Spirit Guides and Angels Archives

Sometimes Our Plans Are Too Small

We may have big visions for our future … but sometimes, our plans to get there are simply too small. If we stick to both our big vision and our small plan, we inevitably find ourselves in struggle. The two simply don’t go together. Taking action is like pulling teeth. Nothing flows easily.

If we’re lucky, we have a lightbulb moment and allow our plans to get bigger.

I just experienced the big vision/small plan struggle for myself. I have very big visions for my business. I also had a plan to create an audio program called “Sacred Money.” My work lately has quite naturally become focused on financial abundance for spiritual seekers, healers and transformational professionals. I was very convinced that this audio program would be a great idea … but somehow, it just would not allow itself to be written.

I procrastinated. I delayed. Both are very unusual for me. I finally got myself pinned down under my laptop to write, only to find myself squirming. After another two days of discomfort and unmotivated writing, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The information was flowing, but the format was not. And it dawned on me that this was not an audio program … apparently, I was writing a book.

Oh, dear. THIS was not my PLAN! (Meanwhile picture my Spirit Guides jumping down enthusiastically, because I’m finally on board with my own big vision.)

I love writing … but writing a book? Never mind the time and effort that goes into actually marketing a book! Did I mention this was NOT my PLAN? TO calm down, I called a few friends and complained that I was, apparently, writing a book! Then I sat down, took a deep breath, and emailed the most accomplished book-marketing guru I know (who, incidentally, charges $6K for his consulting sessions … but if I’m going to do this, I’m going to DO THIS).

I found myself telling my Guide team, out loud in the middle of my office: “Okay. I’m going to say ‘Yes’ to this. I’m in. Let’s go big.” Then a big wave of indescribable something wooshed over me, and I burst into tears. I always know that I’m deeply connected to Spirit when I start crying.

Needless to say, everything I had planned for my business changed in an instant … and of course, it all makes so much more sense now. The pieces that wouldn’t quite fit together now align. Forward movement is suddenly so easy, it’s almost effortless. And did I mention that, not even a minute later, I was blessed with a new mentoring client? Like a reassuring hug from the Universe, telling me that big is definitely the way to go.

If you’re stuck, maybe your plans are too small for your vision. What if you went really, really big? Would everything perhaps come together so much more easily? Maybe you’re ready for more than you think!

Blessings,
Andrea

Imaginary obstacles

When I asked my Guides for inspiration for this article, the phrase “tilting at windmills” kept turning around and around in my head. Although it was a familiar saying, I looked it up. The phrase has its origin in the story of Don Quixote, the would-be knight who tried to battle windmills, thinking they were giants. The phrase has come to mean “attacking imaginary enemies.”

We all spend a great deal of time and energy attacking imaginary enemies. I certainly do! Who are our imaginary enemies? The obstacles that are between us and the life we want. When we conceive of a desired outcome, we tend to focus our attention on what appears to be in our way. We try to figure out a way to overcome the perceived obstacle, and then we implement a plan. We work hard. We may struggle to overcome what seems to be working against us. Sometimes life feels like an uphill battle, with one obstacle after another presenting itself.

But what if the obstacle isn’t really there at all? What if we’ve created an enemy in our reality – a giant to be fought, when it is really just a windmill, sitting there? What if every obstacle to happiness and fulfillment in our life right now exists only in our perception?

I know, I know. Our mind will tell us that there are real and valid issues and problems to be overcome in life right now – a lack of resources, knowledge, money, time, the “right” people with the “right” connections. Our mind will tell us to be “realistic.” But what if our mind is wrong? Problems give the mind a great deal of power, after all. Obstacles and issues create lots and lots of thought. Imagine if you had nothing to overcome. What would your mind do with itself?

Imagine for a moment, that there is absolutely nothing keeping you from your dreams. Sure, you may not know exactly how you’re going to make them a reality. Your mind will want to make this another obstacle. But is it? We could simply ask our Higher Self and Spirit Guides to show us the next step, and then take that step. Not knowing the exact path from where we stand right now is a windmill. It is not a giant that we must battle.

What about the big “issues” looming in front of you – what if they did not exist? What would you do differently? How much of what you’d do differently is already available to you, right now?

Whatever we focus on, expands. Focus on obstacles, and they will grow until they are all that we can see. They will become huge and threatening, like giants. But focus on what we want to create, and obstacles turn into mere circumstances that dot the scenery of our lives. With spiritual guidance, we can simply keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking one step and then the next. Before we know it, we’ve walked through a field of windmills.

For the next day or two, notice when you focus on a problem or obstacle in your life. In those moments, remember that nothing is in your way. Don’t fight the windmills.

Blessings,
Andrea

Are you longing to create a business that is the expression of your truest Self? My friend Tom Volkar of Delightful Work is starting 5 Days of Authentic Business Discovery on September 29th. It may be the perfect way to discover your next step! Click here to view more details

Super-Charged Prayer

After stating in my last post that prayers are always answered – even though we may not always recognize those answers – I now have to follow up that post by talking about the exception to that rule.

The Problem

Prayers are always answered … except when the energy of our prayers goes nowhere. Some people do pray a lot, but the energy of their requests never actually leaves their own auric field. Simply put, sometimes our prayers are intercepted by negative influences. Negative Spirit Guides or negative attaching entities can snuff out or hijack our prayers, leaving us feeling unheard and unsupported by our spiritual resources. Our own negative thought forms can even counteract our positive prayer energy, effectively canceling out our requests.

The Prayer Mechanism

How does prayer actually work? Well, there are Beings available to each of us whose service to Spirit consists of transporting the energy of our prayers. They are called “White Lights” because that’s exactly what they look like – softball sized spheres of white light energy. Every once in a while, they show up in photographs.

When we issue a prayer request, it is these Beings who make sure that this energy is transported to the appropriate spiritual resources – the realms of the various Archangels, or other assisting organizations in Spirit, for example. The more we pray, the more we attract White Light beings to transport our prayers. Eventually, we begin attracting Blue Lights, which are like White Like beings on steroids. They travel faster, and prayers manifest more quickly once we’ve been gifted with Blue Lights.

If our prayers are “hijacked” by negative influences, they never reach our little White Light helpers. The energy of our prayers dissipates within our aura, going nowhere. Fewer and fewer White Lights become available to us, until we have none. This is not a permanent situation – we can attract White Light beings at any time by requesting them.

The Solution

Negative influences can never interfere with our intent. Free will is a powerful force, and if we consciously direct our prayers to the appropriate resources, we can be assured that the energy goes where it is intended. By consciously requesting the assistance of our White Light helpers, we can ensure that our prayers are effective.

The next time you pray, imagine placing the energy of your request into a White Light. Ask for that White Light to be surrounded by violet fire and ultra-violet light. This further protects your prayer from any negativity. Now ask the White Light to transport your prayer to the appropriate spiritual resources, in alignment with your highest path and purpose. Imagine the sphere of White Light zooming away into the Universe, carrying your prayer with it. Remember to let it go … after all, how our prayers are answered isn’t up to us!

If you feel that your prayers often go unheard, this simple visualization will prevent any possible negative influences from interfering with your request. Even if you feel your requests are usually answered, this technique may just super-charge your prayer practice!

Blessings,
Andrea

Cultivating Inner Wisdom

Information is good. Like most teachers, I love learning. New information can expand our existing frame of reference. It can open doors we never even knew existed. New information can blow the roof off of our belief system and create lots of expansion.

Information can also lead to confusion and overwhelm. There is just so much of it coming our way, all day long. Our minds have become addicted to constant input. Collectively, we have become information junkies. Most importantly, we have become accustomed to receiving our answers from outside of ourselves. Information has begun separating us from our inner wisdom.

Don’t get me wrong – sometimes information is exactly what we need! The way I see it, the cycle of growth and expansion goes roughly like this:

Stage One: Dissatisfaction Something is bothering us. Whether that is a slight dissatisfaction within a relationship or a major lack of cash flow in our business, life is not as we want it to be.

Stage Two: Information gathering This is where we google our hearts out, looking for answers to our discomfort. We go out and buy books, read articles, attend workshops, and participate in teleclasses. We talk to our friends, our parents, or whatever experts we can find.

Stage Three: Integration We have gathered lots of information. Now it’s time to decide on a course of action – preferably the one that is exactly right for us. This is where we take all that information and apply the filter of our inner wisdom to what we have learned.

Stage Four: Action and Resolution Now that we’ve put information together with inner wisdom, we are ready to take action. Because we’ve been guided by our inner wisdom, we are clear in our intent. We may be moving outside of our comfort zone, but we are certain of our choices. Our actions are likely to create desired results.

When Integration Goes Missing

What happens if we move straight from gathering information to taking action? It happens all the time! when the critical stage of integration goes missing, we often get the following results:

1. We don’t take any action at all Every piece of information we gather simply creates confusion. We’re high on what one expert says one day, but lose our enthusiasm the next. Inevitably, we do more research. Paralysis by analysis sets in. There are too many options, too many decisions to be made. Oddly enough, we may feel very busy and productive, even though we are not taking action beyond gathering information.

2. We take action that does not yield the desired result. We’re so ready to resolve our discomfort that we allow ourselves to be told what to do. Without applying any personal discernment, we follow someone else’s “proven system” to the letter. Much to our surprise, we either lose our enthusiasm half-way through, or do not create the desired results. Mind you, I’m not saying that there aren’t some excellent “proven systems” out there that actually work! I’m just saying that all tools need to be applied through the filter of our inner wisdom.

3. We take way more action than we need to. We’re not quite sure which course of action to follow … and so we implement three or five or ten solutions all at once. Let’s say the discomfort is a lack of clients in our business. We advertise in ten different places. We implement eight strategies to build website traffic. At the same time, we create a bunch of new products, offer a few new services, start a new blog, and end up completely exhausted. Maybe one of those strategies yields actual results, maybe not.

Cultivating Inner Wisdom

How do we make sure we don’t just blow right past that essential integration stage? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Set a time limit (and maybe also a budget!) for your information gathering. Whether that’s an hour spent online researching a particular topic, an afternoon in the bookstore, or taking a week or so to find a class or training program – set a time limit and then stop. Allocating a reasonable amount of time for your information gathering will ensure that you do not go into overload. It also ensures that you will eventually move forward into action.

2. Now that you’re done gathering information, go on an information fast. Stop reading all books, listening to all podcasts, and talking to your friends about the topic. No more input! I suggest that whenever you feel the desire to feed your mind with more information, start journaling on the topic instead. You’ll be surprised at how much you know. The act of writing may even lead you to exactly the solution you need.

3. Focus on the desired outcome, not on how you will get there. How will you feel when the situation has been resolved through your actions? Who will you be? What will have changed, not so much in your external circumstances, but within you? From tuning into this state of being, what action are you most drawn to right now?

4. There are two kinds of available choices to which you will want to pay a special amount of attention. The first is the course of action that gets you excited, happy, and eager. This path may involve expressing your gifts and talents. The other course of action that you may want to embrace is the one that makes you uncomfortable by taking you beyond your comfort zone. If a possible path makes you squirm a bit, it might be exactly what you need!

5. When in doubt, do nothing. When you act out of the energy of confusion, you invariably create more confusion. Be with your uncertainty, rather than trying to force a solution right now. Be comfortable with the state of “I don’t know.” You don’t have to know your course of action right now. It’s okay not to know – don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. In cultivating inner wisdom, we are asking our minds to be quiet and our Spirits to speak. When we allow the mind the luxury of not having an answer, our Spirit has much more of a chance to get a word in edgewise.

6. The only choice you can make is the one that is immediately in front of you. Make the decisions you can act on today. If the available choice is not clear, then perhaps the time for that choice has not yet come. If you find yourself agonizing over a decision that you cannot act on for another two weeks, focus on what you can do today to put yourself into a calmer, more peaceful state.

How do you integrate information and inner wisdom? Leave your comment and share!

Blessings,
Andrea

Is Your Intuition Wrong?

Have you ever taken action on intuitive guidance – and nothing happened? You may have felt intensely drawn to a real estate listing, only to look at the home and leave disappointed. You may have excitedly applied for a job that felt like it was meant just for you, only to not even get an interview. Or gone out on a date with someone you were excited about, only to have a very boring experience. Sometimes we feel so guided in our actions, but the results don’t seem particularly positive. We are left questioning ourselves and our intuition. Are we just imagining our intuitive impulses?

Actually, our intuition may be working just fine! Here are a few reasons why it sometimes feels as if our intuition has let us down:

The intuitive impulse was accurate, but our mind assumed a specific outcome.

We may be looking for a new home. A real estate listing resonates with us and we receive the intuitive impulse to go and check it out. So far, so good. But now our mind attaches meaning and outcome to the intuitive guidance – that this is the house we will live in. In actuality, maybe our Spirit Guides just wanted us to check out that particular neighborhood. Because we’ve already created an expected outcome, the actual benefits of this intuitive guidance may go unnoticed.

The guidance serves to refine our intent.

Sometimes our intent is too general. For example, we may think we want a job in a particular field that pays a specific income. But when we go and interview with a large corporation, we realize that we also really want to work within a small company. Until we were guided towards this particular interview, we had no way of knowing this about ourselves. Our intuitive guidance assisted us in gaining clarity, so that we can manifest a job that truly serves us. If our expectation, however, was to find a job based on this particular interview, then we may be disappointed.

The guidance serves to expand our frame of reference.

Our Higher Self and Spirit Guides have to work within what we know. For example, I understand nothing about the stock market. If I tried to apply my intuition to buying stocks, I would be miserably inaccurate and lose a lot of money! The workings of the stock market are outside of my frame of reference. Every once in a while, we are sent into a direction that expands what we know of the world. In the examples I used previously, we may be sent to see a home for sale in order to create an accurate frame of references for current housing prices. Or maybe we are sent on a job interview so that we can have an accurate frame of reference for the types of benefits some companies offer.

The guidance serves to take us to the next step.

Maybe our Guides and Higher Self send us to check out a home for sale so that we would meet a particular realtor. Meeting a realtor that would truly serve our highest good in our search for a new home is the next step on our journey. Your Spirit Guides might nudge you to go out with someone so that you can end up with a referral to their massage therapist. You might be led to attend a workshop in order to meet a future business partner. If we are only focused on a specific end result, we may miss out on many of the resources that intuitive guidance provides for us along the way.

The next time you feel as if your intuition led you astray, ask yourself what you truly received from the experience of acting on guidance. Let go of your expectations, so that you can witness how beautifully supported you are – even though that support may come in unanticipated ways.

Blessings,
Andrea

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