Moving...

...to a different website.

In order to maintain a continuity with my website, I am moving everything to my main webpage at www.QueenAnneProductions.com. In order to continue to receive notice of any new blogs or updates, please click on this link and sign up there.

Thank you SO much for being a part of this journey thus far. I'm thrilled for our connection and look forward to deepening it as we move forward together.

Hugs, Anne

Rev. Anne Presuel
The Empowerment Queen

What are you thinking into being?

www.ThinkitBeitSeeit.com

Connect with me:

Blog: http://RevAnneToday.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RevAnne1
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1408937777&ref=profile
EFT & Affirmations Group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30490957&id=1086643013&comments=#/group.php?gid=60376372633&ref=ts
“Think it… Be it… See it!” Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Think-it-Be-it-See-it/67760972670?ref=ts

When Was the Last Time You Were Moved to Tears?

Today I saw one of the most incredible things I've seen in a long time. Susan Boyle, a woman in Britain, auditioned for the British version of American Idol in "Britains Got Talent."

Susan is a 47 year old woman, who has never even been kissed. She lives in a village in Britain and she sings. She's frankly plain, with some extra weight, and bushy eyebrows. Before she went on stage, she told the camera crew: "I've always wanted to perform in front of a large audience. I'm going to make that audience rock!" At this point, I'm sure people were thinking "Yeah, right! Good luck, sweetie!"

When she walked out onto the stage, the audience laughed at her, and laughed at her answers to Simon Cowell's questions. Even Simon rolled his eyes. Still, she seemed unfazed. He asked her what her dream was. She said to be a professional singer. The audience groaned.

But then she opened her mouth to sing. The audience and the judges went from disbelief to fan in less than 3 seconds! It was the most incredible transformation I have ever seen in my life.

From freak to goddess in 3 seconds.

Her choice of song: "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.

The audience rose to their feet midway through the song and stayed there the rest of the song, clapping and cheering. A standing ovation.

I was sobbing at the beauty of it all. Susan Boyle glowed when she sang. She held the audience in her hand. This woman, who was really very plain, and rather awkward, was amazing.

She was sharing her gift with the world, without fear, without any of the inner conversation of "I can't" or "I'm too old" or "I'm not pretty enough." None of that. She came. She sang. She conquered.

Truly one of the most stunning things I've seen in my life. Susan Boyle is my heroine. May I have the courage to share my own magnificence with the world, even when the world laughs at me.

Thank you, Susan, for your courage, for your integrity, and for your incredible beauty!

To see this video for yourself please go to: http://www.popeater.com/television/article/susan-boyles-britains-got-talent/426649?icid=mainmaindl2link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2Ftelevision%2Farticle%2Fsusan-boyles-britains-got-talent%2F426649

Lightening the Load

Yesterday, I spent the entire day working online - not an unusual experience recently, but a good bit of it was frustrating to me as I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong while working on my new webpage, http://www.thinkitbeitseeit.com/. While the links were working, they were also disappearing from the page any time I tried to insert a paragraph. Since I don't think in html code, I couldn't figure out what was wrong.



So, for several hours, I got it to work, then it didn't. Then it did, then it didn't. I even called in the Magnificent Mande (well, that's what I call her; she says it makes her sound like a magician - works for me!), and she got it to work. (See! Her name is appropriate.) Then when I went to format the text, half of it diappeared AGAIN!



I finally let it drop, and decided I needed to go take care of myself. I went to the pool (my favorite method of exercise and relaxation), and just immersed myself in the quiet of the water, the blue of the sky, the glory of the setting sun, the call of the birds, the rustling of the wind through the palm trees, and the rhythmic movement of my body and breath. Afterward, I sat in the hot tub (yeah, I know, tough life!), and melted into the warmth. I could feel the tension leaving my body as I moved myself into a meditative state.



On the way home, I surreptitiously did a little tapping on the frustration of working on something I feel so challenged with. As I felt more peaceful, I thought "Well, maybe I can figure this stuff out." (That's the beginning of the reframe that occurs when ya tap, by the way.)



I wondered why I hadn't done this tapping thing earlier.



Those of you who tap regularly (EFT, the Emotional Freedom Technique) probably know what I am talking about. You know it works. You know it is easy to do. You know it is powerful. And EFT has been in my life - significantly - for seven years. Yet...



So what is that?

I think it has to do with the fact that we don't always do what we know is good for us. For example, how many days do I drink all the water my body needs? (Sometimes, not all.) And how often do I brush my teeth after every meal? (Uh... never!) So, why would I tap every time I'm frustrated or tired, or annoyed, or triggered? Why would I expect myself to?

Still, I do. I expect myself to do it because I teach this stuff. I use it all the time. It has changed my life. And I've seen what it does in other people's lives. And, I'm human. I get caught up in the moment and in the emotion of the moment, and I forget to tap. But when I remember ... ahhh, well, then I feel the release of the energy and the relief from the situation. Sooooo nice.

So. Have you tapped today? What are you waiting for?

Hugs...

A New Direction

Writing a blog is great. At least, that's what I've discovered. However, the part that has had to unfold for me is "What's the purpose of the blog?"

When I first started blogging, I wasn't quite sure about what to write about. So, I thought, "what the heck, I'll just write about whatever I'm thinking about." Well, that worked for a little bit, but frankly, I began to feel I needed more focus.

As I began to get more and more clear about how I am moving forward in my work, I decided that the blog also needed to get clearer and clearer about it's intention.

Thus, I am announcing today that my blogs, from now on, are going to be focused more and more on how to use EFT (the Emotional Freedom Technique) in your life.

I've been using this technique for almost 7 years now. After I went through that awful trauma in 2000, I sought healing from just about every place I could find it. While lots of things helped, nothing seemed to be lasting. I still got triggered by things, and would find myself in grief and angry about what had happened.

In 2002, I was introduced to EFT. It took me a while to actually believe that EFT could make a difference, but finally I decided to train in it.

In one day - let me repeat that, ONE DAY - the emotional stuff I had been carrying for 2 1/2 years was gone. GONE. I was so astonished that feelings like anger, hurt, betrayal, frustration, guilt, shame, yes, even rage, could be dissipated like that. Yet it happened.

From that point on, I learned everything I could about EFT. (You can learn more @ the main EFT website, www.emofree.com, if you like.) I began to use it with my clients, and witnessed some amazing emotional shifts with them, as well. All sorts of traumas were soothed and healed.

I completely changed and recreated my life, using this wonderful tool. And life is 160 degrees different from what it was in 2000, when the trauma occurred.

I am so incredibly grateful to Gary Craig, the creator of EFT, for making this tool available to everyone.

Thank you, Gary, from the bottom of my heart!

Have You Tapped Today?

I had the opportunity to tap today on some issues I'm having with feeling overwhelmed with the new way I am setting up my business/practice. Basically, I began by simply acknowledging what's so. "Even tho I'm feeling overwhelmed and I have no idea what to do next, I deeply & completely love & accept myself."



Just tapping helped shift the feelings. Then, as the feelings began to subside, new ways of organizing what needs to be done next began to show up in my mind, and I was able to re-focus on what's next.



This will work for anyone on any issue. If you just tap a little bit on what's happening for you right here, right now, you'll find that it will begin to shift the stuff that is gripping you, and new thoughts can then take the place of the overwhelm.



(It's sort of like cleaning your closet, if you will.)



So, have you tapped today?

Trusting Your Intuition, Part 3

My daughter, Christina, and I headed to Miami in May, 2001. We drove down, and met up with a family friend close to Miami. Christina was going to stay with her friends on the West Coast while I attended the workshop. What a gift that was!

I got settled into my hotel room that Sunday afternoon. The course began the next morning, and I was so excited I could attend!

That week, Doreen taught us about our connection to Spirit, and how to clear our energy fields so that we could be more aware of our connections. Mid-week we began to give readings to one another using Doreen's angel cards, which we had cleared and dedicated to Spirit's use. Then came, for me, the biggest intuitive hit, which led me to really "get" what this intuition thing was all about.

On Thursday morning, Doreen had us do readings for one another without knowing who the other person was. We were to write a question on a piece of paper, fold it up and hand it in. Before we handed it in, we had to write our row (A, B, C...) and our seat number on that paper (and remember where we were sitting). Then we switched seats. The questions were mixed up and handed out to the class. We were to get quiet, ask the question for the other person, and then write down the answers on the same piece of paper, then turn them back in.

For some reason, this seemed harder to me than having someone sit across from me. We were not to use the angel cards, but rather to trust what information we got for the other person. (I now know that one of my strengths is to read someone's energy, which I had been doing with the person across from me, but this was different, more removed. Now it is just as easy to read someone's energy this way, but then, not so much.)

I received the other person's paper. The question was something like "What is next for me to do? This, or this?" I got quiet and then began to write what came to me. It was easier than I thought. I wrote what came to me and it flowed. Then I received the instructions to write "And you will know, my son, ..."

What? Wait. No. Uh-uh. I began to argue with the angels. "I'm NOT writing 'my son,'" I said. The urging came back stronger. "NO!" I shouted in my head. "There are 10 men here out of 125 total attendees. Are you kidding? What if I'm wrong?!" The urging came back stronger.

Oh, jeez, what to do?

After debating for a few minutes, I acquiesced and wrote "my son." Then I finished it up and handed the paper back in.

We all got back into our regular seats and got the answers back. Then went to lunch.

At lunch, I went to the large round table and a number of people joined me. We all talked about the reading we had just given using automatic writing. A guy was there with his wife and he began to talk about what he had gotten.

"I was thinking yeah, yeah, as I read it," he said. "I wasn't taking it that seriously, until I came to 'my son' and it stopped me cold. I knew that this had been written by Spirit because I always heard that in my meditations. I then re-read the reading and really heard what it was saying. It was so accurate!"

"Oh, my gosh," I stammered, after having dropped my fork in my salad. "I wrote that!" I shared with the group how it kept coming to me to write "my son" and how I had argued with the angels about writing it, but finally had written it.

They looked at me like I had just levitated! Not only had I written this - and trusted my intuitive hit - I had also had that hit confirmed almost immediately. Of all the places this guy and his wife could have sat, he sat directly across from me at our lunch table. We had never met before, and hadn't sat together at any meals in this class. Only Spirit could have orchestrated such a perfect "coincidence!"

This experience was the solid "Aha!" experience I had in that class. It was amazing and it anchored for me what it felt like to receive information from Spirit and what fear felt like in the face of that information. It was an incredibly useful experience that has served me so well in continuing to develop my intuitive abilities. Well worth the expense of the class, by the way!

How have you connected to Spirit today? Are you listening to the gentle, yet firm, inner urges to do something? Are you paying attention?

Begin today by saying "I trust my intution." Doreen taught me that affirmation. Believe me when I say that when I first started saying it I didn't believe it at all. I felt like I was lying. Now, 8 years later, it is congruent with who I am.

This is the process of affirmations, by the way, which we will begin to cover in some upcoming blogs.

For now, though, create a wonderful day, and TRUST your intuition! It will never guide you astray!

Trusting Your Intution, Part 2

In Doreen Virtue's book, "The Lightworker's Way," she talked about asking the angels for help. I was comfortable talking with angels at this time, but had no idea if I was asking for too much, or whether or not I'd actually receive the help. I hoped I would, but hey, I really didn't know.

What I did know was that I wanted to attend Doreen's next Angel Therapy Practitioner course, which was going to be in a month in Miami.

So, I decided to ask for help. It went something like this, "Ok, guys, now you know I want to go to the ATP class and you know I don't have the money for it. If I am really supposed to go, then I need your help in getting that money together for it."

I had a car that I had been trying to sell for two years. Two Years. Two. Years. And I had had no luck. I decided to ask for help in selling it. I knew that if it sold, I would be able to go.

So, I politely reminded the angels that I had this car available which could be used for money to attend this class.

Within two weeks it was sold. And I had the money.

I immediately signed up for Doreen's class, and made reservations for a hotel room.

From this I learned to ask.

What I Learned In Miami - next.


To be continued...

Trusting Your Intuition, Part 1

Since 2000, I've been on a quest to really trust my intuition. Why 2000? On July 27, 2000, my life, as I knew it, changed. I learned that the life I had so carefully built was nothing more than a house of cards, and it all came crashing down around me.

So, what does this have to do with intuition?

In my attempts to cope and process the experience, I went to a therapist. And she said something that really stuck. She said, "It's a good thing you listened to your intuition, or else this would have been much worse."

At the time, I thought, "Worse? This was awful! I don't know that it could have gotten much worse." But, of course, she was right. It could have been much, much worse. Still, it was bad enough, frankly.

And I digress.

I heard her. I really heard her. She shared with me that I had felt something was wrong, very wrong, and by my insisting that our family get into counseling at the time I did, we had prevented something far worse from happening.

Let me tell you, this was all news to me. I was not familiar with the conversation of trusting my intution; heck, I didn't even really know what that was or how it felt. And yet, that conversation was the beginning of my learning to trust myself, and it was the beginning of my learning what intuition was, how it felt, and, even more important, why it is so important to be aware of intuitive hits.

She showed me how I had listened to my intution. She connected the dot between saying that I had listened to the dot of my experience. And that was huge.

Then, in 2001, I read a book that changed my life: "The Lightworker's Way," by Doreen Virtue. When I finished her book, I knew - KNEW - that I had to learn more. I knew that I had to take her Angel Therapy Practitioner class.

The only problem was, I had no money. And it was in Miami, Fl (I lived in Virginia), and I would have to get there, stay a week at a hotel (and of course pay for it and food and travel), and also pay for the class ($1500). It didn't matter. I was determined to do it.

To be continued...

Why Interfaith?

Many people have asked me "Why did you decide to become an interfaith minister? I mean, when there are so many faiths available, why interfaith?"

It's a sort of "Wazzup with that?" question.

For me, the process of coming to an interfaith decision was a little like "The Long and Winding Road" song from the Beatles.

The long and winding road
That leads to your door,
Will never disappear,
I've seen that road before.
It always leads me here
Leads me to your door.

As a child, I was exposed to the Seventh-Day Adventist faith. Many of my family were very active in that religion, and I even attended private SDA schools, including four years of boarding school in my high school years.

Yet, for me, something was missing. What was it?

Oh, I know: freedom. Freedom to think for myself, freedom to ask questions, freedom to discover for myself my own truth.

Interestingly, I realized that many others didn't share this intense feeling, which was fine for them, but for me, I ached to discover my own truth.

So, once out of high school, I found myself feeling lost. I knew what I didn't want (religious structure), but I had no clue as to what I did want.

I tried lots of different things, and finally realized after about ten years that I was seeking spirituality, not religosity. I learned meditation and loved it. Finally, I was connecting to my deeper truth.

However, I still didn't trust my own intuition, because at that point in time, I had no clue as to how to distinguish intuition from ego or personality.

Then my daughter was born. My inner urge to find a spiritual fit became stronger. I attended a Methodist church for a while. It was nice, but still not "it." Then a friend introduced me to Unity Church.

I loved it! I resonated with the New Thought message of the Unity Church, with the concept of focusing on the positive, as well as the idea that we create our lives through our very thoughts and through our connection to Divinity. Our minister also introduced me to the Course in Miracles, an amazing and powerful teaching.

You would think I'd become a Unity minister, rather than an interfaith minister, wouldn't you?

Well, not so fast.

I then discovered (through a variety of moves to new locations) that I didn't resonate with all Unity churches. This was a bit of a shocker!

I then delved into Landmark Education (the Forum, for those of you who aren't familiar with LE), which is a sort of a religion (although many would argue that point). Meanwhile, I was still meditating (both Buddhist and Hindu influences). I was exposed to Sufiism (the mystical branch of Islam), and liked it, and was exposed to Judiaism, and also liked it very much.

In addition, friends of mine were Pagan and I discovered I resonated with their Goddess-oriented, earth-based faith.

Now in Richmond, VA, I tried out Presbyterianism. I liked it.

Another move to Charlottesville, VA, had me seeking a new church. This time Unity was a fit again - for a while.

Then I met and married my husband, who is Presbyterian. Again, I was attending Presbyterian churches - all of which I truly enjoyed.

Another move (whew!) - this time to Florida -and I realized I was ready to attend Seminary. I had been pondering this particular Seminary (The New Seminary, in New York City) for several years and now I felt I had the time and the energy I to devote to the studies and teachings.

I discovered I loved Interfaith. Rather than segmenting the Divine into separate religions, it honored the Divine in all faiths. Rather than focusing on what is different, it focused on what is similar. Rather than excluding, it included.

Even the teachings of Unity felt too constricting for me. I felt that the New Thought concepts were a religion. And they still weren't broad enough (although they are very broad).

For me, God or Allah or Jehovah or Universal Energy or Krishna or whatever you desire to call that incredible Divine creative power is greater than any religion we as humans can create. Interfaith simply holds the belief that each person decides for him or herself what their right connection to that Divine creative power is and it honors that decision. Interfaith honors that path.

Interfaith holds the space for all truths, all paths, all beliefs. It welcomes all and it honors all.

That is why interfaith is a fit for me.

The "Ain't It Awful!" Habit

Yesterday, I was out at a store and I heard one of the clerks talking with a customer.

Clerk: "People just don't care. They come in here and they leave stuff all over the place and then I have to go in and pick up after them."

Customer: "I know it! I can see that. They just don't care."

Clerk: "And I have to be here till closing at 8. Picking up stuff and picking up more stuff."

I drifted away from the conversation about that time, but not before I realized that this was another version of what I call the "Ain't It Awful!" conversation.

The "Ain't It Awful!" conversation usually goes something like this:

"Can you believe the economy? It's so awful. Everywhere I look I see troubles."

or

"Those kids! They are just so disrespectful. I don't know what's happening to society these days."

I used to be a member of the "Ain't It Awful!" club. Full-time and card-carrying, I'd join in when I heard those conversations, believing what they were saying. I thought that if I joined in the conversation, I'd be connected to the people - we'd share something in common.

Well, we did. But I discovered that I then had friends that I really didn't want to hang out with, because they loved talking about what was wrong with life.

Somewhere along the way, I discovered Unity church. Now there was a bunch of positive people! I realized that I didn't want to be a card-carrying member of the "Ain't It Awful!" club anymore. So, for the next 15 years, I worked on being more conscious of my thoughts and my conversations.

Then about three years ago, I discovered Abraham-Hicks's work, and decided I'd really up the ante. I'd seriously pay attention to what I was thinking because as I knew that as I paid attention to my thoughts and my vibration, my life would really change and become more and, better. I knew that I would seriously begin to consciously co-create my dreams and desires into being at an even greater level than I already had been doing.

And it happened. In the beginning, I realized how very, very much I liked to complain. About anything. That shocked me, because I thought I was already a pretty positive person. But the truth was, I had a major complaining habit. (This was a step up from the "Ain't It Awful!" habit I had had earlier in my life, but it was still not working for me.)

Slowly, I began to change. At first, I didn't want to hang out with people who complained. Then I realized that I would not be hanging out with anybody if I did that (not even myself!). So, I let that ideal go and just focused on my own responses and thoughts to a person or a situation.

It worked. I offered compassion instead of judgment (when I can) to those complaining around me. And when I'm complaining, I say to myself "Now, Anne, it's ok. You are just fine. Everything is just fine. Let it go." Usually, that works. Sometimes, however ... well, let's just say, I've either been triggered and I'm in an emotional reaction or I'm just not interested in changing my judgment in that moment.

This is a process. Let me repeat that. It is a P-R-O-C-E-S-S. This means that it takes time. It is a re-training of how to think, how to be.

And that's ok. You're just fine. Everything is fine. See if you can let go of any presumption that it has to be done right here, right now, in this red-hot minute. For indeed, all is well.

Loving Your Inner Diva...

Today, I read a lovely blog by a woman named Judy. It's entitled Your Inner Diva is a Law of Attraction Magnet! and can be found at http://dreamandflourish.com/2008/12/30/your-inner-diva-is-a-law-of-attraction-magnet/. I am also cutting and pasting it here, for ease in reading. I absolutely love her style and her philosophy! I think you will, too.


I’ve recently come to realize that accepting your inner Diva is a powerful tool in creating your life. Ha! I imagine that those of you who are tapped into your “outer” Diva understand this already. Thanks ahead of time for your patience! Still, there is so much misinformation about Divas, that I imagine that most of us can expand our love for our Diva.

A friend of mine describes a Diva as someone who:“Knows what they want, and has the sense of self worth to receive it.”

Nothing too complicated about that, is it? This definition certainly lines up with the Law of Attraction. Knowing what you want helps attract it into your life, yes? And, of course, each of us is also super worthy of a fabulously abundant life.

I also love that Divas understand that being “worth it” also requires some extra attention. Divas know that investing in their self, whether in hygiene, dress, eating well, or going to the spa, keeps them feeling good, present, and capable. Putting belief into feel good action is a mighty powerful way to create your world!!

Divas will also tell you what they want. Hello! Communicating your desires is still one of the easiest ways of getting your needs met. Clarity, is simply, a direct channel to the Universe!

Finally, I enjoy how completely different each of our Divas must be. Even in a room of thousands who are following these same principles, each will present a unique Diva. I LOVE this!

Are you with me? Can you see how your Diva-ness is a fun way to tap into the Law of Attraction? I hope so!

Ok, true confession time. My Diva definitely knows what she wants, and is claiming how much she deserves it!

For starters, my Diva loves:

Fun, mischief, and laughing loudly
Fine feeling fabrics, like silk, velvet, and cashmere in bright, lively colors
A really good pedicure
Spa days, and bubble baths with LOTS of bubbles
Fabulous food that was thoughtfully and creatively prepared with fresh, quality ingredients
Dancing in a crowd of sexy women
Surprises
Hosting friends , in my home for dinners, parties, and games
Inspiring others to enjoy their fabulous life!
Treating everyone as being central to things running smoothly.
Sharing the love with others like Ellie & everyone that contributes to the Law of Attraction Carnival!
How about you? What does YOUR inner Diva love?


(Anne again) Can we say AMEN! to that? Thank you, Judy, for giving such beautiful words to what's inside each woman.

Hugs. Now go give YOUR inner Diva some love!

What are You Dreaming About?

When I was younger, I thought that all my dreams would come true. (Well, mostly anyway.) Once upon a time, I had a dream of being a veterinarian, and that dream was the impetus for me to go back to school. After several years of attending community college at night and working full-time during the day, that dream began to fade into the background as I replaced it with another: being a mom.

My mommy hunger grew in my late 20s and I began to read books about being pregnant and having children, and I began to talk with other women about their experiences with their babies. I even attended the national La Leche League conference in Washington, DC. I was never so alive with the beauty of my dream as I was there! Nursing babies were everywhere, and the hotel was alive with moms, babies and toddlers. There were books on parenting the La Leche League way: natural births (even home births), nursing and baby-led weaning, staying home with your baby, the family bed, homeschooling, and so much more.

I then became even clearer about what my new dream was. (You could say that gaining this new information gave me even more clarity.) I wanted a baby and I wanted to stay home with her.

Ultimately I did, but not before some serious soul searching and some letting go of other ideas. I now tell my daughter and her father that some of the greatest gifts I received in my life were 1) her being born and 2) my staying home with her.

A year or so after Christina was born, I decided I wanted to learn photography. So I enrolled in the Corcoran School of Art in DC. I discovered I loved it and was pretty good. This new awareness gave me new clarity about how to resolve another issue I was having: money (or the lack thereof).

So, I created a new dream of having a photography business. I put a darkroom in our home and opened up my business photographing children and their families. Some of my photos actually made it into Mothering Magazine (a national magazine) and some even won awards!

Through the course of my life I have created new dreams, achieved some of them and let go of others. And I have had some yanked from me as I held on as tightly as I could. (Those ended up being some very painful losses.)

As I have grown in maturity and consciousness, I realize that dreams have an energy which must be fed if they are to come into fruition. They need our attention, our love, our hope, our joy. They need our vision, and our action. And often, we must let go of something if we are to truly have our dream.

As we achieve a dream, we enjoy it for a while, but then we begin to gain new awareness, new ideas, new visions, new dreams or new variations on the current dream.

It's rather like the process of finding your mate. Through the process of sifting through the people you date, have a significant relationship with, or even marry, you gain clarity about what it is you truly want. But whether or not you manifest it depends upon you.

Can you hold the vision, or do you give up?

Do you believe you can have what you want, or do you settle?

Usually, it's a little of both, I think.

So, how hard is it to achieve your dream? I believe that depends upon how much "stuff" you have about whether or not you can achieve it. (The "stuff" is your beliefs, your thoughts, your attitude - and how strong those believes and thoughts and attitude are.)

Your dreams are given to you by Spirit and they are calling you to them. When you feel light and happy about your dreams, you are in alignment with them and you have little resistance to the dreams. However, when you are feeling frustrated, or hopeless, or weary about your dreams, you are out of alignment with them and turned away from Spirit.

For me, this is where tools come in. Tools like EFT (the Emotional Freedom Technique), or learning how to work with your beliefs, how to shift and reframe those thoughts and attitudes. The more you apply those tools to your everyday life, to your conscious thoughts and beliefs, the more you will move forward in achieving your dreams.

Your dreams are waiting for you. Now (right here, right now, not tomorrow, not later today ... now) is the time to clear away your stuff so that you can have what you dream about.

You can have it. Really.

Don't Worry ... Be Happy!

I worry. It's true. I do. I learned this useless skill as a child, and I have practiced it until it has become a way of being at times. I'm rather good at it. And I recognize that it is not only not useful, but that it is a detriment to creating what I want to create in my life.

Sometimes, when I go to bed at night and I have a hard time falling asleep, I find my mind thinking thoughts that it has no logical reason to think. When I catch myself doing it, I can usually say "Stop it, Anne! Look at what you're doing. Think something happier!" But sometimes it takes me a while to realize that I'm doing it. I'm having conversations in my head with someone I am upset with, or I am creating scenarios I really don't want to experience!

It's not pretty, and it's not much fun.

In "The Secret," we are reminded that everything we think has energy or vibration, and when we add feelings to what we think, we give those thoughts power. Both fear and joy have power. Now fortunately, we live in a physical world where we do not experience instant manifestation - where if we were to think of an elephant then suddenly the elephant stands before us. Rather, we have time between the thought and the manifestation of that thought - for the most part.

For me, I am really grateful for that, because I really don't want everything I think to be manifested immediately.

Although there are times...

So, what is worry?

Well, like I said, for me, it is a practiced way of being - at times. And I am grateful for the "at times" part of that sentence. I used to worry far more than I do now. This is a good thing. It is a good thing that I used to worry about a lot more things, with more intensity, and with far more frequency than I do now.

Since studying the Law of Attraction, I now realize that the reason my life is so much better than it used to be is that I have really worked hard on nipping the worry habit in the bud. You see, when I used to worry more (and let's add complain more into that mix, shall we?), I used to be creating with the very energy I am now using to create joy and abundance and love with.

Peter Williams wrote a book entitled "You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought." He was right! We can't. Because those thoughts have power. They have energy, and they have their very own life force, which, if practiced frequently and often enough and with enough intensity, can wreak some real havoc in our lives.

Ok, so while I get that in my head, the issue I have is how to apply that in my life?

Abraham of Abraham-Hicks fame says we are "sloppy thinkers." I think they are right. I know I am. And while I have really worked on cleaning up my way of thinking, I still get seduced by worry and fear.

I remember Wayne Dyer using this example in one of his talks. He said "Think of something that upsets you, like a beautiful animal that has just been hit by the side of the road. It is laying there, bleeding and dying, in pain."

And then he said "Now think of something that brings you joy and delight, like the smile of your child when they were a baby, or a beautiful garden, or your beloved pet doing something funny."

See how easy it is to think of upsetting - and happy - thoughts? Just choose.

Jesus said "Choose ye this day whom ye shall serve: love or fear." It's the same thing. And this wisdom and advice has been handed down for centuries for a very good reason. It works! Just choose.

So the more I choose joyful, happy thoughts, the more I feel joyful and happy. And the more I feel joyful and happy, the more joyful and happy experiences show up in my life.

It really is that simple.

I didn't say it was easy.

Regardless of its ease or simplicity, I am a living example of the power of choice in choosing happy over sad, of choosing love over fear, of choosing joy over worry.

Well, usually.

I still have some work to do. But what else am I here for except to learn this and to be it (which, by the way, equals sharing it)?

Don't worry ... Be happy!

To buy or not to buy ... that is the question.

Francisco (my husband) and I have nursed our ailing cars long enough. Last fall, we decided that we would donate our cars to the Salvation Army as they were ready to go. First, his Taurus went. We decided to buy another car, American-made, a Ford Fusion. It's a lovely car and we like it very much.

Then, in January, we donated my Lincoln Town Car.

When the driver came to pick up both the cars, I felt sad at letting them go. They had become a part of my life and had been good cars. As I said good-bye to my car, I knew that it was going to a better place: the Salvation Army fixes them up before auctioning them off. And we had reached a point where we were just not willing to invest any more $$ into making my car run.

So this left us with one car.

Since I work from home, this really isn't a problem for me. We have created our lives to be able to manage living as a one-car family. This means that one day a week, I drive Francisco to work and then use the car for running whatever errands I want to run, and we do grocery shopping together on weekends, and do any other errands, as well. It works pretty well.

Still, it does cramp my style, as I'm sure you can imagine.

Since last fall, we have been asking the question "Should we buy another car or wait?" So far, we have decided to wait and manage with one car. Nonetheless, during this time, Francisco asked me what kind of car I would want if I were to get another one. I told him a Mercedes. He said the repair on them is too much. I agree - at least for right now. Then he asked me what kind of AMERICAN car I would want. I knew immediately: a Chrysler Seabring convertible (we do live in Southern Florida, after all).

No hurries.

Until today.

There is a Chrysler Seabring convertible (with leather seats, thank you very much) at the same dealer we bought our Fusion from. We like this dealer, and feel good about our experience with them. And the Seabring has just been reduced a couple thousand dollars to a price point that we are very tempted (less than $8K). It's a 2006, and has 32K miles. We can get a CarFax report on its history, and probably a very low interest rate.

This means I will have freedom again.

Well, at least in one way. It also means I will have a commitment to a car payment, which would likely be relatively low. It also means I will be able to go to make presentations about my work which I need to do in order to be able to bring more money in.

Jeez ... which came first: the chicken or the egg?

So, here's my plan. I'm going to go see the car today (today is the day I have our car so I can do this!), and maybe test drive it. If I like it, I will then call Francisco and we'll very seriously talk about getting it. (Hmmm ... I'm not crazy about the color (totally a woman thing - lol): it looks like a navy blue, at least from the picture on the website. (Why couldn't it be a lovely ocean blue?))

Well, I'll go see it in person and see if I like it. Then I think I'll know the answer to the question: to buy or not to buy?

Coming out of the closet...so to speak

I channel. Ok, I've said it. Openly and publicly. I channel. I have been channeling for about six years, ever since I took Doreen Virtue's Angel Therapy Practitioner course and learned how incredible this is. And I studied Sanaya Roman's book, Opening to Channel, around that time, too.

Now I realize that some of you who have landed on this page will now navigate away from it because this is just too far out there for you. I get that. But let me just say in my defense, that there have been many, many, many very famous channels throughout our history, and some of them have churches built in their names.

Think of Mark for example. Yes, Mark from the greatest selling book of all time, The Holy Bible. Mark has one of the most famous churches in the world: St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy. I actually was there last fall, and lit a candle to Mary and Jesus in the sacred sanctuary.

From Mark, let's go to Revelations (also from The Holy Bible), written by St. John the Divine (in whose church I was ordained last year in New York City) ... and let's just add that many, if not all, of the books of the Bible were channeled.

So was The Course in Miracles.

So was The Qur'an (by the prophet Mohammed, father of the Islam faith).

So were all of Ellen G. White's writings (the Seventh-Day Adventists' most famous author).

So was the entire Conversations with God series, by Neale Donald Walsh.

So are the Teachings of Abraham, by Esther Hicks (the Abraham-Hicks work).

And so on.

Many, many works are channeled. And I didn't even go into the musical world, or the art world, or, or, or...

So what is channeling anyway? Basically, it is a trance state (it could be any level - light-deep), wherein one opens oneself to higher consciousness, and then brings forth that wisdom or vision or insight to this waking consciousness.

So, when I first started channeling, I found it to be difficult. It took a while to learn to trust my intuitive hits, to hold the energies of higher-level teachers, and to be comfortable with this.

Then two years ago, my life changed. During a meditation, I received a new group of guides called Karleon. At the time I did not realize that when one channels, it is common for certain guides come to you at different times. I was startled to hear from Karleon, and it took another year for me to be willing to share them with others. (Mostly because of my own fear of how people would view me.)

I began to channel for others in a bi-weekly group. And I came out more openly with it in safe settings like metaphysical bookstores, and friends of friends.

Now, I've been guided to share this with everyone else. So, I've begun a new blog called "Ask Karleon" where people can ask Karleon questions. If you're interested, you can find it at: http://askkarleon.blogspot.com/. Feel free to utilize this very beautiful, very important guidance in your own life.

Blessings to you all.

Thank You, God, for friends!

Last night, friends of ours, Dawn & Julio, came over for dinner and to play games. We decided around Thanksgiving of last year that we'd give game night a try and see how we liked it. We discovered we loved it!

Since then, when all four of us are available, we get together for dinner and games on a Saturday night. Dawn and I decide on the menu ahead of time, and then on Saturday, Francisco and I clean our house and I work on the appetizers and whatever our contributions are for dinner. Dawn and Julio come with their contributions and we have a lovely dinner.

Then we break out the games. After playing a number of different games, we've decided the Rummy Game is our favorite. It works like the card game, Rummy, but it's with tiles, and you can manipulate the runs (my favorite thing to lay down) and the 3-of-a-kinds (my husband's favorite thing to lay down) to create new runs or 3-of-a-kinds. It's a lot of fun, and uses left-brain thinking in order to play. Sometimes when someone goes out, they have just one tile left and they have to manipulate six or eight or even ten different groups in order to get rid of that one tile.

Last night, I won for the first time. In all the weeks we've been playing, I had not won. Not once! But last night, I had that one tile left and I had to manipulate a whole lot of things on the board to get rid of my tile. Even I was surprised! Actually, last night, everyone won. Francisco also won for the first time, and he won three times in a row! You can see that Dawn & Julio have been wiping up the floor with us, but we haven't cared. It's pretty terrific, and we all have a blast.

We met Dawn and Julio at Unity church about a year and a half ago. We instantly clicked. One reason is that both Dawn and Julio were raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist religion, as I was. We all went through the private schooling - including boarding schools (in high school), which is a pretty unique experience. There are things we share that is hard for others to understand unless they've experienced it, as well. Things like campmeeting. And vespers. And ingathering. Things like the Sabbath being Saturday, like the Jewish faith. See what I mean?

In addition, to find someone who had experienced the SDA world and was now at Unity was even more unusual. Because, like Seventh-Day Adventism, Unity is a unique faith. They're almost like the two opposite ends of the spectrum in the faith world. SDA on the right and Unity on the left. (Think conservative and liberal, and you've got it.)

As we got to know Dawn & Julio, we liked them more and more. Then Dawn asked me to officiate their wedding. I was honored. I wrote the service and they loved it. It was a beautiful service and I received some compliments on what I wrote. Dawn was a beautiful bride and Julio a handsome groom.

Dawn was working in New York at the time I was ordained, and she came to my ordination. She met my family and came to dinner with us afterward. I was incredibly grateful for her light-hearted, humorous stories after such an intense, powerful experience, and she made us all laugh.

I have been blessed with some wonderful friends throughout my life. People who have made a difference to me, who have helped me through some very dark times (thank you, Danielle! thank you, Kathleen! thank you, Betsy!). Friends who have talked with me on the phone for hours, sharing ideas and helping me move to a new place of understanding about a particular issue (again, thank you, all of you, and especially you, Danielle!).

This is the first time I've had a "couple" friend. When I was younger, I was busy raising my daughter, Christina, and so my friendships were friends I met being a parent. We shared ideas, and, since I homeschooled Christina for a number of years, we shared a common value. Then she grew up and my friends changed. Then we moved and again, my friends changed - although some remained very beautifully in place. But it is nice to have the physicality of friends to hang with and do things with.

Having a "couple" friend is different. The energy of all four needs to blend nicely, and everyone like everyone else. This does. The conversation needs to be interesting and fun. This is. The interests must be common. Ours are. Even our spiritual language is similar. This is pretty unusual, and I, for one, am grateful. It's a delightful experience having friends, and a new and fun experience for me having a "couple" friend. Both Francisco and I are pretty much home-bodies, so for the most part, we are very content to be together in our home.

It's nice to share ourselves with others. It's nice to welcome others in. Thank you, Dawn & Julio!

Law of Attraction: What’s It All About?

There’s a buzz going around about the new phrase “Law of Attraction.” Well, it’s actually not so new; it’s been around for about 20 years in the Abraham-Hicks’ work, but it was recently made popular by the movie “The Secret.” Since the movie came out in 2006, numerous books have popped up, talk shows have been filled with guests, the web is alive with articles – all about the Law of Attraction – and there has been an increased desire to understand how this actually works.

So, what’s it all about then? And, why should I learn how this works?

Basically, the Law of Attraction (LOA) states: “that which is like unto itself is drawn.” This statement seems obvious. But how does this LOA apply in my everyday life? Does this mean that if I’m nasty to someone else, they’re going to be nasty to me? Well, not necessarily that same, exact person. But you will draw to you people who will be nasty to you if you are nasty to others. That sort of goes without saying, right? Law of Attraction is more about your vibration, your energy, your beliefs. It’s about what you are putting out into the world, and what you are getting back.

If you believe it’s ok to be nasty to others, you will draw to yourself others who believe it is ok to be nasty to you. If you believe it’s important to be kind and generous to others, you will draw to yourself others who believe it is important to be kind and generous to you, as well. But here’s where it gets tricky. What if you believe it’s important to be kind and generous to someone, but you still get someone who is nasty to you? Wazzup with that?

This is where self-awareness is so important. Who are you, really? What do you believe? How – and what – do you think? You may answer, “Well, I believe it’s important to be kind and generous.” Ok. That’s your overall belief. Now, let’s look to see if you have some exceptions to this. Perhaps you have a belief that is something like, “In certain situations it’s ok to be unkind.” Or perhaps you have another belief that says something like “I can’t be nice all the time, then people would walk all over me.”

Perhaps there’s a fear inside that says “I’m afraid people will be mean to me.” Or, perhaps you’ve been saying for some time, “I really hate it when people are mean to me!” (By the way, the more intensely you feel something, the more quickly you draw it to you.) Any or all of these thoughts are vibrations which emanate from you and draw to you those situations or people in your life.

This is why it is so important to pay attention to what you are putting out into the world through your beliefs. If you want to know what you really believe, take a look at your life. Seriously. Let me say that again: if you want to know what you really believe, take a look at your life. Look at how people treat you, and with self-awareness, trace it back to what you believe or feel. Then clean that up. Change those thoughts, change those beliefs and change your life.

Right now, as I type this, I have a belief that has been running the show. My belief is “This is just too much to explain in a short blog. Who are you kidding?! There are entire books written on this, and you’re going to try to say how it works in this blog? Yeah, right!” I started writing this an hour and a half ago, got stuck and so I stopped, talked on the phone, played a game of Spider Solitaire to help me get my mind off trying to figure it out, and then I came back.

Because I’ve spent time becoming aware of what I think as I think it and paying attention to those thoughts, I am aware that I was struggling with writing this blog. Well, guess what? My beliefs were running the show and I was having a hard time figuring out where to go with this to keep it concise and to the point.

And yet … that is actually my whole point. Right there. Because I have a belief (and, by the way, some accompanying negative emotion about that belief), it was manifesting into my experience pretty much immediately. And…

What I don’t have is a belief that writing a blog is hard (or rather, I do have a belief that writing a blog is easy and fun). Therefore, that belief is also contributing to this experience, significantly. Both beliefs are there, both are kicking around, and while the negative ones had some power for a while, the other, more positive – and stronger – belief won out.

If you want to know what you really believe, take a look at your life.

Soon, very soon, I’m going to talk about how we can change our beliefs through using EFT (the Emotional Freedom Technique), and some other useful tools. For now, however, pay attention to what’s going on inside and to know that you can change those beliefs to more empowering, useful, and positive ones, so that you can intentionally create your life from a more positive, very effective place.

That’s what’s in it for you.

Oh, That Was Just Beautiful!

I sing. Some say I sing very well. Sometimes I think I sing very well. Sometimes I think I sound horrible. Some who have heard me sing might be surprised at this. But it's not because I always sing so beautifully, but rather because when they have heard me sing, I have practiced and practiced and my voice is warmed up and I am ready to actually perform the song, therefore my voice sounds good.

When I haven't sung for some time, however, I can hear how my breath is shorter than usual (meaning I can't hold the note as long as I can when my voice is more elastic and warmed up), how the note isn't quite on fully, especially in faster movements of the song, or how I just can't quite get that high note, and the notes themselves sometimes just don't have the purity of sound they have when my voice is warmer. And each time I get in that place, I have a little bit of panic inside. "Oh, no, what if this is all I can ever do from now on?" The anxious conversations begin to get activated inside. Beautiful? Not even close.

Then I practice and it begins to sound better. Whew.

Most times I sing, I sing at churches. Most recently, Francisco and I had been attending a Unity church in Hollywood, Florida, and for a little while, I sang somewhat frequently (about once every couple of months). Then it stretched to six months. Not enough for me. A singer needs someone to sing to, doncha know.

Odd, it seemed to me, that I wasn't doing more. Except that I understood the concept that diverse music is being offered to the church. I'm not terribly diverse; I have my style, my loves of form and method of singing, and I like to stick to it. I'm not a jazz singer, nor am I a gospel singer. I like slower, gentle, loving songs - songs with feeling and quiet, sacred heart. Songs like "The Lord's Prayer," and "Here I Am, Lord," and "You'll Never Walk Alone." And that can sound like one-note-Johnny after a while. I understand.

Before moving to Florida, Francisco and I lived in Charlottesville, Virginia. We were attending a lovely Presbyterian church, and both of us sang in the choir. I sang lots of solos there. People always were saying how wonderful it was; how beautifully I sang. (Sometimes I would wonder if they were just being nice, especially if I had heard some notes go flat or sharp.) Nonetheless, I love to sing and people kept encouraging me, so I kept singing.

Since moving here, we've been searching for a church. Like I said, for a while, we attended the Unity church. And it was lovely. The people are delightful. But we've been a little split between the Unity church and another lovely Presbyterian church we discovered, and so we are now connecting to the First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood.

It's nice to connect in different places.

This brings me back to singing. The Presbyterian church has more of the kinds of songs I like to sing. I love singing from a hymnal, and I love the types of solos I have heard. "Pie Jesu" was just beautiful, as was "He Shall Feed His Flock" from the Messiah at Christmas. The choir is lovely and active and sings beautiful classical songs. This gives me hope that I can sing frequently again and offer my voice, my heart, my soul. Musically, it feels like a fit.

And this brings me back to the other night. I was fixing dinner and decided to sing. It's one of my favorite times to sing, when I'm working in the kitchen. I was singing along with "Memories," from the Broadway play, "Cats," and as I finished the song, I could hear the ducks outside quacking.

Let me fill you in. We live on a lake. It is small and man-made, but it is a lake nonetheless. And at this lake live numerous fishing birds and ducks and turtles. Francisco and I delight in watching and feeding the ducks and the birds (not the fishing birds, other birds like Blue Jays, and the wonderful noisy Parrots) every day. Last year, one of the ducks had 10 ducklings, all of whom survived. As they grew, they got used to my voice, because I talk to them when I feed them. And they talk to me. So, imagine my surprise when I heard them quacking as I finished singing. (It's January, so my windows are open, wide open!)

I felt like St. Francis who gave his sermons to the birds!

It was the most delightful experience. I could almost hear them saying, "Oh, that was beautiful, do more!"

This makes me think that even though I didn't think it soundeds so great, maybe they heard something else. Maybe they heard the heart behind the song, the love and the passion. Maybe they heard me.

And maybe that's what people hear when I sing: my truth, my heart, my love, my connection to God. And maybe that's what they're talking about when they say "Oh, that was just beautiful!"

How is Your Ministry Going?

This morning, I received an email from a young woman who is finishing her second year of seminary. She will be ordained at St. John of the Divine church in New York City, on a beautiful June day this year. I was ordained at St. John of the Divine church in New York City, on a beautiful, very hot, June day last year, from the same seminary. She asked me: "how's your ministry going?"

Now this is a frequent question that I receive, and one that many of my fellow graduates have received since being ordained. And many of us have a similar answer: "Uh, well, good, and well, uh, hmmm..." The reason for this rather unclear answer is that most of us are still figuring out what the heck we're doing being ministers.

We felt called. We answered the call. We spent two years exploring the world's major religions, and learning how to create rituals, perform ceremonies, and give sermons. We learned how to experience the energies of celebrations and times of challenges, and how to become ministers. How to speak like a minister. How to be a minister.

The ordination was magical. After an intimate, and deeply moving, retreat, our tightly-knit group of eager seminarians met up with family members for a weekend in New York.

Sunday was our big day. My husband flew from Ft. Lauderdale to be with me. My mother flew in from Oregon to see me ordained. My daughter and her fiance rode the train from Baltimore to be there. My brother and nephew came from Pennsylvania. My dear friend came from Charlottesville. It was affirming, and rich and powerful.

Samora and I sang "The Prayer." Kate sang another beautiful song. Sharon gave the class a voice with her profound speech. We sweated. We celebrated. We cried. And we were ordained.

Then it was all over. We went our separate ways. My study group (nicknamed "The Fertile Ones") stayed together online. We are a diverse group: Jewish, Voodoo, Shaman, Buddhist, Pagan, and Christian - of several faiths including New Thought, Presbyterian and Catholic - and yet all Interfaith. The group continued to meet weekly. We discussed what this meant to be a minister.

One by one, we have found our way. One started Peace House, an interfaith meeting place dedicated to peace. One became an associate minister at her Unity Church. One was a pastor at his community church. One officiated weddings of gay and lesbian friends. One continued his training in his faith and became a priest. Others discovered their ministry is in the offering of themselves to those around them in whatever form is needed.

The question remains "How's your ministry going?"

For me, the answer has been muddled. My vision has been muddled. But it's clearing.

I had the opportunity to give the sermon at the Unity church I attend, and loved it. (Thank you, Rev. Frank!) I'm going to do more! I sing, and I also offer workshops on EFT (and have done a number of them also at Unity as well as other places). I am creating some amazing affirmation CDs, combining affirmations and EFT (a wonderful acupressure technique), and have discovered that this is part of my ministry. (Those who have test-driven my abundance CD have had some powerful financial breakthroughs as a result!) I tried out being a chaplain at a hospital and discovered I did not like that at all. And I officiated at some weddings and found I loved it.

So: how's my ministry going? "Well, uh, good. It's coming." (Basically, this means I'm figuring it out as I go along.) I do feel strongly that where I am right now is not where I'll be in 2 years, or 5 years. No question about that. And that's good news. Where I am is just fine. But where I'm going? Ooohhh, baby! Just you wait!

Welcome!

A new blog, wow. So much responsibility, what do I say? Where do I take this blog? All of these thoughts are running through my mind (as though the entire world is going to be reading this and then changing their lives because of it - yes, uh-huh, I'm just so sure! - lol). Sill, if I'm going to be putting myself out here, I would like what I say to have at least a little meaning - for me, as well as hopefully for someone else. So, what to say?

Well, let's start here. At the beginning. At the beginning of any project we take a look at what we want to accomplish. So my question is: what do I want to accomplish?

Answer: something of value, something interesting, perhaps occasionally profound, an offering of wisdom, hope, thoughtfulness and sometimes humor.

I think I can do this.

So, for today, I offer this. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ok, I borrowed that, but still, the offering is real.)

In rejoicing and being glad in this day, in today's moment, and in recognizing the truth that it comes from Spirit - life comes from Spirit - then we begin to recognize the truth that all that we have, and all that we are, comes from Spirit. We begin to honor that truth, and as we honor - and live - that truth, we begin to see more and more of it showing up in our lives. In other words, the more we are grateful (glad), the more we discover that we have to be grateful for.

And it's not just because we are seeing more (although that's a part of it). Rather, it is that the more we express gratitude, the more the Universe/God/Spirit (whatever you wish to call this beautiful, pure, loving energy of light and vibration) sends our way. The more we express gratitude, the more we receive gratitude. The more we express gratitude, the more we experience things for which to be grateful.

Think Law of Attraction. Think like attracts like. Think birds of a feather flock together. Same principle; same idea.

So. Again. "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

And so it is.