Signs, Signs, Everywhere there's signs!

I need a SIGN!!

We often ask for signs. We ask our deities to show us signs for things. We ask our spirit guides to show us a sign. We, as humans, seem to need to see "signs" of so many things. Signs of the future. Signs that we are on the right path. 

I do believe that spirit gives us these signs. But I also believe that we oftentimes neglect to notice the signs that we are given. 

Most recently, I have been meditating on a certain topic repeatedly. I am not sure why I do it repeatedly, especially after having been shown signs already. Maybe I am looking for more concrete direction? A step by step breakdown of what's to come. But, alas, spirit will not hold my hand and walk down my path for me. That feat of humanity, I must do on my own. Hence, I have had to be grateful for the signs I requested, despite not being necessarily HAPPY with them! 

My Recent Signs...

Lately, the signs for me have been continually saying "4 months". I have had the four month concept come up on four separate occasions over the weekend. Four months... Spring time.... March... and for someone who lives in this day and age, waiting four months is a bit of a challenge to be honest. 

The first sign came when I was analyzing a friends' dream in which there was a birdhouse. A birdhouse in your dream can signify quite a few different things, but one of the things it signifies is the springtime. (Spring in the USA is around March and April). The next sign came when my significant other was telling me about HIS dream. In his dream, he was dismayed that his college aged daughter had kept the heads of lettuce that he had given her for FOUR months! In his dream, he kept explaining to her that "that lettuce is four months old, you have to get rid of it!"  Then, the same sign came to me more directly; not once, but TWICE; in my own dreams- with my spirit guides repeatedly telling me "four months". 

But, four months for WHAT exactly? And you see, that's just the tricky thing about getting signs... they are often much like getting clues to a hidden treasure- cryptic to say the least! 

Of course, it stands to reason that the answer of "four months" is the answer to the issue I was meditating on. And, I can also tell you that four months just seems so far away! 

In contemplating this - it occurred to me that the reason for my anxiety about it being four months away, lied more with the anxiety of what I would be doing for the three months BEFORE that time. And as we know, all emotions really only stem from TWO emotions - fear and love. This anxiety was clearly the result of fear. A fear of the unknown that was to occur within the next three months leading up to that fourth month. 

Let's Take a Second Look Here....

But then I looked at it from a different angle. I looked at it from the eyes of my spirit guides who showed me that information. If I were them, having just given a message of HOPE to someone, I would feel as though they were ungrateful for that message if they continued to perseverate on the unknown three months prior, rather than revel in the beauty and knowledge of the prize that is coming in four months. 

Well, I certainly don't want to be ungrateful. It's bad enough I had to be told four times in four different ways! So, I am making a conscious choice to NOT constantly think about the next three months and instead to revel and be appreciative of what is to come in four months! Will it be easy? Absolutely not!!! Not for this worry-wort!! It will be a challenge for sure. But if my spirit guides were patient enough with me to keep repeating the sign; then I can be patient with them and trust that the universe has a plan; and trust that the path that I am on is going to work out... 

What signs have been coming YOUR way lately? Have you been able to discern what they mean?

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Grateful, Thankful, Appreciative...

"I am Grateful. I am Thankful. I am Appreciative."

Don't these words just mean the same thing?

So often I hear people say they are "thankful" especially around this time of year. This got me thinking about the differences in being thankful, grateful and appreciative. I know you're thinking- 'what's the point? Aren't they all just the same thing really?' 

Well, I don't think they ARE the same. When we talk about manifesting, we also talk about how important it is to express gratitude and appreciation. So, if both of THOSE terms are mentioned, it stands to reason that there must be differences; albeit subtle ones!

Some references will tell you that being grateful and being thankful are synonyms for each other. And in today's day and age, they are often used interchangeably for sure. However, if we really analyse the words, we can see that they do in fact have some differences. 

Generally speaking, being grateful is a noun. This is something that we ARE... and often after the act of being thankful - which is the adjective. So, in essence, when we express thanks for something, we then become more grateful.

The same concept holds true for the word appreciative. Many sources will indicate that being appreciative is a synonym for being grateful. Appreciative is an adjective as in "showing appreciation".  One can truly only show appreciation for something that they are both thankful for AND grateful for. To show appreciation is to recognize and realize internally, the beauty or value of the thing which you are speaking of. 

Can you be one without being the other?

I can be thankful for my job, but certainly not be grateful for it or even appreciate it. However, if I am grateful for my job, then it stands to reason that I am also thankful for it and had expressed that thankfulness at some point. But, alas, I still may not be appreciative of it! 

I may be thankful for the dinner being served on Thanksgiving, but that in no way would mean that I had taken the time to really appreciate the food that is going to sustain my body. 

And, I certainly know that come Christmas time, my young children are thankful for the presents they receive- but are they grateful? Have they really internalized how grateful they are to receive presents? And going further, are they appreciative of those presents and what it may have taken in order to get them under the tree? Since many Christmas presents (toys in particular) become forgotten or stuffed away somewhere only a week or so after the holiday, I would have to say that gratefulness and appreciation are quite probably not in the mix!

So, what is the answer?

So, after much research into this I have come to the following conclusion: (particularly in regards to putting these concepts into action with the Law of Attraction and manifestation in our lives). 

I believe that the first step is to be grateful. This means that we need to really FEEL that feeling of thankfulness. Internalize it.  We start with a feeling of being grateful for what is before us. I believe this involves our senses in a way. So, we look at our home and realize we are grateful for having a roof over our heads. We hear our children and realize we are grateful for having people in our lives who love us. We smell the food cooking on the stove and realize that we are grateful for that food. And only then do we turn that inward feeling into an outward expression. When I am grateful for (the job, the person, etc.) I then express thanks to the universe for that thing and am able to realize more fully just HOW thankful I truly am. 

This brings us to being thankful. Being thankful is an outward expression of the feeling of gratefulness.  Whether that be to an individual, entity or even just putting it out to the universe. I believe that thankfulness is that outward expression. It is when we say to someone "Thank you" (for being there, for this job, etc. etc.). It is important to express this thankfulness regardless of circumstance when we want to manifest in our life. You may hate your job! But, there must be SOME aspect of that job that you are thankful for- even if it is ONLY that you get a paycheck every week. No matter what it is, express thanks for it. Verbalize it. Put it "out there" to the universe, God, the Goddess, your guides, whoever you choose. The important thing is that you express it. Sort of like saying an affirmation. In this step you are simply saying it. But, that alone will mean nothing until we move on to the other part.

Finally, we must have appreciation. Much like when one is looking at a piece of artwork, we must really feel how this gratitude we have impacts our lives. Once we have had that feeling of gratefulness and then taken the time to express it outwardly with thankfulness; we need to then simmer in that feeling so much so that it creates such an intense appreciation for it. To really appreciate it as one would appreciate great artwork, is the true meaning of this step. Realizing, acknowledging and understanding that your world and your life is a better place because of that thing which you are appreciating. 

I challenge you to mindfully take each of these words and make them real in your own life! As we spend time with families, friends and loved ones this season; take a moment to feel the gratefulness within you. Express the thankfulness and then take time to simmer in it and really appreciate it. Find something, ANYTHING, in your life that you feel gratitude towards. As you do this, I am certain that your life will be more abundant for it! Take a moment to share in the comments below some of the things in YOUR life that you are grateful for, express thanks for, and appreciate fully. 

~ Raven Haze Healing and Divination

Find me on the web at www.ravenhaze.com and on Facebook at Raven Haze Healing & Divination as well as my GROUP at Raven Haze Group

Manifesting when you're in a HOLE

How can I manifest when I am so deep in this hole??

I recently began to re-read the book Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza. I feel like many of the books dealing with manifesting and changing our reality are all pretty similar. This one resonates well with me though because it really broke it down into how it is in fact scientific. The first chapter or two talk a lot about neurons and stuff. I originally skimmed through that to be honest! So, after reading a bit, I did some channeling last night and connecting with my spirit guides. I feel like the message I got is shareable to others.

Trying to dig yourself out of a hole

When we are struggling it's like we are in a hole and trying to get out. I was given the image of being in a deep hole with no visible way to get out of the hole. No ladder, no rope, nothing to be seen that would indicate a "plan of attack" to dig myself out. I heard the message that we keep asking about the same shit- how do I get out of this hole? What do I need to do to get out of this hole? And as such we are always manifesting stuff related to that hole. Never beyond it. Because that hole is where our focus is. That hole could be anything in your life. Financial struggle, emotional struggle, and even a mental struggle. It could be very different for each of us.

Rather than focusing on the hole and getting out of it- we should be focusing on 'already being out of the hole'. Moving and acting as though we are already out. In chapter 3 of Dr. Joe Dispenza's book, it talks about how Gandhi was acting as though there were peace in India for years before there was in fact peace. He made that his mental reality until it finally manifested into the physical realm. DESPITE our circumstances. Despite the existing reality. My existing reality may seem pretty shitty when looked at by any "normal" person. But in my mind- it's so different. And eventually that has no choice but to manifest. When I channeled I got the message from my spirit guides - why do you keep asking about finances? We got this! - My guides basically shut me down. As if to say 'don't you trust us?' "Move forward" stop focusing on the lack and start focusing on what's to come. That immediately brought a sense of peace that I literally felt deep in my gut. (And I've learned that I NEED to trust my gut as that is my clairsentience kicking in!)

But what about the HOW? How do we get out of that hole?

That was my question too. Always has been. And the answer I got was to never-mind the HOW.

I feel like it's a control thing. I am used to lists and taking control and managing shit. It's not easy to give up that control. I like to have a plan of action. But I need to release that control of the HOW to spirit. Imagine that you are already OUT of the hole. Without imagining how you got out. Skip that part of the story because that's already being taken care of by the guides.

Sounds crazy, I know! But that's the message I got. So I'm going with it for now. I'm not worrying or even really thinking too much about HOW I'll pay the rent or pay the car payment. I am trusting my guides that I will be able to. And it makes sense in a way because the more we focus on that HOW the less we are giving spirit the opportunity to take control. And the more we focus on it- the more we think about our circumstances as they currently ARE thereby reinforcing the same crap.

Recharging with your Tribe

There are times when I am in a down swing. Now that I have grown more spiritually, I am better able to notice when these periods come and to recognize that during those times my vibration is much lower than it usually is. And when these "down-swings" come along- it's never been very easy getting OUT of them! 

A long time ago when I was a teenager, someone told me to be mindful of who you hang around with; who your friends are. The reason, they said, was because it is always so much easier to be "dragged down than it is to be lifted up". 

This stuck with me and I think of it often. It holds true not just for friends, but for life in general. It is so much easier to be brought down to a lower vibration than it is to be lifted into a higher one. 

This makes sense to me on a scientific level as well. It takes more energy and effort to throw a ball UP into the air than it does for that ball to drop back down. 

But sometimes, just sometimes, the universe brings people into your life that make it much, much easier to be lifted into a higher vibration! Those are the people to cherish. Those are the people in your tribe!

This weekend I had the privilege of spending three full days online with some really fabulous and talented people! These people, each in their own special way, unknowingly helped me to be lifted from my funk and raise my vibration! It's so important to surround yourself with people like that! People who lift you up. People who are, what I call, "encouragers". 

Even though we may be miles apart and on different continents, having that much needed time to connect with my tribe helped me to recharge and renew my own focus! Think about the people in your tribe... Think about those that seem to help you to "recharge" when you're feeling low... The people you seem to have a "soul" connection to... and make time to connect with them! It is one of the most therapeutic things you can do!

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Top 5 Reasons Why I Just CAN'T

When it comes to procrastination or spewing out reasons why I can't do something... I've got lots of them. Lot's of reasons.... er, excuses I mean. Because let's face it, they aren't really "reasons" but rather "excuses". 

Here are some of my most frequently used excuses. Some of them I tend to apply to various different issues. Others may only be used once in a while. But the bottom line is... they are EXCUSES. And excuses inhibit PROGRESS!

1. I don't have the money. This is one of my "reasons" for LOADS of stuff! But the fact is, when it comes right down to it... when I DID have the money, chances are I just used one of the many other reasons. Sure, I know money can certainly help with many things... but there are also so many things that can be done without money. And it always seems like when I DO have the money, then I don't have the TIME... or ENERGY.. or pick any of the other reasons... 

I've learned from Tony Robbins actually, that what is more important than the RESOURCES is the RESOURCEFULNESS within myself. I've had to change my own mindset. When I go clothes shopping or furniture shopping, I like to go to Thrift stores and places like that. (even when I have money). Do you know why? Because to me, finding a deal is like a game. When I can find the same or similar trendy clothing in a consignment shop for 1/10th of the cost, it makes me feel as though I've "won" in some crazy way! So, I've begun to apply that same concept with other things- like expanding my business, or doing family activities.  

2. I'm not that outgoing. Recently, I was advised by my reader to put myself "out there more". More specifically, he told me to get out and meet with two specific groups of people in order to expand my business offerings. As soon as he mentioned that, all the "red lights" went off in my head! How could I possibly meet these people? I'm not outgoing. I'm not even that friendly! It was easy for him to say! HE'S outgoing! HE'S friendly! 

But once again, it's just an excuse. Let's face it; I CAN be outgoing... and I CAN be friendly... it just requires some stepping out of my comfort zone to do so. I know I wasn't given these gifts just to keep them hidden within myself. They are meant to be shared with others and used for the highest good. Wallowing in this excuse is actually quite selfish. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway. I am training my mind to view and equate being outgoing and friendly as being UN-selfish.

3. I'm too tired. Well, cry me a river... Aren't we ALL tired?!?! Yes. Most people are tired. Oh, but don't let my cry of "tiredness" fool you. It is not for lack of sleep. No, this "tired" feeling actually comes from stress. Digging further, my stress is often a result of "struggle" and "lack of money". So, does that make it valid? Nah. Not really. Sure I can sit in that emotional state and vibrational state for all of those reasons. But, if I sit there, I'll only get more of the same thing coming back at me! 

So, I do rest when I'm tired. But, I really try to get back up on the horse as soon as possible. Breaking this down helps me to see that raising my own vibration will help to manifest more money into my life. How you say? Well, for one thing, like attracts like. With a higher vibration I am able to be more outgoing and friendly... and in that way I can make better connections with people... people who may one day BE clients or want to REFER clients. 

4. I just don't have enough time. It's true. I've got to clean, cook, take care of kids, and so much more. Where would I ever find the time to do that "thing"? The fact of the matter is that we are each given 24 hours in a day. It's up to us to use them for our highest good! Yes, I still have to do the mundane things in life. But, if I apply my "game" technique to it, I can challenge myself to get those mundane tasks done in less time. 

The other thing that helps me manage my time better is to create lists. It's old school but it works for me! Some days I have to carry over tasks that didn't get done. Trust me when I tell you that after a while, I get sick of seeing that 'task' on my list and that's when I make a more conscious effort to get that "thing" OFF my list!!!

5. I may not be well received. What will people think of me? Oh, this is a beauty!! Classic bull-shite right here! It is correct that nobody likes rejection. It hurts. It makes me shrink back into my proverbial hole like some kind of tortoise. 

But, do you know what I realize when I reflect on this "reason"? The people that I meet and come into contact with .. the ones who are the MOST flamboyant and outspoken and WEIRD... are ABSOLUTELY the people I am the most attracted to! The people who are different and authentic and put themselves out there... those are the people I resonate with! And if I resonate with them, and others resonate with them... then surely there will be people who resonate with me. Me as my "different", authentic and WEIRD self!

What are some of YOUR "reasons" (AKA excuses!) that seem to pop up in your life? What are some ways that you make conscious efforts to blast through them? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

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