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A full moon circle: An intensification of healing energy

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The full moon

I’ve always been partial to moon cycles. I love the possibility that the new moon represents and I love the power that the full moon unleashes. I’ve performed rituals during the new and full moons — some I’ve learned from others and some I’ve made up myself. I’ve also frequently engaged in candle magic, lighting candles usher in my intentions during new and full moons. However, none of that compares to the experience I had participating in my first full moon circle a couple of months ago.

My friend Mia knew that I study moon cycles and she asked me to join her at The Pearl Modern Spa and Boutique in Columbia, Maryland for a full moon circle. This was back in June during the Sagittarius Full Moon. I had no idea what to expect so I just decided to be open to the experience.

When we arrived I immediately felt a warm rush of acceptance. The circle was led by Rebecca Slaven, a master Reiki practitioner and yoga teacher. There were about 25 people in attendance and we all sat in a circle around an alter. We were invited but not obligated to put an item on the alter for a special blessing. Some people placed crystals on the alter; others put small personal items on the alter such as a piece of jewelry.

Rebecca hugged me and greeted me warmly, and I felt like I knew her. That notion, as well as my comfort in the group showed me that I was where I was meant to be.

Mia and I sat next to each other in the circle; other participants greeted us and made us feel welcome.

An Oracle card message to start the night

Rebecca started the evening off by passing around a deck of Oracle cards. We each were to take one. The one we chose would have a message for us. The card that I picked talked about the importance of community. It urged me to participate in community as a way to strengthen my spiritual practice.

Then Rebecca spoke about the astrological significance of that particular full moon. She spoke of it signaling for us clues about personal truths that might be holding us back. She spoke of the adventurous spirit of Sagittarius and how its full moon energy could help us make strides on the life journeys that were most important to us. She also spoke of the importance of gratitude and how it could propel us forward. We then went around the circle and each person spoke about something that we were grateful for. That was a powerful experience, as the circle’s energy heightened that gratitude. For those who know a lot about manifesting, you likely know that gratitude for something draws it into your life. For me personally, I felt that this was a significant full moon, since Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, which is my rising sign.

Several of us shared that we were grateful for our health. I shared my experience of surviving and thriving after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Rebecca then echoed some of the intuitive messages I had already been receiving. One way that spirit speaks to us is by sending the same message multiple times through different channels. I already knew that I was meant to share how messages from the Universe got me through the experience. She reiterated that fact, while having no idea that it was a refrain that I had already heard.

Finally, we laid down on yoga mats and experienced a full moon guided meditation. What bubbled to the surface for me during that experience was extreme clarity around my writing and how my experience moving through illness to wellness was meant to encourage others to do the same. It wasn’t a new message, but one that has repeated itself multiple times in the past few months. However, the increased energy in the full moon circle gave that vision the spark to carry it further along to fruition.

A psychic encounter in a pizza shop

You never know when you’re going to have a psychic hit. You also never know when you’re going to meet someone who has psychic insight into your life. The latter happened to me today in a pizza shop of all places.

Readers of this blog may know that I had a bout with pancreatic cancer. A series of intuitive messages led me to Mayo Clinic where I met the surgeon who saved my life. (That’s a story for another day. I’m currently working on a book that describes how my intuition and the messages I received saved my life.)

For the last couple of years I’ve been staying with relatives and recovering from the major surgery that I had called the Whipple Surgery. Needless to say, I hadn’t been to my favorite pizza shop, across the street from my house, in a good two years.

So today I was home and decided I would get a piece of pizza. When I walked in, I saw an older gentleman behind the counter who I remembered from my once-frequent visits. When he saw me, I immediately noticed the recognition in his eyes. He greeted me and I was surprised to find that he remembered my name. We chatted for a few minutes as he got my pizza and then he leaned over the counter to speak to me seemingly in confidence. With concern in his eyes, he said, “You’re better now?”

spirit guide for 2022

I was startled and at first I wondered if I had misunderstood him. But he repeated it. “You’re better now?” he said. In his eyes, I saw wisdom and understanding. I felt that I could confide in him, and I said, “I was sick,” and before I could say anything further, he said, “I know.” The moment seemed to drag on forever as I marveled at what he had said. I knew from the core of my spirit that he did, in fact, know. He wasn’t just saying words or making assumptions. He knew.

Then he spoke again, saying, “But you’re improving now.” He didn’t ask it as a question; he simply made the statement. “You’re improving now.”

  • There was no logical way that this man knew that I had been sick.
  • There was no logical way that he knew that I’d just had my most recent followup appointments and was, in fact, showing more improvement to my labs and scans than ever before.
  • He had no way to know that I had been recently released by my surgeon and other doctors who don’t need to see me anymore.
  • He had no way to know that a week ago I had a feeding tube taken out of my body because I no longer need it. Yet he knew that I had been sick and I was improving.

The moment blew me away and reminded me that we are all connected to Universal knowledge and wisdom when we open up to our intuition. How many other people have I met in my life who had a psychic insight for me but I was too caught up in my head to recognize it?

I’m grateful for the message and it lets me know that I continue to be on the path toward total healing. The messages continue…

A lot of people die around their birthdays. This might be why

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that a lot of people die around their birthdays. Typically, I’ve noticed that they might die within a month of their birthdays — either before or after.  I’ve noticed this with people I know, as well as with celebrities. For example, actor and activist Sidney Poitier was born February 20, 1927 and died January 6, 2022.  Actress Kirstie Alley was born January 12, 1951 and died December 5, 2022. Actress Elizabeth Taylor was born February 27, 1932 and died Marach 23, 2011.

A birthday cake.

I remember once interviewing a healer and she mentioned that people often die around their birthdays because energetically that is when we are at our weakest. The idea resonated with me. On some level I knew it to be true. In my own life two times when I was the sickest occurred around my birthday. One year I had pneumonia during that time. Another year I was in the hospital for my birthday month for nutritional imbalances after a major digestive surgery.  

I’ve been exploring the concept recently and here’s what I’ve found.

Your birthday marks the end of a cycle

Astrology shows us the power and prevalence of cycles. All of the planets embark on a journey only to return to their starting point before they follow that same path again. Perhaps it’s easiest to see this with the moon since its cycles are the shortest and we can identify all aspects of the cycle every month. 

The new moon is the beginning of the cycle and it’s characterized by darkness. On the night of a new moon, you can look up in the sky and you won’t see the moon at all.  While the moon’s energy is weak at this point, this is a moment of pure potentiality. That’s why many people set intentions during the new moon and look at it as a good time to do manifestation rituals

Then there is a period of waxing — when the moon’s energy begins to increase. At this time, you begin to see the moon get larger; first it is a sliver and then it grows in size until it reaches full moon status — the moment when the moon’s energy is at its strongest. At this point, the moon’s cycle reaches a turning point and begins to wane, or lose energy, as it moves toward the end of its current cycle. 

Energetically, the moon continues to lose power until it gets down to new moon status, where the cycle repeats itself. 

We undergo a similar cycle over the course of each birth year. Your birthday is akin to the new moon — the moment that your energy is most diminished, yet the period where the potential for your next cycle is unmatched.

So where does death come in? There are a couple of ways that you could look at it. Physically, your body and the energy that surrounds it are at their weakest around your birthday, according to this belief system. (I must add here that I am no doctor and you should not take any medical advice from this web site. Only your doctor can give you a prognosis.)  That means if you’re sick or you have an accident, your body may not be as prepared as usual to fight off the effects. That could leave you particularly vulnerable. 

Another way to look at it is to acknowledge that death is not an ending, but rather the beginning of a new cycle. Your birthday is the moment of pure potentiality, and that potential could be related to life after death rather than your current life experience. 

Science also has a birthday death theory

What’s really fascinating to me is that this is one of those areas where metaphysically-minded people and scientists agree that something is going on. You’re not just imagining that many people seem to die around their birthdays. Researchers have found that it is true. One study even found that people are 14 percent more likely to die on their birthdays than on any other day. That percentage was even higher among people 60 and older. They are 18 percent more likely to die on their birthdays than on other days. 

Of course scientists aren’t likely to look to astrological cycles and energy theories to explain it. Instead, some suggest that we’re more stressed out around our birthdays, leading to adverse health effects. 

Another theory blames it on the birthday blues — some of us get so depressed around our birthdays that we either lose our life to suicide or subconsciously welcome death in some way. 

Some have even gone so far as to blame an increase in accidents and reckless behavior on alcohol and other celebratory behaviors people often engage in around their birthdays.

How to increase the odds we keep on living

If you’re like me, you’re not interested in finding out whether you’re more likely to die around your birthday any time soon. In fact, I’m banking on living to be 100 and I have many decades to go before that happens. So what advice can I take from these findings and how can I best protect my energy and my body when my birthday season comes around?

full moon

For one, I can take it easy. While many people like to celebrate and party around their birthdays, I prefer to relax and go within. Partying would be going against my natural cycle, which, like the waning moon, is about getting quiet and resting. That’s not to say I won’t celebrate a birthday, but I will be particularly careful and low-key during those days around my special day.

I will also pay attention to my health. Having already had major health crises twice during my birthday season, I am very much aware of my body’s vulnerabilities during that time. Getting enough rest — maybe getting more rest than usual — and eating well are priorities particularly around that time of year. Making sure I get enough water is also paramount to keep my organs functioning at the highest level and to flush toxins out of my body. I may even consider a visit to my naturopath, or schedule acupuncture or a relaxing massage to heap on a load of self-care.

Finally, I can show an appreciation for the natural rhythms of life. There is a time and a season for everything. Learning to read and make the most of each season is the ultimate act of living spiritually and metaphysically. When we are in sync with the Universe, we are in sync with the Truth and Essence of life. We are living in alignment with our higher selves, which is what we are all here to do.

Stop blaming it on luck and own your psychic superpower

I used to love Wonder Woman and wish I had my own superpower. Now I realize that I’ve had a superpower all along. I was just too afraid to own it.

I’ve been paying more attention to my impressions about people because I now know they are the product of my intuition. One area where I’ve been seeing this pay off is in my career. I used to think that I was lucky when it comes to my career; I always seemed to draw the right client into my life at the right time. Now I realize it wasn’t luck; it was intuition.

Me as a child standing with my shero, Wonder Woman.
Me and my shero, Wonder Woman.

While that might seem like a cocky statement, it’s true. Though I was long aware of my psychic prowess through dreams that often gave me important messages, I was overlooking other ways that my intuition was making my life better. I’m an independent writer and I have many different clients. I’ve recently started editing for a new client because I was drawn to that client and I felt good when I thought about them. (For me, that’s a sign from my intuition that it’s ok to move forward.)

Another time my intuition guided me was when about six months ago a client asked if I wanted to take on a larger role with their organization. I felt that it wasn’t something that I should do and so I didn’t do it. A few months later that organization experienced budget cuts, a hiring freeze and some layoffs. I believe my hesitation was a result of what I was picking up on intuitively.

Yet a couple months after that when another client asked if I wanted to take on a larger role. I said ‘yes’ and I am enjoying that experience immensely.

When you start looking back on your life and the times you were right about something from a different lens, consider that maybe — just maybe — your intuition has played a larger role in your life than you thought.

Money has also been an area where I’ve had ‘lucky’ hits. When I became a homeowner for the first time years ago, I had an adjustable rate mortgage — a mortgage where the interest rate could change at any time. That meant that if interest rates rose significantly, my mortgage payments would have become much more expensive. Though interest rates were still low I felt a strong urge to refinance to a fixed rate mortgage loan and a few months later, the bottom fell out of the housing market during the housing crash of 2008. Luckily, my financial situation remained stable thanks to my refinance.

How to flip your psychic script

I don’t believe I’m special or that I have an intuitive gift. I know a lot of people embrace the idea that there are a select few with psychic ability. That’s why shows such as Charmed were so popular. Sure some people may have different metaphysical gifts than others — for example, everyone may not be a natural born medium who sees faces in objects. But I personally believe that everyone has psychic ability and can develop it even further. I also believe we’re all using it more than we think we are. Here are some ways that you can see your own intuition in action.

Keep a journal. People keep journals for many reasons. Some keep them for processing challenging situations. Some like to document what’s going on with their lives. Consider keeping a journal of all of your psychic impressions so you can go back and see how often you were right. In time this will become your brag book.

Identify areas in your life that run extraordinarily well. Some people are good with money. Others are good with relationships. Still others seem to have good luck professionally. Identify your sweet spot and I’m willing to bet that’s the area of life where you’re most likely to trust your intuition. Once you figure out which areas in your life are running most smoothly, pay attention to your thoughts about that area of your life. Start counting the times that you trust your gut or your intuition in these areas and as stated above record those instances.

Now look at the bad. In what area of your life are you struggling? Do you always date the wrong people? Are your finances out of whack? Have you gone from job to job? No you’re not just bad at it. That’s the area where you are NOT listening to your intuition.

This exercise isn’t going to change your life immediately, but it will give you food for thought and cause you to start changing your assumptions. As you open your mind to the idea that luck is contingent upon trusting your intuition, you’ll start seeing that what you have is better than luck when you use it.

When you die can you see your loved ones?

Do ancestors visit before you die? I believe they do. I remember the night before my father died, I had a dream where he told me he would meet me when it was time for me to die so I would not be afraid. 

Those who are dying often report having visions of deceased pets who have come to guide them to the other side.
It’s not unusual for a dying person to report seeing loved ones who have crossed over — including pets.

Then he said that would be ‘a long time from now.’ (Interestingly, he didn’t make appearances to me through dreams and visions when I was being treated with cancer with the exception of one dream when he showed me the life-saving surgery that I would have. The lack of his presence told me that I was not in the process of dying.)

Hospice workers and others who have been around a dying person often recount experiences where someone who is dying shares that they were visited by dead family members, friends and even pets. Many claim that those loved ones who have crossed over are coming to gather them and lead them to the other side.

A friend of mine experienced a visitation by her deceased grandmother through a dream a few weeks ago. In her dream, she didn’t receive the message that she was dying. Rather she received the message that a loved one was about to die though she didn’t understand the dream at the time. I do believe she may be a natural medium and I’ve encouraged her to take a class to strengthen her medium skills. Through her dream she got a glimpse of what may be a common occurrence when someone is going through the dying process. 

I’ll share her story in her own words though I changed the names for privacy.

An otherworldly visitation ushers in death

I was at my house, and I’m in the basement and the doorbell rings.

And it’s like somewhere between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM in the morning. So my mom and my sister are like, “Who in the world is ringing the doorbell at this time of night?” I’m like, “Well, you know, it’s probably daddy. He probably forgot his key or forgot to use the garage door opener, or whatever the case may be.”

So I go to open the door, and when I open the door, it’s my cousin Sam and one other person — I know I recognize the other person, but I don’t know who it is.

And I’m like, “What are you doing here?” And Sam says, “Your dad told me to meet him here.” And I was like, “Oh, okay. Well, he’s not here right now, he stepped out, but come on in and you can wait for him.

Loved ones return for the journey

So we’re sitting around and we’re waiting.  At some point, other people started showing up. I know his father showed up and several other male relatives showed up. Most of the other people that showed up were dead. Sam’s father is alive, but everyone else that showed up was one of my ancestors or one of my uncles that passed away.

For the most part, I didn’t call them by name, but I recognized who they were. And I’m kind of like, “Oh, well, what are they doing here?”  

And at some point, my husband walks into the room and he says, “Hey, how you doing?” And he offers Sam a drink and wants to show him our bar, which is in the basement.

So as we are walking down the steps to the basement, we meet my father, who says, “Where are you guys going?” And I say, “Oh, well, we wanted to show Sam the bar.”

 And then my dad goes, “He doesn’t need to see the bar. And, grandma’s waiting on him.” And I look behind my father and there’s my paternal grandmother who was also deceased, standing behind him.

And I was surprised to see her, because in previous dreams, I had felt her presence, but I had never actually seen her. You know, we would be at my father’s homestead, and my grandfather would be in his favorite chair with his beer in his hand, and my grandmother’s essence would be in the kitchen, but in those dreams you didn’t have a line of sight to the kitchen. I knew she was there, I could smell the food that she was cooking, I could hear her voice, but I never really saw her.

So this was the first time that I’m laying eyes on my grandmother in a dream, and I’m like, “Oh my God, grandma, what are you doing here?” And she says, “Well, I came here to meet Sam.”  

And then I wake up because I’m freaked out, and I’m like, “Grandma. I saw grandma. Grandma came to see me.” And it just freaked me out.

A premonition of death

So that was at the beginning of the month, around the first week of April.

So April 20th, I believe it was, my cousin calls me to let me know Sam had passed away. And it turns out at the beginning of the month, about the time I had the dream, Sam went into the hospital and was then supposed to go to rehab.

At the time, I didn’t ask any questions. What type of rehab? Were we talking about physical rehab or were we talking about rehab for addiction? I didn’t ask any questions. He told me Sam went to rehab, and then he passed away.

Two hands holding a ball of light

And so I still didn’t ask any probing questions, because it had just happened the night before so I wanted to be sensitive, but I told him my dream about grandma coming to get Sam and that Sam is in a good place. He’s with grandma, he’s in a good place.

So anyway, fast forward; a few days ago was the funeral, and my dad’s a preacher, so he did the eulogy. And during his eulogy, he mentioned the relationship he had with Sam and how Sam would confide in him about some of the demons that he had.

And my dad was like, “There are things that Sam probably told me that he never shared with you. You all thought that it was because he just couldn’t get over this addiction, but there was more to it. There was a reason why he was in the space that he was.”

So that made me realize, “Okay, you know what? That’s why Sam came to see my dad in the dream. That’s why my dad ushered in my grandmother to come get him, because they had a very special relationship, a special bond where my dad was trying to help him.”

Later that day, I finally sat my dad down face to face because I really wanted to tell him about my dream. And so I sat him down, I told him about my dream, and my dad looked at me and said, “Oh yeah, I have those dreams all the time. And usually when you have a dream that an ancestor comes to get somebody, that person usually ends up passing two or three weeks later.”

Read more: Want to talk to dead people? 7 ways to reach beyond the veil