vote.

It seems that in the midst of attempting to make some significant life changes, I've been quietly but steadily polling everyone I meet. When I say "I'm thinking of moving to so-and-so..." there is so much more happening there. Instead, I realize that I'm actually saying "What do you think of me moving to so-and-so?" and then I spend the next half hour listening to them list off the places THEY think I should move to - which forces me to accommodate their intentions, while defending mine.

But in a funny twist, I'm not the only one polling. To my amusement, my husband has been just as guilty as me. I hear him on the phone with every friend and relative who will chat... "We're thinking of moving to so-and-so..." but he's really saying "What do you think of us moving to so-and-so?"

And then, because we're becoming master pollsters - when we get home after work we exchange all of the acquired data. "My boss thinks we should look here instead," or "My best friend thinks we're giving up on that other place too easily."

But since when is my life a democracy? When did I decide to give that power away? When did I stop making decisions and start taking votes?

At least now that I've put my consciousness on it (and my husband's) it's easier to catch myself in the act of polling. And hopefully that'll clear up some room for me to listen to what I really want, instead of what I've convinced myself I should want. Because yikes, I think we've all seen how elections can go horribly horribly wrong. And my life is too important to leave it up to other people.

Here's to being my own personal little anarchist.

The Beginning of the End?

Maybe it's because I've been feeling slightly nihilistic while contemplating the impossible real estate market of Toronto - but I've been surrounded lately by all kinds of doomsday talk lately. It seems to be either following me, or it has officially snuck its way into the zeitgeist.

Whether it's talk of economic ruin, or global warming melting ice caps and causing more volcanic activity... or the fact that the country that torments Tibet now controls the weather... I'm starting to feel a bit of the sense that the future really is a bit ... fucked?

And on one hand I know that we, as the type of entities that we are, will outlive the planet's destruction, probably in our other form (non-physical)... but on the other... What does it say about us as a species that we can do this to our home? What is being accomplished? What are we really learning?

History repeats itself. This is not a cliché . It's a fact. But why? Aren't we better than that?

So here's where my big theory about the universe melts down. If we are indeed advanced spiritual beings - as I believe we are - what's the deal with the lack of big picture learning? What's with the destructiveness? Or is this part of a bigger learning curve? Are we pushing boundaries to see if we will rise to the occasion or if we will fall? Are we testing ourselves and our "humanity"?

Whatever it is, I'm desperately trying to feel optimistic. We'll find an alternative to fossil fuels, right? We'll curb global warming before water levels eat up the coasts... right? Right?????

LOL. Maybe I should stick to worrying about real estate.