Peace, Be Still

Many of us believe in meditation as a practice for touching our own deeper spiritual realms. Some of us strive to use meditations to create balance between our inner and outer worlds. Quite simply, we look into the silence to find answers to our problems. Unfortunately, many encounter difficulty in reaching the silence. Why is that? Why can’t we control our busy minds?

When I teach workshops in psychic development, one of the students’ questions always centers on their personal meditation problems. As I talk with students, I sense that the more intense the desire to meditate, the less meditation is likely to happen. The reason is that feeling too great a need or desire to reach that place of wisdom and creation which we refer to as “the Void” simply brings the opposite of relaxation in the body. It brings the opposite of peace in the mind. The only thing created by so great a pressing desire is a state of extreme tension.

I have a practice for bringing a state of relaxation which has always been successful for me. It seems to help my students as well. Find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. Seat yourself comfortably. Close your eyes. Now take as large an inhalation of air as you can and say “I am”; release all that air and say “at peace”. It is simple: “I am”…..”at peace”. “I am”….. “at peace.”

If you will continue to repeat these phrases along with the described breath work, it will be less than 2 minutes until you feel relaxation in your entire body. You will begin to feel the chatter in your mind cease. Allow each succeeding phrase repetition to be slower and slower until you find yourself in the silence.

Meditation is never the same. Every session will have its own timing and feel. It does not need to be for more than a few minutes, although some like to extend it into half or a full hour. I personally prefer my 15 minute segments at different times of the day.

The key is not to demand that each meditation be exactly the same depth or yield its result in the same way. You do not have to sit board stiff. If you feel a tickle behind your ear, scratch it! If you feel a cramp from sitting too long, get up. Be gentle with yourself and the desired results will come more easily.

Through repetition of meditation, you will forge an easier and more direct pathway to the Void. You will find the trip increasingly comfortable and familiar. It will become your place of creative manifestation and direct knowledge. You will be far more open to receiving the highest and best information. Your faith in your personal journey will be strengthened.

If you feel that a personal spiritual reading would be of value to you at this time, please call me, Reverend Lois, Bella Vista, Arkansas, (479) 657-6491.

THE DIET

The new year is almost here. It is time to start “The Diet”. It is not the no fat, no sugar diet, or the I-only-eat-grapefruit diet or any of dozens of other deprive-the-body diets for the purpose of loosing weight. No, this diet is designed to bring freedom to the mind, joy to the heart and a lightness to the spirit.

The only things you are asked to avoid for 14 days are these: television, newspapers, radio, dvd’s, computer newscasts. Why? Simple. When any of us are plopped in front of the TV or computer, we are relaxed and receptive. What are we receiving? All the bad news there is. We “enjoy” tales of murder, robbery, mayhem. Often we are let into the private life of candidates only to learn they smoked something other than cigarettes or enjoyed the company of folks we would rather not know. We are told where the war and torture are happening today.

What good does this media frenzy do us? We are told how to feel, what disease we have and what pill to take to feel better. None of this leaves us upbeat and smiling. Even if we rent a video for one night’s amusement we can become part of a violent or salacious plot. If we are really involved with the pictures sound, and story, we absorb harsh ideas about life in general while our hearts race. None of this leads us to peaceful actions.

So what can we do instead of all the programmed entertainment? That is the best part! We can find and do all of the things we have been ignoring. Why not write that long overdue letter to a friend? Enjoy a hike. Arkansas is full of some of the most beautiful trails, lakes and waterfalls. How many self help books have you meant to read and left on the shelf? Would you enjoy an evening of bowling with a friend? Take a class in a foreign language. Learn to paint. Volunteer. The list goes on and on. Who knows? Two weeks of dieting might even prove too short!

I wish all of you the best of 2008. May this year bring health, love, the ultimate in happiness and abundance to each of you. You can reach me, Reverend Lois, in Bella Vista, Arkansas, at (479) 657-6491.

Dreams---Messages from Home?

There are so many paths to enlightenment. Here is one you might not have considered. Your dreams want to bring greater understanding to you on so many levels touching on physical/emotional problems as well as spiritual questions. Dreams will come in a number of different ways. After studying my own dreams, I can honestly say, I believe that every dream is worth exploring. If you have never kept a journal, begin with a journal of your dreams.

I have heard people say they do not dream but, of course, everyone does dream. Some of us simply do not remember. That is easy to cure. It is most important to have a paper and pen or tape recorder within reach. Then, tell yourself directly before you fall asleep for the night: “Tonight I will dream and when I wake I will remember.” If it doesn’t happen the first time, don’t give up. It may take a couple of repetitions, but you will remember.

Dreams come in all sorts of strange tales. Looking at your dreams you may find double meanings, jokes, exaggeration, but rarely straight forward, blunt undisguised information. It is as if we don’t want to frighten ourselves by allowing information to be sent too directly. That grandmother in your dream may be representative of a way in which you are behaving, in your waking hours, “grandmotherly” or in some particular aspect as your grandmother might behave.

We have all had those naked dreams which tend to point out our vulnerability or exposed feeling. When you find yourself in a dream being unable to find a bathroom, you can guess that either there is something in your life that metaphorically needs "cleaning up" or perhaps "eliminating."

Dream analysis or interpretation cannot come from a dictionary of symbols. There may be a few “universal” symbols as those I have mentioned, but for the most part your feelings, your emotions and your understanding of your own symbols are the place to start.
In other words, if you continue to dream about chickens or eggs, how do you feel about chickens or eggs? Do you like, dislike, have allergies to, fear either one? Is someone in your life "chicken"?

Another interesting use of dreams is the programmed dream. In other words, if you have a problem that is not yielding a solution, ask for it. Again, before you go to sleep, state the problem briefly, and say: “Send me a solution in my dreams tonight. I promise to remember and write it down.” Often I have asked for a dream to explain a dream! Why not ask? There is no limit to the cooperation you can get from your personal dream maker.

Once in awhile I have received strong warning dreams. Let me recount one of those. It was a number of years ago when we were days away from a large move. My husband and I were leaving Arkansas for our new home in the panhandle of Florida. I woke in an awful state. In my dream I had been stung by hundreds of purple blobs. Since it made no sense to me at the time, I simply recorded the dream and forgot it.

Apparently, I did not forget. A few weeks later, we were settled into our Florida home. It was July---hot and humid. Our swimming pool was nearly overgrown with southern grape vines that covered the privacy fence. My husband was working on other repairs so I dressed to cut back the vines. The odd thing was in that hot July temperature, I put on a long sleeved shirt, heavy jeans, gloves, a hat and sun glasses. It looked more as if I was set to shovel snow.

Just a few minutes into trimming the vines, hundreds of wasps flew directly at me. Into the pool I went, hat, sunglasses and all. Thank goodness for all those clothes. I didn’t get even one sting. Those wasps had been nesting in the purple grapes (remember the big blobs). It seems that even when we can’t initially understand a dream, it can be remembered somewhere in our consciousness and give help at just the right time. Unfortunately, my husband wasn’t quite as lucky. He sustained a couple of stings while spraying the wasps.

There is one more aspect of dream problem solving that should be mentioned. It takes a bit of self talk and practice, but you can dream and be aware that you are dreaming. This awareness within a dream will allow you to manipulate the action in such a way as to gain understanding and solutions. Again talk to yourself: “I will dream tonight but I will be awake and aware within my dream. I will face my fears. I will direct the action.”

Frequently in the context of my private readings, I will be asked to aid in finding an interpretation to a particularly vivid dream. I am always ready to help with that understanding. If I can be of help to you through dream resolutions, psychic intuitions or spirit contacts, please call me for a private reading appointment: Reverend Lois, (479) 657-6491, Bella Vista, Arkansas.

NOW!

Would you like to create some changes in your life? Would you prefer that tomorrow was different than today? Perhaps you would like a tomorrow with more joy and less stress, more love and less fear, a tomorrow that would keep you happily on track toward your goals without wearing you down. The good news is you can do all of that and more!

The most potent time for you to create any future changes is in this “now” moment. Yesterday is gone. The future is yet to arrive There is no other time when you will own the amazing power you have in this moment. Dare to claim your “now” energy. Challenge yourself to be completely, fully, aware and alive in this moment in time. Know that the thoughts you think today, the words you speak today, are all shaping your tomorrows.

Your powerful imagination when mixed with strong emotion is your guarantee of creative manifestation. Emotion is the hot fuel that sets in motion the changes of your life. The truth is that no matter what direction your imagination takes, it will create an effect in your future days. If you imagine repetitively in fear, if your mental pictures are of personal disasters, you will experience dark and fearful results. On the other hand, if you will exercise control over your imagination, seeing strong pictures of vibrant health, expansive prosperity and friendships, those pictures and thoughts will bring positive, pleasing results.

When I first began studying metaphysics, I was given one strong warning: “ Never, never write about your troubles!” The reason is that writing about anything carries a strong creative energy. Unless you are truly enjoying your troubles, I would have to say it is best not to put them in a letter! If you will communicate only those things in your personal world that are right and good, you will see more positive results and situations arise. Speak words to yourself and your friends that are of the highest and best. Curb any impulse to join conversations of trial, tribulation and general gossip.

Those people, situations and feelings you are experiencing today are a direct result of what you thought and imagined in the past, coupled with the actions you took. Realize that this very minute you are creating the situations you will experience in the days to come. Take hold of your destiny. Make all your tomorrows positively beautiful!

You have the power. Why not create the very best for yourself? If you will exercise positive control over your thoughts, words and imagination, you will enjoy a more fruitful life. Promise yourself to entertain mental pictures and words of only the highest and best. Whatever you choose to dwell upon, you will experience! When you make your life better, all those people who are directly concerned with you, will benefit as well.

My work as a counselor gives me the opportunity to channel many positive suggestions from the guides of my clients. For those clients who are open and desiring personal progress, those words from their guides can be the key to amazing life changes. With an in depth reading, the future result of individual choices is clearly revealed.

If you would like a private guidance session for your life, please call for a psychic reading appointment: Reverend Lois, (479) 657-6491, Bella Vista, Arkansas.

YOU ARE VALUABLE!

Yes, you are valuable. Your life is important. Your contributions matter.

I remember my friend Mark. When we would go shopping together for something he needed, he would ask a clerk for help in finding the item. Whether or not the clerk could find it, whether or not the store even carried it, Mark would always say the same thing: “Thank you for your good service.”

Yes, I know it sounds a little stilted, but when he said it, you just felt it came directly from his heart. Even when the employee may have seemed a bit sour and disinterested in the beginning, that demeanor would change. Just the surprise that someone noticed him and cared, would often be enough to bring a smile or “your welcome”.

It is equally important for each of us to appreciate and value ourselves. When we feel worthwhile, we do worthwhile things. When our self esteem is in tact, we are free to allow our own creativity to come forward. We become contributors to this life. That is why I strongly recommend giving sincere, genuine compliments to others whenever an opportunity arises. When you have a chance to make someone feel good about themselves, perhaps to feel special, do it! You may never know how much those words are needed or how much good they will do.

Some years ago when I was in charge of a steno pool of 12 ladies, I realized that if I wanted the productivity that was expected from the team, I needed more than just assignments, deadlines and schedules. What I found was that the more appreciative I was to each individual worker for what they completed, the more work was being done. The feeling of the workplace was cheerful. The change began just because people who are validated for their efforts, want to do even more. All of us crave recognition.

Lately, I have a friend who often drives the two of us in my car to various places just for fun or shopping. Many times I will tell him how safe I feel when he drives and what a good driver he is. That is not just flattery on my part. All of that is quite true. I enjoy having someone do the driving while I sight see but I also know that he needs to hear it. It is important to him to feel appreciated.

Today, be sure to honor yourself, feel good about who you are and what you can do. Just for today, set aside any self criticism or harsh judgements. Also, please find an opportunity to help someone feel good about himself as well. The combination of those two efforts will make a beautiful day for you both.

My work is helping clients improve and smooth their lives with forward reaching information. If you would like a comprehensive psychic reading, call for a private appointment. Reverend Lois in Bella Vista, Arkansas (479) 657-6491.

ANGELS AND…

Do you believe in angels? How about guides, masters, inner plain teachers? Divine intervention? I certainly do. I believe in all of the above and with very good reasons. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I have been lovingly steered out of harms way. I know that my dodging of potential hazards is much more than luck. One of the more dramatic incidents happened just one year ago this November.

Beginning in early October I had made plans to move from Prescott, Arizona to my present home in Bella Vista, Arkansas. All my loyal spirit friends had told me quite plainly that my move should be made in mid November before Thanksgiving. At the last minute, I decided the timing didn’t suit me. I got stubborn. I was definitely not going to move until the last day in November and that was that. Big mistake.

So there I was on the 30th of November 2006, climbing into my Honda and heading for Arkansas. I knew the weather was changing but I seemed to be a little ahead of the snow. I spent that evening in a New Mexico motel. The next morning was cold but sunny and clear. Still I had the goose bumpy feeling I had better fill the gas tank just in case. Sure enough by 11 a.m. everything changed. It began as a little snow and quickly changed into sleet and freezing rain. The entire freeway can to a complete stop. No vehicle was moving.

I thought, “this is definitely not good”. But, on the other hand, I did have a full gas tank which meant I could run the heater off and on. Thank you angels! Problem was my windshield kept icing up. I couldn’t see anything in front of my car or on the side for that matter. From time to time, I got out of the car and cleared the windshield to be ready when the freeway was open again. I noticed my tires and wheelwells were freezing solid as well. Fortunately I had a big hammer in the front seat of the car to chip away the ice from the wheels. (earlier I wondered why I had loaded that???).

Time seemed to drag as I sat waiting and worrying. I realized however that as long as I was sitting still between a huge truck and a car, no one could crash into me on the ice and I couldn’t crash into anyone either. Also, I did have a big blanket in the car and bottles of drinking water. Plus I had brought along an assortment of snacks. With those thoughts I began to relax. Once in a while I would get out and talk to the friendly trucker behind me. He had been listening to his radio and told me there had been a tractor trailer accident up ahead involving five rigs. Surely the snow plows and salt trucks would come soon.

Seven long hours passed. It was 6 p.m. and pitch black outside by the time the first vehicles came through from the opposite direction. First the salt trucks and then some school buses. The freezing rain continued. By the time my line of cars and trucks began to move, the ice on my windshield couldn’t be cleared fast enough to see more than three feet ahead. I had 15 miles to go to the nearest exit and couldn’t move more than 5 miles an hour because of the ice. There were dozens of trucks and cars scattered about the median. Some were lying on their sides, some upside down. I would never have been able to drive that icy road to safety without my guides and my angels.

When I arrived at the nearest town, there were huge trucks parked on both sides of the mountain road in the small downtown. The sheriff was trying to help but vehicles were sliding every which way. All the motels were full. I tried three motels to find a room for the night. At the last one the clerk was on the telephone saying “no rooms”. I thought I would have to sleep in my car but just as I was walking away she called after me: “Is a kingsize bed o.k.”? I was so relieved it is a wonder I didn’t cry.

I spent the night in a warm dry room with television. The next morning I loaned my big hammer to a pickup driver who was trying to clear his wheels just as I had the night before. I decided to stay another night in town just to be sure the roads ahead were passable. The rest of the trip was a breeze by comparison. I arrived At my new home in Bella Vista, Arkansas, without a scratch on my car or a scratch on me!

What was this all about? Did I experience Divine Intervention that day? I believe so. Was it a strong lesson to me? Yes! Will I pay more attention to the advice I receive? Absolutely! Whatever the lessons of that experience, you can be sure that I will never stop thanking my guides and angels for the help they gave that day and continue to give every day.

To schedule a private reading appointment with Reverend Cheney, telephone (479)657-6491.

Relationships vs Attachments

One of our human challenges is lurking in our desire to form relationships, to be part of a couple. This desire for a mate is inherently a good desire. But, unfortunately, we tend to believe that the reason for that desire is that someone out there can and should fill in our other half. Apparently we mistakenly believe that some essential part of us was left out by our Creator Spirit and that part remains missing. With these thoughts, all the difficulties begin to arise. We fail to allow the other half of our couple to be who he is meant to be. Suddenly we know what he or she should change, mostly, of course, to satisfy our personal criteria of the perfect mate.

How do we enter into these relationships? Too many times we feel an emotional/physical draw to someone and ignore all of our intuitive sensing to the contrary. We know on some level or other that there is little chance of success with this person, that many existing personal differences cannot possibly create the meld into a real coupling, but passion wins. With barely a second thought,we plow in head first. Soon we find that we do not have a relationship of give and take. It is not a mutual support system where each person is allowed and encouraged to be true to their unique self.

Whenever we settle for a kind of attachment as opposed to a real relationship, we open the door to pain, disappointment and loss. This sort of attachment is actually an attempt to possess another. The inevitable always happens because each of us is here on the earth plain to evolve, to grow, to become more of the spirit led individual we were created to be. That kind of growth will not be stopped for long by anyone or anything. In even the best of relationships, people can and do grow apart and separate. There is no pain in that separation unless a strong attachment or possessiveness was there.

As mature beings, we need to know that love can exist without a controlling component. We need to know that it is alright to separate and move on when that is the best solution in a broken relationship. As long as we are willing to leave attachment out of our couplings, we can enjoy each other for as long as we are together giving love and appreciation. We can also part without feeling bereft, without days of mourning our loss. We can wish the other partner the best and mean it.

If we are truly aware in our relationships, if we are really seeing and sensing on deep inner levels, strong ties can be forged with another person without the negative element of attachment. Only through developing and listening to our personal intuitive understanding will we stop making too quick and sometimes faulty choices in our unions. Only then will we gain greater joy, love and growth in these joinings.

When you love and respect your own special uniqueness, you will cease expecting someone outside yourself to give you the validation and confidence to move forward toward your goals and life path. You will realize that a beautiful relationship is only an option, an added extra bonus. You will know that you are now, and always have been, completely whole.

Make Way for Spirit!

Each of us has an individual way of believing, our own highly personal pathway to faith. Some of us pray to a Mother-Father God. Some invite Holy Spirit to shine a light within. Others seek their own High-Self energy. Some invoke a particular master or teacher. A few of us depend on Father Sky or Mother Earth. But whatever our faith and whatever our method of reaching within or without for guidance, one fact remains the same. We all want guidance of the highest level to help our lives run smoothly. Unfortunately, the guidance we seek cannot reach us or gain our attention, unless we are willing to still our busy minds long enough to receive.

A quiet mind is not jumping from one thought to the next. It doesn’t repeat last nights quarrel over and over again. It refrains from fretting over every little thing that did or could or might happen. When a mind is full of miscellaneous ideas it isn’t open to receive. When your thoughts and emotions are jumping from one subject to another, there is no peace within. The answer is to spend some time monitoring and controlling your thoughts in order to invite the silence.

If being in the silence sounds like too tall an order, too difficult to accomplish, think about this: Every day you receive a gift of one thousand, four hundred and forty minutes to allocate as you please. (Yes, that is the length of your daily 24 hours.) Admittedly, there are some of these minutes that escape through sleep, but otherwise the use of the remaining minutes is at your discretion. What if you were to set aside 15 minutes early in the morning and another 15 late in the evening to just be still, to meditate? It would mean a few minutes less of television or one less phone call. Yet, that change could very well create the peace, the tranquility, that would allow the space and time for your special spirit/mentor to enter with guidance.

Setting aside a regular time for meditation or silence, can add greatly to your desired results. The regularity of meditation sets the tone for the mind to go ever deeper thus allowing a stronger and more satisfying connection to the higher energies you seek. The mind and emotions become programmed with regular timing and both mental and physical relaxation come quickly and easily.

On a more personal note, when I first began developing my psychic skills many years ago, I set aside those 15 minute segments. The only difference was that I had the free time to not only use 15 minutes morning and evening but also to develop a third segment at noon. Setting aside a total of 45 minutes each day , I was amazed at the personal progress I made in receiving much needed information.

It wasn’t long before I acquired an expanded understanding of self-healing. Dream interpretation took on an ease that I didn’t believe was possible. I was able to look below the surface of current situations in my life and root out the cause. If you want to understand more of your own life path and become intimately connected to Spirit, set aside the time. Answers will come. I promise you will never regret the effort.

UNLIMITED LOVE/UNLIMITED JOY

Your ability to live a joyous, loving life is limitless. Decide today how much love and joy you want to experience. Regardless of current circumstances,just below the surface in each of us is an effervescent spirit fountain of pure “happy”. Sometimes when life seems unfair, we fail to acknowledge our own ability to alter our emotional reactions for the better. Instead we make things worse by rehashing the problem or blame ourselves or others for any unpleasantness. It is easy to fall prey to our own judgements about what is good or bad. The truth is that judgements are just that and not necessarily the reality of a situation.

Always that happy spirit within can be called forth. If you will think back over some of the so called “bad times” in your life and remember how your opinion of them changed as time passed, you will realize that we don’t always see the larger picture. We don’t always understand that one situation has to run its course before there is the time and space for another to appear.

Remember the painful loss of one employment can lead to a better one. The loss of a companion can make way for an even more fulfilling relationship. Admittedly, the holidays can be particularly difficult for those of us who seemingly celebrate alone. Many of us have watched as our family members scattered to the four winds. Some of us still mourn the loss of one or more close friends. At these times of the doldrums it is particularly important to know how to elevate our thoughts and consequently change our emotions to a lighter vein.

The one technique that I find to be infallible for emotional lifting is the expression of my personal gratitude. Find just one good, pretty or happy thing or person in your life today and heap that with all the thankfulness you can muster. If you will do this (out loud if you are alone!) you will immediately find even more situations, people etc. for which to be grateful. As you feed your own thankfulness for your life and all that you have, you will not only make yourself happier, you will begin to feel a desire to make other people happy too. There are so many things that you can do or say to lift another person, stranger or not. Just an empathetic word or a genuine compliment can make someones day and give you a glow around your own heart.

You were born to express the love that you are. So, light up your heart. Make it sparkle. Shine your light and love out to the world. Give the gift that costs you nothing and pays such marvelous dividends. Someone needs your joy and your love today!

Psychic Seekers and Dreamers

If you are wanting spiritual insights, perhaps longing to develop your personal intuition or extrasensory perception, there are many teachers, workshops and classes available right here in Northwest Arkansas. It doesn’t matter if you live in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Eureka Springs or points in between, you will find the venue that is just right for you!

The number of choices for self knowledge is simply amazing. You can learn hands-on-healing from a reiki master, or give yourself the gift of graceful relaxation with a tai chi class. If you want to spend time with spirit minded folks, there are a number of “new age” groups to welcome you. Does the meaning of your own vivid dreams seem less than clear? Take a class in dream analysis. If you “know that you know” but can’t quite access the answers, then enroll in a developmental e.s.p. class. Yes, this area of our state is absolutely percolating with possibilities. To give you some ideas, I am including a number of interesting websites.

www.unityfay.org
www.ozarkresearch.org
www.passages-onthenet.com
www.taichinwa.com
www.sacredsoundhealer.com
www.spiritofeureka.com
www.wattlehollow.com
www.spiritualwomen.org
www.heartsongarkansas.com
www.circleoflight.net
www.glyco.com/iragoodman
www.universalone.com
www.poetryoftheangels.com
www.hopesculpture.com
www.tibetanheritageinstitute.com
www.artibet.com
www.spiritblessing.com
www.thehappinessformula.com.
www.10millionclicksforpeace.org
www.nationalwatercenter.org

Psychic Readings

Psychic readings are a springboard for change. When a person is aware of the direction his future is heading, it offers him an opportunity to make adjustments and retool his life path. Understand that the future is never “set in stone” unless hard attitudes are adopted. A productive and fulfilling life always includes flexibility, curiosity, and an open attitude as new possibilities are presented.


When a client schedules a private psychic reading with me, I always suggest that he or she spend some time before the appointment writing a list of all the issues that are important to him. If he wants contact with a particular departed spirit or advice about a relationship, he should write these things on the list. If a change in employment or location is desired, he should write it on the list. Any subject that is of concern should be added to the list.

Writing, as opposed to just mulling or thinking, carries a very organizing energy. The reason for writing a list is not to hand it to me as a frame for the reading but rather to stir some thinking in the individual to get his or her desires clear. This clarity will produce a much more satisfying session. Later when he reviews the tape recording that I make for him of his personal reading, he will almost always find the answers to the issues on his list!