PERSONAL

October Vibrations

October 1, 2022

Welcome to October! I am trying something new that I hope you will love. Curl up with a cup of tea or a glass of wine and get into the vibrations of October.

October At-A-Glance:

October Quote
October Pallete
October 5th: New Online Course Launches!
Waxing Moon Activity: Shift Your Altar To Halloween + Autumn
Dance Under the Full Moon on October 9th!
October 17: Tend To Your Vibration Online Course Starts!
Waning Moon Ritual – Rituals for your Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Broom
October 25th is a New Moon in Scorpio
October 31st is Halloween!
Embrace The Mystery

While the above quote doesn’t quite ring true here in Arizona, I still love this time of year. Allowing ourselves to live seasonally helps get us into the flow of life. When we allow things to end, it creates space for new beginnings. I hope you keep reading to discover fun ways to get into the energy and vibration of October. Anytime you are feeling a little lost, read that quote above again, go spend time in nature, plan an adventure and allow yourself to believe in miracles!

October Palette

Don’t you just love to change your wardrobe and decor once fall arrives? Some of my favorite colors this time of year are Rust, Olive Green, Black, and Mustard Yellow.

Take a look at what you have for this fall and be open to bringing in and embodying the energy associated with the colors. Notice how the colors make you feel. Choose the ones that make you feel really, really, good. You can find the energy of more colors in my book, Tend To Your Vibration, or look at the colors you have and notice how they make you feel. Black might make you feel confident, Purple might make you feel witchy, and Orange might make you feel playful.

I watch Annie Hall every autumn and love the blacks, olive greens, greys, and khaki colors (and, of course, plaid!) that Diane Keaton and Carol Kane wear. I just got these olive green pants and am on the lookout for the perfect black ballet top and soft v-neck grey sweater. Do you have favorite movies to watch this time of year?

October 5th: New Online Course Launches!

Are you ready to get unstuck and into the flow of life? I am so excited to share that on Wednesday, October 5th the doors open to my new online course, Tend To Your Vibration. Woohoo! This is the perfect time of year to tune inwards and learn how to use nature, breath, thoughts, imagination, and energy to increase your confidence and live with more joy and ease.

My hope is for you to complete the course vibrating at a higher level, feeling amazing, being a magnet for your desires, and empowered with a toolbox full of fun, magical practices to handle the ups and downs of life and create a life you love.

This one-of-a-kind program will run from October 17th until November 17th. More details coming to your inbox on the 5th!

Waxing Moon Activity: Shift Your Altar To Halloween + Autumn:

The moon is in the waxing phase until the full moon on the 9th. So this is the perfect time to gather some Halloween decorations and autumn-related supplies to place on your altar. If you like, you can clear off your whole altar and start fresh. Otherwise, move your altar items around to accommodate your autumn-themed pieces.

Some examples would be:

Changing the candles to orange, black, or purple.
Adding small pumpkins and gourds or jack-o-lanterns.
Placing crystals that are orange and black.
Adding scented candles or grounding essential oils to your diffuser like Cedarwood or Pumpkin Spice.
Burning loose incense like Mugwort.
Pulling tarot or oracle cards related to the season to display and meditate on.

Have fun with this!

You want this to be a place you will sit in front of and feel connected to the season.

Dance Under the Full Moon on October 9th!

One of my favorite things to do on the full moon is dancing in its silvery light. I created an Autumn Playlist so I can do just that. It is also perfect for just chilling out, taking a bath, gathering with friends, or spending time at your altar. Enjoy!

Autumn In New York – Billie Holiday
Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Autumn Town Leaves – Iron and Wine
Undone – The Sweater Song – Weezer
My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion – The Flaming Lips
Seasons (Autumn): I. Allegro – Vivaldi
Autumn Leaves – Nat King Cole
We Fell In Love In October – Girl in Red
Autumn Sweater – Yo La Tengo
Autumn Leaves – Ed Sheeran
Autumn Almanac – The Kinks
Autumn Serenade – John Coltrane
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground – The White Stripes
Harvest Fair – Summer Salt
Ramble On – Led Zeppelin
Sweater Weather – The Neighborhood

You can find this playlist on Apple Music here: Autumn Playlist.

My husband, Matt, created a Halloween playlist that I thought you might like. Check it out here: Halloween Playlist.

October 17: Tend To Your Vibration Online Course Starts!

Do you want to start creating positive shifts and receiving abundance in every area of your life? Starting October 17th, I’ll be bringing the lessons from my book, Tend To Your Vibration, to life to help you do just that.

I hope you join me! More details and special pricing coming your way on October 5th!

Waning Moon Ritual – Rituals for your Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Broom

Do you buy cinnamon brooms this time each year? One of the most popular posts on my website is about creating rituals with the ones I usually get at Trader Joe’s. I just saw they have them at Sprouts too. I love putting the large one outside and the mini one in the kitchen.

The moon is waning from after the full moon until the next new moon on the 25th. Since the waning moon is all about releasing it is the perfect time to sweep some negative energy out of your home. Find fun ways to do this here: RITUALS FOR YOUR TRADER JOE’S CINNAMON BROOM.

October 25th is a New Moon in Scorpio

Tuesday, October 25th is a new moon in Scorpio which is a Water sign that is often associated with intensity, magnetism, mystery, shadow-side, loyalty, sexiness, possessiveness, power, and bravery.

I created a card spread to help you bring the positive aspects of this sign into your life. Check it out here: Scorpio New Moon Card Spread & Ritual

If tarot or oracle cards are not your thing, then try this is more of an intuitive journal challenge.

October 31st is Halloween!

Do you know the origin of the jack-o’-lantern? The History Channel shares How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth, “In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits.”

I love the idea of putting out jack-o’-lanterns with the intention of protecting your home from negative energy.

Embrace The Mystery

I always feel like this time of year invites us to embrace the mystery that is life. The more we learn, the more we are reminded of much we don’t know. This feeling can be unsettling and that is why I am inviting you to embrace the mystery, dance with the mystery, surrender to the mystery, play with the mystery, and enter into the mystery.

If all of the rituals and suggestions above seem overwhelming, then maybe you are being called to slow down this month. Simply spend time noticing the change of seasons and be gentle with yourself.

Feel free to pick and choose how you want to engage in the vibrations of October. Be open to opportunities that show up in your life to deepen your connection to this season and to yourself.

When it comes to practicing your spirituality, I encourage you to listen to your intuition. In addition to everything above, I love finding things my Irish ancestors might have done seasonally and bringing them into my life. I was also raised Catholic and enjoy connecting with the saints, like getting our pug, Leo, blessed in honor of St. Francis of Assisi at the beginning of October.

I believe our practices will always look different. I truly enjoy sharing what has worked for me in hopes that it helps you create a more loving relationship with yourself and the world around you. You deserve it.

I used to worry about how people would judge my spiritual practice. I worried that some would judge that I even have one. I worried that others would judge that it is not inline enough with a specific religion or idealogy.

The concept of embracing the mystery has allowed me to not worry about what others think anymore in regards to my spirituality and its been a beautiful gift to myself.

I hope everything I shared this month helps you embrace the mystery that is life and connects you with a deeper sense of self.

Embrace the mystery. All the mess, all the magic, and everything in between.

Spiritual Tips for When a Family Member is in the Hospital

September 6, 2019

Quick tips that can help with the overwhelm and anxiety that comes with a family member or friend being in the hospital.

This is a topic close to my heart. I have wanted to make and share this video for about 2 years now.

Over the weekend, I received a text from a mom friend saying that they were at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and her son and just been diagnosed with Type One Diabetes.

My older son, Simon, was diagnosed just over 2 years ago. This mom was feeling scared and overwhelmed and wanted support.

I shared encouraging words and wished I would have sent her this video.

A lot of the reason I share the work and tips I do is because of my experience of being at the hospital for 4 days dealing with a new diagnosis.

I wish had these tips years before when other family members had been in the hospital.

These tips can also help in daily life and times of stress.

Tip #1 – Ask angels for help

I strongly encourage you to create a relationship with angels. Ask angels to surround your loved one and to help keep them safe. Ask them to fill them with white light, peace, and love.

Tips #2 – Ask God to take away your worries

Ask God/Universe/Universe/Divine to take away your worries. It is not your job to worry. Ask for your worries to be taken away. Imagine a magic wand drawing the worries out of your mind and off of your shoulders. There are unseen forces there to help you.

Tip #3 – Ego Eradicator Breath

Try Ego Eradicator Breath. Helps with stress and gives energy. Short example in this video. Longer video can be watched here.

Sitting tall raise your arms up to a 60-degree angle. Straighten your elbows and relax your shoulders down.
Curl your fingertips on to the pads of your palms at the base of the fingers. Stretch your thumbs out. (The arms being up is optional, especially if you are in a situation such as a hospital room!)
Close your eyes and focus above the head.
Practice Breath of Fire by breathing only through your nose with quick and even inhales and exhales. (example in video).
Allow your navel point to pump in and out.
Continue for 1 – 3 minutes.
To end, inhale deeply and bring the thumb tips to touch overhead. Open the fingers, exhale and relax the arms down.

These 3 things were a huge help in the hospital and still help me to this day.

I hope they help you too!

Manifesting Love in Paris

April 2, 2019

This week in 2003, I was in Paris with my older brother. When we were at the top of the Eiffel Tower I remember feeling like everyone was in love.

I was dating someone casually at the time and I remember thinking at that moment that when I got back to Chicago that I would break it off.

I stood up there and looked out over Paris and declared in my head that the next time I was in Paris, I would be in love. Madly in love.

When I got back from that trip, I ended things with that boyfriend and then some friends set me up with Matt Burki. We had known each other for about two years as friends but the timing was perfect because we became inseparable.

That following December, he asked if I wanted to go to Paris for New Years. Of course, I said YES!

We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and kissed. I was madly in love! It was freezing so I remember we weren’t up there long but the whole trip was magical.

I was kind of blown away by how the whole thing happened. When I first I had that thought at the top of the Eiffel Tower I didn’t really have a time frame. So to be back in less than a year was amazing!

I had not known about the concept of manifesting at this time. When I first learned about shifting your energy and asking the universe for what you want, I immediately remembered this story.

I try to live my whole life this way. At times I have forgotten and life becomes tough. Then I remember to remove things keeping me at a lower vibration, figure out what I want or how I want to feel and co-create with the universe (God/Spirit/Angels/Guides) to make it happen.

Your thoughts and emotions are powerful! You are worthy of your desires! Now go put them out into the universe and open yourself up to some magic!

The first 3 photos below are from my April trip with my older brother and the last ones are my December trip with Matt.

How Working With a Bear Animal Guide Helped Me Heal

October 2, 2018

About 5 years ago, during a guided meditation, a bear showed up. I didn’t think too much of it until the bear showed up again in another meditation a few months later.

Before this, if you had asked me what my “spirit animal” was I would have definitely said, tiger.

So I was unsure about this bear. I did a little research to discover the energy associated with bears.

Bear Animal Guide Characteristics

Hibernation.
Solitude.
Alone time.
Protection.
Mama bear.
Grounded.
Earth energy.
Strength.
Confidence

At this time in my life a lot of change had been going on and I had been struggling a bit. Just reading the words associated with bears soothed me. I knew I needed this energy in my life.

I began taking more alone time and focused on getting grounded on a regular basis. In the beginning, I would imagine myself in a field and bear coming and putting its arms around me. Protecting me.

It felt good to have this strength and confidence surrounding me.

I decided I was going to call it “Bear” instead of a name. I don’t always associate Bear with being male or female. None of that seemed to matter in this instance.

As time went on, I started to bring “Bear” into my daily life. During my life coaching training when we were doing our first sessions with each other I would imagine Bear right behind me putting its large paw on my back.

This gesture reminding me that I was supported. Sometimes I would even lean back into a bit to connect to this energy even more.

Now I imagine Bear supporting me like this on a regular basis.

When I started wearing flower crowns for videos and events, I started to imagine Bear wearing a flower crown too.

When I start worrying, I ask Bear to take my worries away. I again imagine and almost feel the paw on my back. I visualize worries going from me to Bear. I feel lighter and also cared for.

My phone screensaver is a painting of a bear hugging a woman that reminds me of me. I love and appreciate our connection.

Sharing With Others

Everything I just wrote, I used to be nervous to share with others.

Would people think I was crazy?

I have learned who to share more with and who to keep my mouth shut around. I have also learned that I don’t care too much about what others think so that helps a ton. It took me about 40 years to get to this point and honestly I feel like I have Bear to thank a bit for this too.
Doing this work has benefited me tremendously without hurting anyone. I have always enjoyed taking the path less traveled and here I am.

Would my parents worry that I was replacing God with a bear?

I was raised Irish Catholic so the idea of working with an animal guide was more something I had heard about but not experienced. My Bachelor’s Degree is in Religious Studies and I have spent a lot of time studying religion and spirituality. However, I did not feel religious or spiritual for most of my younger life. I felt disconnected. Teaching yoga led me to more spiritual pursuits are not necessarily Catholic and they actually brought me back to using the word God and believing in a higher power. I am grateful for it. I also say Universe and Spirit.
We are all on a journey. I believe animal guides are simply a way for God/Universe/Spirit to connect with us and lend us support. My parents support me as I explore my own spirituality and are happy that over the years I have become closer to the divine instead of further away.

Is any of this real?

This has been a HUGE sticking point for me when it comes to sharing about working with animal guides. I have ultimately learned that what I have experienced is real. I have felt comforted, healed, and connected. I believe it is a combination of my imagination, intention, and energy. The universe is mysterious. I could spend all of my time worrying instead of allowing these experiences to help heal me. I could worry about what others think or help those who feel drawn to me and this work.

Where I am Now

I now insist on taking alone time daily. I even hibernate sometimes from social media and the world. I have a few solid grounding practices that I used daily too. I know how to connect with Earth energy and how to protect my own energy.

I embrace being a mama bear to my family and have increased my strength and confidence a ton over the years.

When Bear first came into my life, I NEEDED the energy. Now I embody the energy.

Bear Painting by my super talented herbalist friend, Kimberly Kling of Joyful Roots!

Coping & Thriving as a Parent of a Child with Type One Diabetes

June 29, 2018

A year ago Wednesday, I took Simon (my 10-year-old) to the doctor to find out if he had a bladder infection. Turned out he had Type 1 Diabetes.

I had no idea what that meant. They were sending us to the hospital and I thought we would be there for a couple of hours.

As we were leaving the doctors office, he told us to stop at home and pack a bag because we would be at the hospital for a few days. I was shocked but didn’t show it.

Matt (my husband) was traveling back from a business trip and didn’t know anything yet.

By the time we got to the emergency room, Simon was feeling lightheaded. His blood sugar was 530. I had no idea what that meant. They asked him if he knew where he was. I found out that his blood sugar should be between 80 and 150.

He was scared and dazed. Isaak (my 7-year-old) was paying attention to everything. Matt arrived later that night.

Simon and I spent the next 4 days at the hospital. Once they got him on insulin and his blood sugar levels were safer they started teaching all of us about diabetes and how to handle it.

Matt and I learned that Simon’s pancreas has stopped producing insulin which is a hormone needed to allow sugar to enter cells to produce energy.

From there we learned how to use syringes and vials. Make calculations of synthetic insulin doses based on blood sugar and counting carbs in food. We practiced on a Type 1 teddy bear and then had to practice on Simon.

We stayed positive and really appreciated the support of Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

I am grateful for the spiritual practice because it saved me in the hospital. I prayed, I asked angels to watch over Simon, I used breathing exercises for energy, yoga stretches to release stress, asked guides to lead us forward with calm and ease, and so on.

Once we got home our lives became filled with shots, finger pricks, keeping insulin at the right temperature, monitoring blood sugar, and counting carbs. I was pulling out syringes in parking lots, bathrooms, theaters, and cars.

It was our new normal that also came with comforting both Simon & Isaak during this time.

(more…)