We all get signs in various ways and sometimes if we're aware of the synchronicity around each message, we can take notice of what we are being told or nudged to change within our lives.
As I've mentioned before, it isn't until after the third similar sign or message that I usually have an Aha! moment, (much to the irritation of my guides and angels, I'm sure!) 
So, the other week I noticed a pattern forming. The first sign I had was as I was walking through someone's lounge and Big Bang Theory was on. (I love this comedy). They were talking about psychics and how Sheldon couldn't believe he was dating a girl who believed in psychics.
The next day I overheard a conversation,while at work, about psychics and lets face it, it wasn't the most complimentary debate.
That night I was getting my hair done and, although the radio was on the whole tim,e it wasn't until they began pooh-poohing psychics that I took any notice.
That weekend I was talking to my good friend Karen about the synchronicity of these three, obviously connected, signs. I asked her what she thought it was all about, and if there was a message I might need to take notice of.
She thought for a few seconds and asked 'When you introduce yourself to people and they ask what you do, what do you reply?'
I smiled and said 'I work part time at a bank'
She said 'So, do you tell them what else you do?'

'Umm, well I might tell them I am a massage therapist, reiki practitioner, an author or teacher...'
'Do you say you're a psychic?' When I shook my head, she asked 'Why do you think that is? And why do you say you work at a bank when it's only part-time and everything else you do is part of who you are?' (you can always rely on Karen to cut to the chase)
'Ahh, well, umm, I....guess it's because there is less fear and less judgement...and less pressure'
Actually when I tell some people I'm a psychic, for some reason I can't fathom, they instantly believe I can read their minds. I watch as they struggle not to 'think' anything with this whole conversation going on in their head 'I mustn't think...I mustn't think..I wonder how long it will take before she stops looking into my head, oh crap, I did it, I just thought of something...now she knows what I thought...stop thinking...stop thinking...!'
The mischief side of me watches and desperately wants to say 'I bet I know what you're thinking...!'
Of course there's also those that say 'Well, what do you get from me? Who's around me? What does my guide look like? What does the future hold for me?'
Anyway, back to my original story...
I am who I am. Being psychic or a healer is all part of what makes me who I am, so why didn't I say 'Hi, I'm Cherie, I'm a psychic, an author and a healer, oh and I work part time at a bank...'
A part of me understands why I didn't, but another part doesn't. I need to change the way I view myself, or lets face it, the messages and signals will just get bigger and more obvious. Its time to 'own me' and honour who I truly am. Since then I have made a concerted effort to be true to my gifts, instead of only taking them out when it suits. It has been surprising to discover that, the majority have been extremely receptive and willing to talk (and think) about their own experiences that they too had kept hidden away.
So, my question to you is, what parts of you are you keeping hidden? What hidden parts of you need to be acknowledged and honoured? Is it time you celebrated all of who you are as well?
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

As you know, I believe that our spirit family visit us within our dreams, mostly because thats when they can get past the constant chatter in our minds, or the energy that surrounds us.
Last night I had a visitor during my dream. She was in her late twenties and absolutely stunning. She kept asking me if I knew who she was. I told her I felt I should recognise her, but I just couldn't work out who she was. 
She said 'I'm your Aunty Kath.'
I replied 'Wow! You are beautiful!' (I had never seen her as a young woman)
She nodded and said 'I know!' 
She told me of a few things that were to do with my family, including old health problems they had had and how they were 'fixed'. As she spoke, I found it hard to focus. It was almost like I was getting an information overload (like when you start learning something new and your body just wants to sleep). She spoke at length, and by the time she was ready to leave, she was once again an old lady. I wasn't disturbed by this at all. It seemed perfectly normal. 
As she walked away I was thinking about how they (our spirit family) have to lower their vibration to be seen by us, and it requires a great deal of energy for them to do this. I couldn't help wondering if that was why she had lost her youthful vitality, because she had been using all her energy to stay long enough to say all the things she needed to say.
What are your thoughts? Has this ever happened to you? 
I'd be interested in hearing of your experiences.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

The next morning I told Gae I wanted to take Grandma 'flying' again. I felt it would be different after last night's conversation.
There weren't many visitors around 10am, so we settled down beside her, 
As I took her hand, we were suddenly standing in front of a circular glass elevator. At the time I thought it was a bit strange, but decided it was probably easier than flying. 
We stepped inside and I reminded Grandma we could come back whenever she wanted, and that if she wanted to stay, she only had to let go of my hand and I would come back by myself. The lift whooshed up and suddenly we were flying!
We travelled to all manner of places to visit Grandma's relations and friends in spirit. We went to beautiful gardens, simple houses, and even to other planets. Each time there was someone who called out in greeting to her. I wasn't privy to the conversations, waiting in the background until Grandma was ready to fly to the next place. There was much joy and excitement everywhere we went.
At one stage a face appeared directly in front of Grandma's and she let out a startled moan (which I could hear on a physical level). The spirit stepped back a bit and Grandma smiled in recognition. 
After what seemed to be hours, but was in actual fact only 10 minutes, we were brought back by a knock at the door.
It was another magical night with music, laughter and many visitors. Grandma's breathing was quite laboured and we took turns giving her reiki.
Later that night, when there was only two of us in the room, I was told that Grandma wasn't getting enough oxygen for full brain function, that the only part working would be her primal functions located in her frontal lobe. (This is also the place in our brain where we connect to source or meditate)
As he was telling me this, Grandma's eyes were looking at me. I 'told' her that this was just one person's belief and I would still talk to her. She relaxed.
Sometime later my Dad and I were sitting on either side of her, holding her hands. I said to Dad that I would give her reiki once someone else came to hold her hand.
Another cousin, Kaye, came into the room, sitting on the bed against the wall. We chatted for a while. Suddenly Grandma slapped my hand four times. I looked at the other two and asked 'Did you see that?!' They hadn't. They did see it when she did it again. We all laughed, remembering this was Grandma's usual way of saying 'Make haste!'
When she did it for the third time, Kaye said 'Perhaps she's telling you there is someone else to take her hand now and it's best if you 'make haste' and give her some reiki!'
When I moved up to the top of the bed and placed my hands under her head, she visibly relaxed and sighed, before falling asleep.
I woke up frequently during the night, emulating Grandma's breathing, so I could 'see' if it was becoming worse. There was a buzz of voices in the room, as the 'welcoming committee' chatted amongst themselves.
The next morning, Grandma's breathing had eased off and her pulse was strong and steady. I went to have a shower, while different 'angels' went home for a quick trip. 
In Grandma's bathroom was a commode on wheels. I pushed it up into the far end of the room and faced it away from me.
As I was drying off, the commode turned and came towards me, stopping about 40cm away.... A short time later, Kaye knocked on the door, telling me to hurry up and come out. Grandma passed away quietly and peacefully soon after, with us all around her.
It was only later we discovered that all of us had received a sign or a 'thought' which preventing us from leaving her place as planned...and some of us had felt an urgent need to be at her place at that particular moment.
....there is no such thing as a coincidence...
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Late at night, after everyone had left, my Dad and us night angel cousins, would prepare and get comfortable in our sleeping areas on chairs, couches, mattresses. Sometimes I would doze on the mattress, often aware we weren’t alone in the room. There were times it was like being at a large party, as I would overhear snippets of conversation from our combined spirit family. I would look up from my mattress to see if it had been a part of a ‘physical’ conversation and would be rewarded with a blank stare or strange look from everyone else.
I was chatting with my cousins one morning about signs we receive when those we love in spirit visit. Poppa had died over 50 years ago, so we were trying to work out how we’d know if he was in the room. Later that night while I was in Grandma’s room and I heard something I hadn’t heard in a while.
I ran out to the kitchen with a huge grin on my face. ‘Whistling! Poppa used to whistle!’
‘What made you think of that after all these hours?’
I just smiled, knowing that I’d been given an awesome hint.
Grandma’s radio had always been temperamental (with a little help, I’m sure) and when I’d visited her last time, it had driven me crazy as it flicked on and off, the volume went up and down, or it just flat out refused to play some of my favourite CDs. Of course the gospel ones seemed to work no problem…
Most of the time we didn’t bother with it, there were plenty enough of us around the house, we didn’t need background music, until the music angels arrived, anyway. One day the radio started, then stopped. A couple of people tried to get it to work, and I laughingly said maybe it needed me to come over and give it a ‘rev up’.
I had almost reached it when it flicked itself on again. Hmmm...
As I mentioned earlier, my Grandma was deaf and had no hearing aids. I am a light speaker, even when I yell, so I didn’t bother trying to make myself heard. Instead I began talking to Grandma telepathically. At first I wasn’t even aware I was doing it, it just felt normal. It wasn’t until I was telling her something that she clearly disagreed with, and she was shaking her head at me, that I knew she could hear me.
Gradually people had to go back to their homes and our numbers thinned. It was sad to see everyone go, and sad for them to know they were leaving Grandma too. 
The music still played every night and those wonderful food angels kept us well fed.
One day, there were just two of us there with Grandma, my cousin Gae and I. Gae told me a wonderful story about how everyone in their family had the opportunity to say goodbye to her Mum by telephone, even though they couldn’t be there personally. 
I loved the idea and, as we were there alone, the timing was perfect. I sent texts to my Mum, and children, asking them if they wanted to ring and say goodbye to Grandma. I cannot explain the emotion of that time, as they each rang and said their final farewell. Gae and I sobbing as Grandma acknowledged them by making a noise or flickering her eyelids. It was beautiful and heartwarming to know that although they were so far away, they had had the opportunity to do so. There are times when technology is our best friend.
It felt as if something or someone was preventing Grandma from leaving us behind. I have to admit there was a lot of healing taking place, old rifts were patched up, disagreements forgotten and all of us remembering to be grateful for the love Grandma had instilled in us. Still, it felt as if something wasn’t quite ‘finished’ yet.
We began talking to our respective fathers, making sure they had told their Mum that it was okay for her to leave. Some found it harder than others, but they all did it.
As her health deteriorated, there were some who couldn’t bear to see her and we made sure to let them know that they didn’t need to, that she knew they loved her and that was all that mattered. There is no right or wrong when it comes to someone you love passing. It’s about being true to you and not forcing yourself to do something you aren’t comfortable with. All too often people do whats expected and regret that they didn’t just follow their own wants or needs.
Three days before Grandma’s passing, I had a nudge, an urge to take her flying. I’d never done it before, I didn’t even know if I could, but I felt I really needed to try…and it needed to be today. I explained to the other ‘day angels’ what I wanted to do and we pushed a bed up against hers. I lay the opposite way, holding her hand in mine.
Almost before I had a chance to close my eyes, we were off flying. Grandma wasn’t so sure it was a good idea, and let out a groan as we went up. I kept saying ‘It’s okay Grandma, I’m just showing you around. We can go back anytime you like. I just want you to see what’s waiting for you.’
She was okay for a while, and then she pulled my arm, saying ‘Kar go!’ (Norfolk for ‘Can’t go!’)
I told her it was fine, there was nothing to be scared of, she didn’t have to go if she didn’t want to and she could come back anytime she liked. She grabbed my hand and pulled me back down on the bed. We tried again, with the same result. As keen as she was to explore, I knew there was something holding her back and there was no point in pushing her.
Later that night, I was chatting with someone, with the same religious beliefs as Grandma, on the other side of the bed. Now usually I avoid any kind of religious discussion. I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion and beliefs, I don’t want to convince them otherwise and I certainly don’t want them to try to tell me what’s what either!
Needless to say, I was shocked when the words came out of my mouth: ‘Do you believe in the afterlife?’
‘No, there's nothing!’
‘So you don’t believe that our spirit family come back to take us home?’
‘No, there is nothing. We are buried and after a thousand years, God calls us from our graves to take us home. What do you believe?’
‘I believe that our spirit family returns to take us back to Source/God’
‘Ah, so you are a Creationist? We are not of God, we are created from the breath of God’
‘Really? I think if you read your bible, you will see that we are made of God and in his own image.’
‘I believe that none shall pass into heaven, unless they accept God.’
‘Ahh, so that means you can be a paedophile, a murderer or such like and as long as you repent before you die, you can still go to heaven?’
‘Well, yes, as long as you have accepted there is only one God. Do you believe in hell?’
‘I don’t believe you have to be a church goer to be a good person. I also believe that hell is what you make it. It can be here on earth if that is what you believe.’
‘So how do you feel about evil?’
‘I believe there is balance in all things. There is no good without bad, no positive without a negative.’
‘How do you work that out?’
‘There has to be good and bad, to create balance. We try so hard to hide our shadow side, but it is in accepting all of ourself, we are able to achieve balance. You can call me a bitch, as if that’s a bad thing, but when I need to stick up for myself, it is important that I tap into my ‘inner bitch’ that rests in my shadow side.’
‘Well what do you think happens when you die?’
‘I believe that dying it is like taking off a suit. Our spirit returns to Source/God and the physical body or suit is discarded.’
‘So why do you think we are here?’
‘We choose various life lessons to learn on this earthly plane. For example, supposing we choose to be born into a life with no money, become rich and then lose it all, but reconcile to the fact that money wasn’t what made us happy in the first place. We go back to God and he says ‘Well done! You did a great job!’’
‘And what if we didn’t achieve all that?’
‘Then he still says ‘Well done! You did a great job!’’
‘So, what is your take on the Godhead?’
About now, I’m thinking I have bitten off more than I can chew, but I can see Grandma is listening intently to everything that is being said.
‘Hmm, you better explain what that is and I will give you my opinion, if I can.’
‘Well, there’s God, the father, Jesus, who came down here to show us the error of our ways and then there’s the Holy Spirit.’
‘Ahh! So what you’re saying is that there is God, the Creator, the Source. Then there’s Jesus, who lived a physical life here on earth and then there’s the Holy Spirit, which is our soul or life force that goes back to God, the Creator.’
There was silence for a moment, as he thought about what I had said. I changed the subject and left the room a little while later. Not one person had wandered into the room during our half hour discussion, so I knew there was a reason it had happened.
Later, I overheard him talking to one of my cousins, saying ‘It’s amazing what you learn that’s not in the manual.’
Dare I mention I was doing a victory dance in the hallway about then? I now knew why Grandma felt it hard to believe there were spirit family in the room or that we could fly. Within her belief system, she probably thought she was hallucinating.
I couldn’t have had a conversation like that in my younger days. It is only now I realise how important it is to respect others beliefs and not try to sway them, but perhaps to ‘create a question’, so they can look at things from a different perspective.
Okay, that’s enough for now for part 2. I’ll finish Grandma’s journey in the next part.
With love, respect and integrity
Love Cherie xx

As some of you know, I recently made a trip to Norfolk Island to help nurse my Grandma. It was such an honour to be a part of her last physical journey.
Grandma had a large family – 7 children, 37 grandchildren, approx 50 great grandchildren and around 14 great great grandchildren, so as you can imagine there were a few of us.
It was a few days before we realised she had ‘called in’ her grandchildren, and a lot of us answered the call - some from close by and others from overseas.
There was a constant stream of family popping in to see Grandma, kissing her, talking to her and letting her know how much they loved her. It was beautiful. I cannot begin to explain the energy of Grandma’s house. It was positive, it was uplifting and it was love! Those who could play instruments did, those who could sing, sang (even those like me, who couldn’t, sang anyway)
One night, as the family ‘orchestra’ and ‘choir’ were playing, I was sitting beside Grandma, holding her hand, and singing along to some of the old favourites from my childhood. Big family dinners and sing-a-longs used to be a common occurrence in Grandma’s house. A younger cousin sat down and asked me if I believed Grandma could hear us talking to her. Grandma had been using a hearing aid for many years, but it had been misplaced somewhere between the hospital and home.
I explained that although Grandma couldn’t hear on a physical level, she could ‘hear’ on a soul-ular level. I then smiled, adding that it was just as well her hearing aids had been lost, so she couldn’t hear me singing. My cousin said ‘Oh, it can’t be that bad!’
I pointed at the front window, saying ‘See that crack in the window? I did that!’
Grandma, opened her eyes, lifted her head off the pillow slightly and said ‘That window has always been like that!’
To say my cousin almost fell off her chair would be an understatement!
(when I lived on Norfolk, many years ago, that window had been cracked…)
Days were spent with the daytime angels either lying or sitting beside Grandma, talking to her, gently and lovingly massaging her hands, legs and feet, chatting amongst ourselves or singing. We took turns keeping her company, ensuring she was comfortable and happy, helped with household duties and keeping other family members up to date with her progress. There was a bed set up on each side of hers, so we could lie next to her as she and we rested. When visitors arrived, we pushed the beds against the walls and pulled up chairs.
Early evening, the ‘food angels’ would come, bearing the most amazing dinners. For over a week, I forgot how to cook, as meals, cakes and cups of tea were continually appearing. We had plenty of fruit as well, especially watermelon, which fast became a family joke, as we tried to fob off the surplus to anyone who stated they were peckish.
The ‘music angels’ would begin playing music or singing as the ‘dishes angels’ worked their magic. We all knew our strengths and fit together like a much loved jigsaw puzzle. If one of us was uncomfortable doing one chore, someone else would step into it.
The ‘night angel’ shift comprised of the ‘day angels’ who didn’t have family to take care of and those who worked during the day. We all slept in her room, on mattresses or on the beds/chairs.
Most of the time there were two of us in the room with her, although sometimes we organised for our own ‘special time’ alone with Grandma. When a family member arrived, there was no ego or selfishness, we would all step away to allow them to ‘have their time’ with her. In fact, when someone walked in the first thing that was said after hello, was usually ‘Do you want to sit here?’ We all wanted to be around Grandma, but we all respected and loved each other enough to share.
When Grandma was restless, I would give her reiki. I didn’t do it in a ‘Stand back, I’m a powerful healer’ way. Instead, I would subtly step up to the bed and hold the front of her ankles, which is an awesome entry point for reiki energy. Almost instantly and visibly, she would begin to relax.
As time went by, other family members didn’t find it so strange that the room was so warm, or that I would hold her hand and ankles. In fact I encouraged some of my cousins to learn how to give her reiki too. Mind you, I am of the belief that we all have energy healing power within each and every one of us, but sometimes we need the extra push, that validation or just to experience it firsthand before we will believe it to be so.
I gave them a very basic first lesson and we practised on Grandma and a few cousins, with very positive effects.
As we laughed, joked and talked through our sessions, the mystery and strangeness of reiki disappeared and others showed an interest in what we were doing.
Grandma loved the reiki and we could almost hear her body ‘sigh’ as we sent loving energy her way – not to heal her, but to help her on her transitional journey.
I have always believed that the higher the vibration or energy field around you, the easier it is for our guides, angel and spirit family to make contact. As they have to lower their vibration so we can be aware of them, which can be extremely tiring for them, which is why, quite often, the visits are brief. The energy field around Grandma’s was so incredible, with all this love energy, music and singing, I believe it was a lot easier for our spirit family to visit, and stay a while.
As a psychic, I was aware of the masses of spirits who had come to see Grandma. There was a line out the door and quite often they were three deep in the room. I remember one day standing at the top of Grandma’s bed giving her reiki as a lot of her spirit family filed into the room. As each person appeared in the doorway, I felt such a beautiful feeling of love, respect and anticipation. They were ready to take her ‘home’, when she was ready to leave. As I recognised those familiar faces, the tears welled up in my eyes and coursed down my face. It was like a beautiful reunion and I felt so honoured to be able to see those loved ones I hadn’t seen for so long.
I’ll write more in my next blog.
With love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I want to share a funny story with you that I have been getting a lot of mileage out of since my trip to Norfolk Island. I have changed the names so that I don't upset anyone inadvertently.
I am a widow, and as such, I have been subject to expectation, perception and opinion that, apparently, dictates I am prone to stealing husbands/partners and boyfriends. This has annoyed me for some time and created a 'defensive' attitude (another one of my 'attitudes'!) Even on the day that Butch passed this judgement was surprisingly passed on me (pfft! as if that would be uppermost in my mind!). I won't go any further into that particular subject as I don't want to get up on my soapbox!
During my Grandma's transition journey, there were many spirits around her home, both inside and lined up outside. She would have been 103 this month, so I can confidently say she had contact with many people in her lifetime.
One morning I was walking between my Dad’s and Grandma’s and said without thinking ‘Hello Marcus!’ I stopped dead in my tracks and asked ‘Marcus? Who’s Marcus?’ At that moment a beautiful spirit stepped forward and told me his formal name. I repeated my greeting and carried on to Grandma's.
A few of my cousins were in the kitchen and I asked, as I sat down ‘Does anyone know a Marcus?’ I then repeated his full name. It turned out he was the father in law of one of my cousins and he'd passed on years before. Another cousin showed me a photo with a group of men I didn’t recognise, but one seemed strangely familiar. It was Marcus.
After the funeral, I was at Grandma's 'wake', standing around awkwardly, as you do. A woman walked up to me. She stood directly in front of me and said "I hear you've been seeing my husband!'
I immediately went into defensive mode, throwing up my hands, taking a step back, saying 'Not me! I'm not that kind of woman!'
She looked at me strangely as she told me Marcus was her husband!
...see what happens when you 'buy into' someone else's perception of who you are?!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

As some of you know, I travelled back from Norfolk Island the other day. As I was gazing out the window, I was surprised that I could 'see' the energy dancing around us. It danced, sparkled and was dashing all around the aeroplane. I started taking photos with my iphone, hoping to capture some of the activity to show you. (my camera was packed away, darn it all!)
Although there was plenty of light and sparkly energy bouncing around, up and through the clouds, there was also some tiny strand-like smoky coloured ones as well. There didn't seem to be a good or bad feel to either type, they just 'were'. I was drawn to the window for over an hour, checking to see whether more or less cloud cover or turbulence made a difference. I couldn't help but think some of them were showing off as they propelled themselves up and did somersaults or flips.
I don't know whether you have ever tried this, but next time you are out near a tree on a sunny day, look up at the top of the tree and see if you can see the energy exchange that takes place at the tips of the trees or leaves. With practise, the weather won't be such an important feature.
To my disappointment, the beautiful and sparkly energy sparks weren't visible in the photos I took, but there are some light orbs in this one, if you look hard enough.
We are all created from energy, everything holds energy of some kind, whether it is good or not-so-good....although my belief is that almost all energy is positive, it is our perception, thoughts and projection that change it's make-up.
I was amused to realise that I hadn't thought about energy dancing up among the clouds. 
Lets remember that all energy around us is affected by our attitude, behaviour and actions. We will always attract what we put out...So, are you consciously attracting sparkly, daring and flamboyant energy into your life...?
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

There is so much I am being nudged by Spirit to talk about with you all and this came up as I was writing an email to a friend this morning. 
There is a lot of talk about negative spirits, entities and energies 'floating around' at the moment, so I thought I would share another of my core beliefs about visits from the other side. I'm not an expert, so I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but if this blog makes you think a little, then my work here is done!and I
We all have experiences that are connecting to our guides, angels or those that have crossed over - but we don't always 'see it for what it is'. Sometimes we are too preoccupied to notice, and other times it can be because we have totally closed off that part of ourself. Some experiences are good and some are not-so-good, and sometimes we struggle to think peace and love or remain in a place of calm when it happens.
We are brainwashed to believe that there are ghosts around us who want to terrify us, who want to disturb our sleep or who need to be 'sent to the light'. Who are we to decide whether someone needs to be sent away? 
How presumptuous and egocentric is that idea? 'I, in all my wisdom deem that you don't belong here, that you aren't happy and I therefore send you to the light'! What a load of hogwash! 
Don't get me wrong, there are spirits who are only to happy to get assistance to cross over and I believe we should do everything we can to help them. But I have met spirits who are quite happy where they are thank you very much. I don't argue with them, I believe in co-existence. Why should I be prejudiced about their right to be here just because everyone else can't see them or are afraid of them?
Which brings me to the fear of spiritual encounters. If you had never been told or never watched a TV programme/movie that portrayed a spirit as something to fear, would you be holding that belief? I remember when a certain 'ghost/spiritual' series first came out. I loved it, the stories were great and I could see how they made sense...But then warm fuzzy ghost stories don't make for great ratings, so the agenda of the series changed. It wasn't about helping us to understand more about the spiritual plane, it was about keeping us in fear....and so far its doing a pretty good job.
When I tell people I see spirits, they ask why I'm not scared. It's not like they jump out from behind the door and scream 'Boo!' They don't look grotesque. They look just like average everyday people. I admit that sometimes I do let out a little squawk if I am surprised, like the day I walked through the door and there was a young boy standing in my hallway. But hey, I'd do that even if there was someone I loved standing there in the dark!
I have had experiences where a spirit has tried to frighten me, by walking through or past me, so I can sense their presence. I have had them rattle and bang things just to let me know they are there. On the whole, I have found that they aren't bad or evil, they just are. Just over a year ago I visited my Dad and as I walked in the dark, I felt and heard several signals from local spirits. I remained in a place of calm and love and told them my views on co-existence, that they didn't need to frighten me. I said I was happy for them to stay right where they were, and I hoped they would be okay if I hung around there sometimes too. There was no answer, but after that I wasn't disturbed again. In fact, the one by the gate kissed me on the cheek every time I went past, much to my amusement.
It wasn't until about 20 years ago I realised that I wasn't scared of the dark. I was scared of all I could see in the dark!
When my husband Butch passed away, I desperately wanted to see him. I figured with our incredible soulmate relationship, love and my 'gifts' it would be a breeze to 'connect'. Not so! I tried all sorts of ways to seek him out. I admit I was terribly greedy at the time. I was privileged enough to visit him in hospital three times. I had even visited him once he was out. I met him on several alternate planes (but thats a whole other blog). He sent me signs, he visited me several times, but I wanted more! My vibration became very low, as well as being sad and black as I wallowed in my grief and feelings of abandonment. I totally understand now that if he'd been around as much as I'd wanted him to, I wouldn't have stayed a part of the physical world, I would have spent as much time as I could in meditation or sleep. (There's a reason for everything - we don't have to like it, but there is!)
Almost a year after he passed I was staying at my Dad's place. When I was younger, there had been a couple of mischievous spirits who used to delight in frightening or teasing me as I tried to denounce the gifts I had. I hadn't slept alone there for many years, so I guess some of that old fear came back to sit with me. As I lay in bed, I felt someone sit on the side of the bed. I travelled back emotionally in time to my youth. I became fearful. It filled me so quickly and so deeply, I couldn't think or function. I certainly couldn't feel any peace or love around me. I pulled the covers over my head and put my ipod plugs in so I wouldn't hear anything else. Eventually I fell asleep.
The next day I was approached by someone who said 'Butch came to visit you last night'. I had told no one about my experience, so he had no way of knowing what had happened. I was devastated to discover that my fear had robbed me of a beautiful experience I had been aching for.
What I'm trying to say is that sometimes the spirits that visit us, just want to connect. Most of them don't understand our fear. If we immediately go into a state of fear, we create more fear, more negativity, more fear, more negativity, etc, until we can't think straight. If we can pause for a moment and take a deep breath, we may discover that its not as negative as we initially thought.
The veils are thinner right now, there will be more 'connections' and 'visits'. Our reaction will decide how each one unfolds. 
Here is a little advice for you: If you feel you are experiencing an encounter or fear, I want you to smile. Yep, that's it. Smile.
Now I want you to smile over the top of that smile.
Now smile over both those smiles.
Keep doing it until you can feel that smile touch and connect with your heart space. It usually takes about three smiles, but some people need more to bring that feeling of love, peace and harmony into their being.
Now when you look/sense what is around you. Is the feeling one of negativity, or was that your 'fear' projection? 
If you still fear the energy or you think it is a not-so-good experience, then say this 'If you are not here for my highest good, I ask you to leave with love.' There is no need to yell, scream or demand. Stay in your heart space and ask them to leave. If they don't, then the chances are they have something they want to share with you.
Remember there is only love and fear...and love is the champion we should choose!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I don't know whether you've noticed the change in energy around us.  When it first happened, in early December, it felt like a dark energetic cloud had enveloped all of us. People became excessively emotional and I remember saying to a few people, that... nergy changed and it felt as if there was a dark energetic cloud that enveloped all of us. I remember saying to a few people, that it would take until the 16th of January for it to dissipate.
I was reminded of that the other day and yes, I can feel the changes, and I'm sure plenty of you can too. Have you been having vivid dreams, strange experiences, synchronicity, voices singing or calling out your name, just to name a few? Well here is my belief about what is happening, and I must emphasise it is my belief. You don't have to agree with it or even read about it, because that is your choice and your belief that you must follow.
The veil between the worlds is thinner than it has been in a long time, so those on the other side, whether they are angels, guides or our spirit family are better able to assist us. Where once they had to lower their vibration dramatically to get through the veil, they can now 'walk through' a lot easier. They are able to ensure we have more synchronicity and signs within our lives as they help us to remember what we are here for, what we chose as our life plan this lifetime.
This can be a bit frightening if you get a visit from the other side and you aren't sure why or how to react.
When we wrote our life plan, we created some 'clues' or' signs' to remind us of our mission here on earth. We asked our guides to remind us, for events to help us realise we weren't alone and that we can be master manifestors, if we so choose. It started off as something simple like the number 11, which is why many of us see 11 within our day to day life. This was the call to the lightworker, it was a reminder that we agreed to be a part of this shift in consciousness, from this way of being. We signed our name on the dotted line and we asked for a wake up call.
Butterflies and feathers were other symbols, designed to remind us it was time to change, to transform into who we truly are, to be the best us we can possibly be.
Children born since 2000 were born knowing, even more so than any other generation. When we are born, we forget our 'life plan' thanks to natal amnesia, but sometimes we can get a sense of deja vu when a memory hasn't been totally erased. For many of us, we didn't just forget...as we developed and talked about imaginary friends or magic, we found out that not everyone could see or hear what we could, so we learned to keep quiet and to hide that side of us.
Around 18-36 months of age, the children of today experience unexplainable crying, which can throw their parents into a panic. As these children become more conscious of the physical and energetic world they are born into, they can become fearful of the huge job there is ahead of them. It's important for us as parents and grandparents to remind them they are not alone that we are all here to help.
There is going to be change, huge change within our world. It won't happen overnight, it will be a gradual process, but it will be faster than what we have experienced to date. Those on the other side are impatient for us to wake up, to become more heart centred and to see things from a different perspective.
In the last six months, more spirit family and guides have appeared in readings, to get their message across, to help us transition smoothly into where we are inevitably going. Their point is that once we know what they have to say, we cannot possibly ignore the signs they are giving us.
Don't feel you aren't ready yet, or that you aren't up to the challenge of change. Remember you chose to be here. You chose to be a part of the shift. ...and you chose to be reminded in many ways...including this blog!
(just as I chose to be reminded by writing it)
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
PS. I tried to post this up earlier and everything froze....I was given a gentle nudge that I wasn't quite finished...
'As with all things dear ones, you have freedom of choice, you have the right to refuse to step into your lightworker role. Although you may have agreed on the etheric plane to fulfill your destiny and purpose, you were, at that time living in a place of love and light. You had no idea how heavy you would feel on the physical plane or how difficult it would be to instigate change. You never knew that you would be surrounded by a form of energy that would encourage you to forget how magnificent and limitless you are. Although there is a shift in energy, you are not required to participate unwillingly - you have the right to choose your own path without judgement or censure.'

I don't know whether you know this, but I am not one of those psychics that believe totally in all things spiritual. I am a huge skeptic, always preferring to see with my own eyes what other people tell me is truth. As much as I know I have a gift that I share willingly, there is also a part of me that tests my boundaries and encourages me to question everything.
So, when someone suggested I have some angels come and 'visit' me for five days and five nights, my skeptic radar was going off the Richter scale.
I was actually feeling a bit low when it was suggested to me. It was almost Christmas and it's around that time a lot of grief bubbles to the surface and I can sometimes struggle to stay 'connected with my present moments'.
When I received the message from a friend through Facebook, I thought to myself 'Scam!' and ignored it completely. A couple of days later, I was answering another friend's message and the angel message caught my attention.
After a few moments deliberating, I decided to answer the message. After all, I reasoned, it couldn't possibly do me any damage, and who knows, it might help me with my runaway emotions. There was every chance my friend had already found someone else, especially as I hadn't even replied.
Fortunately for me, she hadn't rushed off and found someone else, so I was going to get visitors on the 20th of December 2012!
I followed all the instructions, found another three people to send them on to after my 5 days and nights were up, organised a plant, candle and my wishes. I created my 'sacred space' and was more than ready when the big night arrived.
I have to tell you, that although I had done all the preparation, there was still that part of me that said this was going to be a huge waste of time and money. (the candle cost me $2.10 on special!) I had no expectations at all, I was quite prepared for nothing at all to happen.
The night they arrived, I opened the door to welcome thin, as per my instructions, and to my surprise, I sensed the presence of five angels, but shrugged it off, putting it down to tiredness. I'd stayed up, waiting for them to arrive, and was ready to go to bed. It seemed a bit rude to just say 'Hi, good night', so I sat there in the lounge, thinking about what I wanted the next five days to bring. High on my list was a sense of peace and resolve about my life. After a bit, I decided I was just being silly and I went to bed.
I hadn't slept a full night in about three months, not because I was stressed or sad, I just wasn't sleeping. That night I slept the best I had in such a long time. I felt energetic, relaxed and ready to face the day when I awoke. 
As I went about my day I felt 'different'. I couldn't explain what it was or why. It was just this sense of being safe and peaceful. I was different around others and they noticed and commented on it as well. There were other small signs that there really were angels around me, but if I wrote about them all, we'd be here for a very long time. 
Each night, I felt a sense of healing around me. I had severely damaged my foot about three weeks prior and was still hobbling around in a restrictive bandage, when the angels had come to visit. The emotional source of my injured foot was about feeling constrained or restricted with what I needed to do next. I'd been struggling for some time with a few issues, problems and directions I wanted to travel in, with no real idea of how I would achieve them. 
On the last morning I woke, with a sense of 'intent'. It was as if everything was clear in my mind. I knew exactly what it was I wanted to do and how it would unfold. My foot no longer hurt and I knew I was ready to step up and into the next part of my journey. As I walked to work that morning, I realised that the last five days had left me feeling 'peace, love and harmony'. I knew I'd received healing on my heart space and I could physically feel the difference. My aura had become brighter and I could feel and see it's resonance. 
It was sad to say goodbye to my angels. My place felt quite empty without them, and the temperature was a little cooler in my place, after I escorted them to the door.
I am forever grateful to the angels who visited me, in spite of my skepticism and also to my friend who was patient enough to wait for me to realise a visit was just what I needed.
It was an awesome experience and I have to say that it is less than a month later and two of my wishes are already well on their way to being granted. 
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Sometimes the strangest things push our buttons. It can be the way someone looks at us, the way they act or speak to us. It can be the way the world looks today, it can be the way it feels and it can just be how we feel.
Quite often I tell my clients they need to write the 'Because..' letter. When something makes us angry or fearful, we can use this as a strategy for finding out why we feel this way.
So, if you are feeling cranky with the world or a specific someone and you can't really explain why, maybe this is a good thing for you to try too.
Start your letter with a sentence that says how you feel right now. For example,' I'm angry at Simon'. At the end put 'because'. Start a new line and follow on from that first sentence. Add 'because' again. Keep doing this until you run out of things to write...don't finish too soon, allow whatever thought pops into your head to be written down. Don't overthink it. 
You will know when you're done...but don't stop because you subconsciously don't want to know the answer.
I love doing this because you just never know where it might end up. For example, it could turn out that you are angry with Simon because he took the last piece of cake and somewhere along the way you remembered that your younger brother always did that and your Mum always let him 'get away with it'. 
Sometimes the things that bother us the most that we can't explain have roots deep in our childhood. Once we have worked out what they are, we can heal that part of us and move on.
Alternatively, you can do it for something that's good in your life. It may turn out that the reason why you like red roses is because your Great Aunt Freda, who used to give you chocolate cake wore a fragrance called red rose...or she had an apron with a red rose on it. There's nothing like a pleasant memory we can call upon whenever we see red
It's an interesting way to look at things, isn't it? As we unravel those reasons, we also heal some of those outdated belief systems from when we were children and adults told us life was black and white while we were exploring the greys! 

I had a lovely trip to the beach this morning...I don't know whether I have told you about the relationship I have with the sea. I love to watch it, but I'm not a fan of getting totally wet and the sea loves to watch me get wet, by sending freak waves my way! 
You would not believe the amount of times I have sat on the edge, up high, or been where there was no water and suddenly, out of nowhere, a wave comes flying up and drenches my lower half (at least!) It has been known to chase me up the beach where everywhere else is calm! I even have bemused and wet witnesses to back me up on that one - they refuse to stand next to me! Whenever, and I mean whenever I go to the beach, I always come back saturated..and today was no exception. The tide was full, so I thought I'd sit on the wall on the edge - after all it couldn't come up any higher, I reasoned. I could see it was already on its way out. I'd be safe this time. Even if I pointed my toes, I couldn't touch the water, so I sat there watching the hypnotic ebb and flow of the waves below my feet. The first big wave kissed my toes and I laughed and said 'Hah! You're gonna have to work a lot harder than that!' (I forgot to mention I usually end up saying something silly like that) About five minutes later, I was in 'the zone', watching the horizon when a huge wave 'got me'! Once again I'd been on the receiving end of a watery embrace! I was laughing delightedly to myself and saying 'Ok, you win this time, but next time, you better have your game on....' (next time I'll sit well away from the water, like across the road!)
The relationship I have with the sea is a lot like the one we have with the Universe. When something goes wrong, and then something else, we say silly things like 'What else could possibly go wrong?' or 'It couldn't get any worse!' The Universe is Positive, it doesn't recognise the negatives within our statements. It hears 'Go wrong!' or 'Get worse!' and grants our wish as soon as possible. After all, it can tell by the tone of our voice that we really really need it, right now!
We need to watch what we are focusing on within our lives, for wherever our attention is directed is where the Universe will be working for us. If we celebrating the positives then we are encouraging the Universe to help us build on them, so it makes sense that if we are looking in the other direction, we end up with more of that too.
Where are your thoughts facing today? Are they encouraging more positivity into your life, or are you asking for more of that other stuff? We are powerful manifestors, lets watch what we are attracting and creating.......worth thinking about, don't you think?
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I believe the children coming into the world for the last couple of generations (at least), are born 'remembering'. They remember why they are here, who they were before and what it was like on the etheric plane. 
My generation and others before or after me, were also born 'knowing', but we were discouraged from remembering or talking about our imaginary friends and outlandish thoughts. We squashed them down, and after a while we forgot they were anything more than fanciful  imaginings of our childhood.
When we came down to the physical plane, we also experienced 'natal amnesia', so we couldn't recall much of our life before life. We had snippets of memory that would kick in, from when we wrote our life plan on the etheric plane, but this was usually attributed to deja vu. 
The children around now have the same psychic abilities and gifts we had, but the difference is that for them, it is a part of the whole, it is an essential part of their being. On the etheric plane, we don't need to speak, we use telepathy. There is no lying or fibbing there, because it is difficult to hide the truthful thoughts in our heads. 
I believe all children are born remembering the gift of telepathy and I am constantly testing this theory. I'd like to share these two experiences with you.
The above photo is of one of my grandchildren. Her hair is longer and thicker now, but when this picture was taken we wondered when it would begin to grow.
One day I was sitting in the mall, a young girl about 18 months old was in a trundler while her mother was being served. As I looked over I thought 'Finally I've seen a child with less hair than Ella!' Her head spun around and stared me in the eyes. She poked her tongue out at me and looked away, rubbing her almost bare head. Needless to say, I did a lot of 'thought apologising' and explained why I had been thinking that way. After a while, she turned around and flashed me a huge smile before they carried on out of sight. My apology was obviously accepted!
The other day I was grocery shopping and another young boy (about a year old). He was in a trundler as well and screaming his head off. His Mother was alternating between ignoring him and telling him to be quiet. I looked over and thought something like 'Hey beautiful, what are you crying about?' His head spun around until he saw me. As I 'thought spoke' to him, he stopped crying, his eyes widened and he wouldn't take his eyes off me. When his mother blocked his view, he would strain to lean over and see around her. A short time later, they turned the corner and I went in a different direction...and he began crying again!
I encourage you all to try 'speaking' to babies and young children. I do it all the time with my grandies, even from another room in the house. It takes time and patience, but eventually they will 'hear' you and you, in turn, will 'hear' them. try it next time you're out shopping or in a place where there is a group of children. See how many turn around. See who responds and who doesn't and watch their expressions, so you can tell if the ones that don't respond are just ignoring you because they can!
The best advice I can give you is not to make it hard work. Let it flow. Don't try and force it and definitely don't stare into the eyes of a strangers baby...it makes them wonder what you are thinking, and believe me, telling them you're having a 'conversation' with them is not going to cut the mustard!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I love a new year! I love it for many reasons. I love it because its new and exciting. I love it because it has unlimited possibilities and all I have to do is step into it! 
I also love the end of an old year. I can release all the things that didn't work. I can let go of any pain or hurts associated with that year, as I prepare for the bright and sparkly new one! The end of a year is a great opportunity to review the year that has just been. To be grateful for all the good that happened and even the not-so-good that taught me a lot about myself, my perception of the world and my belief systems. 
We quite often remember all the not-so-good things that happened in the last year, but quite often, we really have to concentrate to remember all the good that occurred, unless it was something major.
At the beginning of a year, I create a 'happy jar', which I leave on my kitchen window sill. (photo taken at night so you can't see how dirty the windows are) On the side of the jar I have attached a little bag of coloured notepaper cut into paragraph size. 
Each night, when I make my last cup of tea for the night, I grab a slip of paper and write down something great that happened to me or one thing I was grateful for that day. Sometimes I forget to do it, or I get home too late to be bothered and that's okay. However, I'm not allowed to say 'I have nothing to be happy about or be grateful for today, so I'm just not going to do it!'  Those are the days I really need to make sure I dig deep and find something to write about.
At the end of the year, sometime between Christmas and New Year, I tip it out and relive all those moments that made me happy during the year.
I recommend you try this too. Sometimes it's great to look back at the year gone by with a smile on your face, instead of looking back in pain or anger. 
I also love it because it changes the expectation energy of the new year. I used to say 'I can't wait until next year. It's gotta be better than this.'
Now I see the positives and joy of last year and I know its going to be much better and brighter because I am already in a uplifted and positive state of mind.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

There are times when we desperately want change in our lives. We want that awesome new job, a loving relationship, to own our own business, to be financially independent....and the list goes on and on.
I was talking to someone the other day who was bemoaning that she kept attracting the same kind of man into her life. Each time they would start off great, and eventually they would 'wander off' to greener pastures. We talked at length about her views on relationships and self worth and it turned out that she didn't believe in long lasting love and she didn't love herself very much either.
The problem is that we all want change, especially the positive kind. But, do we want to change 'us', our perceptions and beliefs to achieve that change? 
Do we wish desperately for another job, but think we couldn't get anything better because we don't have the skills we believe are required? Do we hate the job we're in, but figure we just have to 'put up' with it so we can pay our bills or keep a roof over our heads? Do we feel this way about all the jobs we've ever had? 
Do we long for a wonderful and lasting relationship but expect that we'll attract someone unsuitable, because that's what we've always done? Do we figure they'll get sick of us or find someone more interesting eventually? Do we hold back in giving of ourselves in the misguided belief that no one can hurt us if we are 'semi-detached'?
Do we wish we could have health and well-being, but still eat in ways we know aren't good for us? Do we imagine every symptom or pain is the sign of something drastic? Do we neglect our body when it tells us it's tired and wants a rest, by pushing it to it's limits?
Well, if we do any of these things or even variations of them, we know for sure that we are attracting all the 'crap' we don't want in our lives. If we believe we are unworthy, unlovable, unskilled, unhealthy (Please note, all those words start with 'un-') then we keep attracting more of the same kind of attention or situations that we always have.
To encourage more possibilities and positivity into our life, we need to look at what we need to change within to make it possible. We need to love ourselves unconditionally, to know that we are totally awesome, awe-inspiring and perfect in every way to be the person we are and to live the life we desire.
 That's why we chose to come here to the physical plane. We knew we could do whatever we wanted, we knew what we are capable of, and we knew we were limitless. We also knew there'd be challenges, like our body shape, our belief systems, our childhood, relationships, unpleasant situations, and day to day problems.....but we also knew that these made up the whole of us, that by accepting who we truly are and believing in our magnificence we could conquer any obstacle in our path. 
So what are we waiting for....? Are we waiting for someone to wave a magic wand (so not going to happen, by the way), or are we just waiting for us to realise we Can, we Will and we Are living the life we are meant to, and that we have the power to change all that exists within it!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

As most of you are aware, I am a firm believer in the effect our emotions have on various parts of our bodies. I also believe there isn't a need to spend oodles of money to 'address' some of these issues.
This is my belief and I wouldn't say it is the only one in the world, or that you shouldn't visit a doctor.  Each case is an individual experience and a decision must be based on what you are feeling and how it affects you. It is not up to me to dictate what you should or shouldn't do. 
I would like to share a little story about my day yesterday.
Some of you may be aware that I do mobile massage/reiki /card readings.
Due to someone doing something that may or may not affect my personal safety, I had to remove any advertising from my vehicle. To say I'm wasn't happy about it would be an understatement. As I scraped and removed all signs of a business I have worked hard to establish and maintain, I did a lot of that muttering we all do when we are feeling unsupported by the Universe. Things like 'Well, how am I supposed to advertise what I do now?' 'Is this a sign I'm not meant to do this?' Is the world full of weirdos and why do I always seem to attract them?'  and 'Fine! Well, I'll just sit on my butt and do nothing from now on, 'cos obviously that's where I'm headed!'
Okay, so I was really angry, having gone past my usual balance of reasonableness and finding fault with everyone and everything.
I'm just like everyone else. I try to accept others as they are and 'allow' the Universe to send me signs or give me directions, but yesterday I was in a place where everything was against me, and life was just another big struggle I was sick and tired of fighting against.
I spent the day working on 'other things, like creating booklets and handouts for my upcoming classes and reading. I refused to think about massage, reiki or card readings, as I stayed in my 'fug' about how life wasn't fair and how upset and angry I was.
About 4pm, I had lower back pain, but I shrugged that off due to the position I'd been sitting in all day. A couple of hours later I had a UTI. (for those of you who are blessed enough to never have had one of these, it is when it burns and stings when you pee. It's very painful.) 
It was then I had an Aha! moment and began to listen to my body. I knew the lower back pain was about  not feeling supported by the Universe, reliving old emotional struggles and comparing then to this present day one and yes, there was an element of fear and lack of personal security attached to it. However, I also knew that the UTI was  because (and I'm sorry of you don't like the following word, but it's the only one that fits) I was incredibly pissed off, to think that this person could affect my life so much and create a change that I wasn't ready to accept. I was also a little annoyed with myself, to be honest, for being so upset about something so insignificant as car advertising.
 So, I sat down and had a talk with my body. I acknowledged my anger, my fear and told it I realised it wasn't the same as any other experience I had been through. It was slightly similar or familiar, but it wasn't the exact same experience or situation. I admitted I felt like I was being punished by the Universe and I knew that it wasn't my truth, it was my reaction to the situation. I had picked the wrong attitude as I created the change in my life (and car!). I realised I hadn't been embracing myself with honour and appreciation, I had turned my feelings inward instead of acknowledging how I truly felt.
Within half an hour (I had to do a bit of sweet talking to myself!), my lower back pain had disappeared, as had the UTI. Coincidence? I think not.
...something to think about, isn't it?!

The other day I was talking to someone who is getting a tattoo done this weekend. I asked her what she was going to get and she said 'What is meant for you won't go by you'. What a beautiful quote!
All too often we think of missed opportunities as something someone has 'taken' from us or we have 'lost' or 'missed out'. When we wrote our life plan on the etheric plane, we chose our opportunities, our disappointments, our obstacles, our relationships and our backup plans. We chose our parents because we knew they would teach us what we needed to know to begin taking the steps to fulfill the lessons we would learn during our life journey.
We chose our friends, the situations and events that would shape us, as we learnt more about ourselves and life in general. We chose our bodies, those divine vessels that transport the magnificent perfect being that is us. We did this deliberately because even our body shape has something to teach us, whether it's acceptance, self love or that we are 'more than' the outer layer.
We chose our opportunities - we even chose backup plans for each one. If we weren't ready to attempt something new or accept the opportunity, it wouldn't be lost forever, there would just be a different way to 'get there'. No one can 'steal' these from us, because they were designed with us in mind - by us!
We chose where we would live, how we would live and what that would teach us. We picked our playmates, our family, our friends, we even chose the people we would work with or meet briefly.  
We also chose our spirit guides for this life, the ones that would be here to help us always, those that would help us briefly and those that would assist during traumas or life changing experiences.
This doesn't mean that everything we do here on the physical plane is pre-determined. Each time we are challenged or at a crossroads, we choose what happens next. We decide whether to step forward, to step away or to step off  in another direction. 
An example of this is how I met my husband, Butch. We were born in the same hospital, five days apart. (in those days mothers stayed in hospital about 10 days before going home) Our parents didn't meet. We lived two roads away from each other, but never noticed each other. We almost went to the same school - but my family moved overseas. We found out years later we even had a mutual friend. It wasn't until we were in our 20's we officially met and fell in love.
So you see, if we had met earlier, there would have been a different scenario as a result. 
So, when it feels like life is difficult and everyone else seems to be getting all the breaks, remember that you chose the where, when and what of your opportunities. There will be many to choose from and you will choose what is right for you at the right time. And if you choose not to, there will be a backup plan. And if you don't like that one, another choice or backup plan will come along when you are ready.
Our life journey is like a movie or a book, we set the scenes on the etheric, but we live the adventure on the physical! We are the main character, the director, the screenwriter and the producer. We decide how our life here unfolds, moment to moment! How awesome is that?
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Tonight I'd like to talk about the power of the mind. Sometimes what we perceive to be our truth is really someone else's perception we have adopted as our own.
I have been getting 'nudges' all day to share this story, and tonight I have been reminded of it again.
About 15 years ago, I hurt my leg, which quickly gravitated to my lower back, thanks to some well-meaning but incorrect specialists who struggled to diagnose what was wrong. The pain was unbearable, I couldn't stand, sit or lie down and walking any distance was simply out of the question. Finally, I found a specialist who told me that my spine was compressed and twisted, thanks to medical misadventure. I wore a full body brace to help support my back and was on a variety of pain killers to help me cope with the pain. In a follow up appointment, I was told that nothing would ever change, that it would not improve and I should resign myself to a sedentary lifestyle. read: I would spend the rest of my life practically immobile and unable to do very much of anything. In those days I was very fit and active, I did aerobics, dancing and gardening. All of a sudden I was restricted to reading and watching TV. I was also told not do anything strenuous and restrict my movement or I was in danger of ending up in a wheelchair.
How I grieved for my life. I mourned the loss of my fierce independence, my favourite hobbies and the stuff I could do that I used to take for granted. I could have stayed in that state and spent the rest of my life sitting there feeling sorry for myself...and for six months that's exactly what I did!
One morning I woke up and was determined that this wasn't how my story would end. I was going to fight back and do as much as I could with what time I had left.
I gradually began strengthening physical body, I asked for help from my guides and angels and I decided I wouldn't give up.
After five years I was able to run up stairs, walk for 10 kilometres, I'd thrown my brace away and I stopped taking those pain killers. 
Since then I have become a massage therapist, a beginner belly dancer and have done various other things my younger self would not have believed possible after such a gloomy prognosis.
Last weekend I danced for several hours and woke up the next day with only the normal aches and pains one would expect after a vigorous workout on the dance floor.
Those well meaning doctors who told me my life was over were probably looking at a text book case. Well, I've never been one to follow the crowd. (Non-conformist is my middle name!) 
I don't believe anyone can dictate my life, or how to live it anymore - no matter how educated they are. I learnt from that experience that it is only my reaction to what others believe is my truth that decides whether I succeed or fail. 
I encourage you to listen to your intuition and inner wisdom and know that only you know how your story will be written. If we are positive and believe we can overcome the odds with all our heart, mind, body and soul, we can move mountains...or at least nudge them!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Past Life healing has been becoming more and more the norm in my reiki sessions. Today I had two very different experiences with reiki clients.
As I put my hands on the first client, I felt a strange sensation. My upper forehead ached as if my hair was being pulled off. I asked my guides if this was a present or past life experience and could they please give me some more information. I was shown an indian brave, in his prime. He had the air of someone who was brave and strong and excelled at everything he did. I felt he was rising within the ranks of warriors and was so respected by all that he would become a leader one day. He wore a band on his left arm with red and green feathers hanging proudly from it.
I was then shown two other indians lying in wait for him as he rode his horse through what appeared to be a gully between tall rock faces. There was something draped across the passage and he was toppled from his horse as it caught him by surprise.
The two braves ran up and scalped him, finishing him off with a 'spear-like' weapon. The pain he felt was apparent, but there was a deep emotional pain I felt as well. The braves who killed him were well known to him. One was his brother. I was told they were so jealous of him, they had planned to kill him and, using a spear from a neighbouring tribe, they had deflected the blame from themselves.
I asked my guides and the angels if we could heal this past life without me having to mention it to my client (I wasn't sure how she would react), the answer was no.
After the session was over I asked my client if she believed in past lives and she said she did. I also asked her if she had head 'aches' at the top of her forehead. She said she had had them for many years. I told her what I had learnt during the reiki session and showed her where I felt the spear had gone in below her rib cage. She told me she had felt strange sensations and found it difficult to breathe when I had placed my hands over that spot to heal this past wound.
I explained my guides had told me I needed to tell her about it, so she could acknowledge this past life experience and heal it completely. 
Thank goodness she was open to the experience and what I had to say!
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As I put my hands on my next client I was shown him and his partner in a past life as well. His partner was an actress/singer from the late 1800's. She has lovely long black hair and the voice of an angel. Her repertoire went from beautiful and soulful tunes to cheeky ditties. She was wearing an amazing red dress which showed off her 'charms'. My client had been smitten with her and they had been involved for some time. Marriage wasn't possible because of her occupation, as his family would have frowned upon it, so they met privately and had a clandestine romance. These two people were made for each other, they fit like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
One day my client got into a fight with another gunslinger with a better aim. He was shot in the knees and was left crippled as a result. 
Confined to home and unable to see his true love, he gave up on living and died of a broken heart.
His actress/singer girlfriend moved on, but was never as happy as she had been with my client. She 'existed' for the rest of her life, always mourning the loss of her one true love.
It was no surprise these two have been drawn to each other in this lifetime and it's comforting to know that a happy ending is possible, even if it's in a different lifetime.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I'd like to 'chat' about expectations. We all have them, whether it is about a person, and event or something we would like to manifest into our lives.
The problem is that we sometimes create an expectation and feel that everyone and everything should follow through with our wishes or visualisation. 
We meet someone and form an expectation of who they should be and how they
should act, but we cannot influence others to be anyone other than themselves.
We might think we can, but unless that person is willing, ready or even believes
they need to change, nothing will ever come of it. Part of our mission on this physical plane is to love everyone as  they are right now and not expect we can change them to suit our expectations.
If we can't love someone wholly and generously, then we can focus on a part of
them we do love, whether it's their smile, their compassion or the way they make
us feel when we are around them.
How boring would it be if we were all the same, if we all looked  the same, acted the same and talked about the same things? ....yawn....

We decide to follow our dream and sometimes everything doesn't fall into place or flow as  evenly and calmly as we would have hoped. We sometimes give up hope when events on the way don't meet our expectations.
If the road to wherever we wanted to go was paved with golden experiences, where would be the challenge? How would we know if we really wanted what we were working towards if it just fell into our lap? Would we just take it for granted because it was too easy? Would we  appreciate it if we didn't have to strive and persist to get to our desired destination?

Sometimes the Universe places challenges along the way to 'test' us, to ensure this is something we definitely want to do. Sometimes there are many tests, especially if we are only 'sorta' following the path and not committing ourselves wholeheartedly. (When it happens to me, I can hear the Universe asking 'So, how much do you want this, Cherie?' It's then I realise I have dawdled or wandered off the path I chose to follow and I correct my direction and pace)

When we get caught up in 'expectation', we miss the magic and magnificence of those we meet and we fail to see the surprise and synchronicity along the road to our dreams.
Expectations create a tiny box that no one and nothing can fit into. Sometimes when we try to create the shape and size of others, events, situations or the outcomes we seek, we miss the opportunity to experience the freedom of allowing them to be incredible and as exciting as they can possibly be!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

About nine years ago I had a flashback while my husband and I were horsing around. The room changed for a moment in time. We were in a room with stone walls. I saw heavy drapes and strange old fashioned furnishings. When I looked down at Butch, his face was slightly different and he had long curly dark hair as he laughed up at me. He was wearing clothes that were typical of a nobleman of that era. I, however, was wearing a barmaid type dress, complete with push up bodice. We were happy and I felt sure we had been in love within that lifetime too. It felt so real and yet surreal, I could hear the fire crackling behind me and the animal skins below my knees....and then it was gone...
Although I mentioned it to a few people and wrote it in my diary, I completely forgot about it until last Thursday...
I was lying in bed, sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was thinking about the grief expedition I'm on and wondered aloud whether there was more to why it was so all-consuming at times.
Past life healing has been nudging me a lot these past few months so I asked my guides and angels if there was more to my grief 'pain' and could they show me if I had any past life issues I needed to look at.
I was instantly taken back to that scene I described earlier. This time I wasn't a partcipant, but an observer.  In this past life, Butch had been a nobleman who had 'sought out my company' while he waited to get married. Although I worked in a tavern, I had a strong moral virtue and he had to work hard before I would agree to go to his bed. I was about 20, had a pretty face that always smiled and long red curly hair. We had lots of fun and laughs and I think we fell in love, even though it was never destined to be any more.
His future wife knew of our dalliance, but was resigned to it at first. After a while she began to question the duration of it and his reply was 'She amuses me.'
I fell pregnant and confided in my best friend, who then told the future wife. To prevent me doing any further damage, his wife to be arranged for me to be brutalised and beaten by some local louts.
I was then dumped on the side of the road. Although my injuries were horrific, I still carried the baby full term, leaving our son at an abbey where I stayed until he was born.
I couldn't bear to leave him, but I couldn't bear him to see how his mother looked. My left eye socket had been moved up and the bone had mended in such a way as to leave that eye unable to shut properly. My nose had been broken, as had my jaw, and my hearing had been affected. I now had a hideously deformed lump where my right shoulder should be and my arm was almost useless from having my arms pinned back. My beautiful red hair turned white and stringy almost overnight and I limped quite badly. I was so ugly, I felt ugly and I had lost all joy for life.
I walked painfully out of the village and spent the rest of my life in an old cottage in the mountains with an owl, a rat and a dog. I found a sort of pleasure discovering about herbs and flowers. People in the village closest to me thought I was a witch and asked for potions, which I made from nature.
The grief I felt about love lost and knowing I'd never see my nobleman again felt very real and I experienced this pain, even as an observer.
I died many years later, while gathering wild flowers on the mountainside, falling to my death on the rocks below.
As the scene disappeared and I returned to my bedroom, I asked my angels and guides for healing and realised there were a lot of similarities between my beliefs in my current life and those that I would have had in that one.  I never knew why groups of loud loutish men made me nervous. I've had serious shoulder problems for years...and yes, it's the right one! About the same time my shoulder began giving me grief, pain in my lower back sometimes affected the way I walked.
There have been a few Aha! moments since that day, as I realise some of my belief systems are cellular memories I've brought in with me this lifetime.
with love respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Sometimes we can experience situations or issues that repeat within our life that can be the leftover residue of a past existence. These can be unexplained symptoms, relationship problems, certain things that trigger a strong response from us or repetitve events, to name a few.
These can make us feel as if everyone is treating us unfairly and it must be a 'pattern' we attract. They can also cause severe reactions when things happen in our life. We don't understand why we've responded in such a way, sometimes we're even shocked at how we acted as a result.
On a cellular and a soul-ular level, we 'remember' events from our past lives, especially those ones that weren't completed in another lifetime.
For example, if you were stabbed in the throat you may find it difficult to swallow tablets. If molten metal was poured down your throat for speaking out, you may not want to speak your truth in this lifetime. If a huge slab of rock fell on your foot, you may have issues with that same foot within this lifetime.
We are fascinated in past life readings, we all want to hear about a time we were here before, to identify why we have a passion for a specific culture, or why we feel a sense of 'knowing' when we visit other countries.
Most of us (including me) hope it will be positive and uplifting, but sometimes this isn't the case. If we are carrying a 'lesson' we didn't learn in a past lifetime, there may be a disappointment attached to it.
With a past life reading it is important to look at what similarities there are in your past life and your present one to discover whether you have now resolved it within this lifetime or if you need to pay more attention to a particular issue. For example, if you were stabbed in the back by your men during a war, you might ask yourself if you are being 'stabbed in the back' by those you trust at work. 
Learning about a past life doesn't mean you need to get therapy or 'work on' yourself. The most important thing is to acknowledge the past life and it's lessons or pain, compare it to this one and decide whether you have finished with that particular lesson. A healing afterwards can be a good thing, to re-align your soul-ular and cellular body, but an ongoing permanent regular therapy isn't required.
Don't be disappointed if your past life reading isn't as positive or as uplifting as you may have expected. Instead, look truthfully at the lessons you attempted to learn in that lifetime, ask yourself if it's repeating within your present life and does it need closure or do you have it sorted this time around. After you have done that, acknowledge it for what it is and then let it go....
You might be surprised the difference a bit of knowledge makes!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
 

As we know colours can represent many things and it's well known that specific colours create certain emotional responses. Even though we may not be aware of it, sometimes we can wear specific colours to add strength to our chakras. We can also use colour to portray who we are to the world at large. If we want to look powerful and yet deflect other people's energy, we will wear black and red. If we are going through a period of change, orange is the signal colour. When we are feeling at one with the Universe, white is the colour of choice.
On the wheel shown here are some of the emotions attached to the basic colours -  there are many more, this is just a sampling. Different shades and hues can mean we are projecting more or less of that particular emotion.
When we aren't wearing a uniform, the colours we choose to wear say a lot about us, whether it's that we're feeling happy, invisible or at peace, etc.
When we are lacking in passion, or personal power, we may wear red to help boost that specific feeling. If we feel we are out of balance and our chakras need an extra boost, wearing the colour of that chakra will strengthen it and help to re-energise it. If we are feeling as if we don't trust in our own opinions; that we allow others to speak for us, we need to wear blue.
It's amazing how choosing the colours we choose can affect our emotions, responses and attitude for the day.
So, next time you get ready for your day and you are picking out what to wear, ask yourself 'What colour do I need to wear to feel more balanced?' or 'What emotion am I trying to project into the world?' 
Take notice of how you feel when you wear certain colours. Do some of them feel like overkill because you have an abundance of that specific emotion, or do you feel like you are in balance when you wear them?
Sometimes it's not about the style of clothes we wear, but the colours that resonate with our inner self and emotions. This can explain why a favourite item is hard to throw away, especially if every time you wore it, you felt a certain way.
So what colour are you wearing today.....?
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

We all know the impact others have on us. When someone tells us how great a colour looks on us, we unconsciously wear more of it. If someone tells us we are ‘crap’ at something, like drawing or playing a sport, many of us doubt our abilities and lose interest in pursuing it further.
All too often what we believe is our truth originated in a comment or someone else's perception of who we are and what we are capable of.
As children we're told some of our dreams are ridiculous, that they can't possibly come true, that we aren't clever or creative enough. We're told not to be greedy, not to talk too loud or draw attention to ourselves. Good boys/girls don't do that and you don't want to be a bad girl/boy, do you?
If we had psychic gifts and weren't lucky enough to be born into a family that nurtured this, we soon learned to hide it, to reject our 'imaginary friends' and close off from our magical side. For years we towed the line, we pretended to be all the things our family and elders wanted. As time went by, we forgot who we were, how amazing, magnificent and unique we were.
We went to school and learnt that we needed to conform or be 'the same', we weren't always encouraged to have original thoughts or to know more than the person who taught us. We tried all sorts of activities and it was usually the teachers who decided whether we were any good at them. Enjoying something wasn't in the same category as succeding at it. Those that were up to the standard teachers needed were nurtured, while many others fell by the wayside.
By the time we went out into the workforce, a lot of us were 'shaped and molded', we weren't our true selves, we weren't even sure how to be ourselves. Peer pressure evolved as we did. As we grew older we discovered there were many peer groups that could stifle our originality, school had only been the beginning.
Then one day, we wake up! We realise we aren't living our truth, we know there's more to us than is visible to others. The problem is that not only are we unsure how to access this person, we're not even sure we'll like him/her...after all, isn't that why society had squashed them down, so they wouldn't escape?
Gradually, ever so gradually we unpack the person within, the magical and magnificent person that was there all along. Sometimes we saw slivers of them during our life, but now we release them and allow them to 'be'. We step into us!
Finding ourselves is about finally accepting the who of ourselves, warts and all.
So today, and everyday, I encourage you to embrace all of who you are, to acknowledge and celebrate your magnificence and to shed those outdated belief systems that prevent you from being You!

You're probably wondering about the significance of the picture at the top of this blog. When I was about 7, I painted a tree for art class, telling my teacher I had seen this tree and wanted one just like it. My teacher told me it was rubbish, that trees didn't look like that, I couldn't possibly have seen one like that and I was obviously a liar. She then said it wasn't even pretty and I would never be an artist. I never painted or drew again until I was in my twenties.
Yesterday, while I was surfing the internet, I came across this picture of the Tree of Life. It was just how I remembered it! What a lot of years I wasted believing I couldn't enjoy art because of one person's belief system.
...and how sad I couldn't tell her where I remembered it from.....!   ;-P 
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

My GPS has an attitude problem! I know some of you won't find that the least bit surprising.
When I first moved to Brisbane from the Sunshine Coast I was worried I would get lost....so of course I did, countless times.
I was given a GPS (probably because everyone was getting a little tired of my 'anxiety calls'). I thought I was onto a winner here - no more getting lost for me! Ahh, but the truth was a different reality...
My GPS likes to do figure eights on the way to wherever I want to be. It doesn't matter what address I put in, it does a circle on either side of my destination, before I arrive. I tried ignoring it and going a different way, referring to it only as I got closer...but no, there was that figure eight again, just on a smaller scale.
Now I am aware of the significance of the figure eight and it's connection to Eternity, but today I was thinking along a different line.
We each have an internal GPS that can either take us in a direct line or meander and explore as we travel on our life journey.
As we rush about through our busy lives, we race from place to place, doing and more doing, until the day is done. We miss a lot of the beauty and the magic around us, as we try to find the more direct route to where we want to be.
There is so much more to life than we could ever believe. It's important we are open to the extra experiences in our life, the view, the synchronicity and chances that are only visible, if we pause for a while to notice them by living in the 'now'.
As for me, I allow extra time for my GPS to show me around Brisbane on the way to a client's home now. When I get lost, I don't stress like I used to, I admire the scenery, taking time to notice the magic in the world. I am thankful to my GPS who reminded me to slow down and to be 'present'. On the bright side, I even have a better idea of where I'm going now....with or without my GPS.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx