There are times when I get interminably and totally exhausted. I feel as if I am dragging myself through waist high mud, and getting nowhere at all. My brain feels fogged and my eyes are heavy. When this happens I know that one of these things is happening:
1. I am tired (obviously)
2. I am about to receive a download of information, wisdom or perhaps important knowledge that will prove useful in the future
3. My body is asking me to stop making demands so it can do some intensive repair work or
4. There is a message or visual that I need to hear or see.

More often than not, it is a combination of all these things...and sometimes I ignore it. If I carry on doing what I am doing for a further ten minutes, the feeling disappears, the 'moment' or 'opportunity' passes and I return to my original energy flow. I assume we all do this. We feel exhausted or overwhelmed, but instead of taking time out to put up our feet or just 'be', we keep on racing around the place trying to get things done.

It took me many years to discover that some of my best messages and visuals happened when this feeling of tiredness came. It took me even longer to say: 'Here it comes. Everything else can wait. I want to be present for this.' And this is what I now do. Within 15 - 30 minutes, I feel invigorated and, if I had been suffering from any aches and pains, they are often not as strong as they were prior to this 'tiredness'.

In a world where resting is not encouraged and production is, we sometimes need to remember that our body needs rest to maintain good health; our guides and angels need us to stop thinking for a little while, so they can infuse us with healing, messages and love; our body is an amazing self repairing mechanism that does its best work while we are on 'pause' and that some of that divine wisdom we are a part of needs to download into our consciousness for later use.

Lets remember to be more aware of why our body is asking us to press 'pause', and remember that we deserve a 'power recharge' every now and then.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

You will need:
Candle of colour choice/fragrance
Pick a time when you wont be disturbed.
Turn off your mobile phone, etc
Play soft background music if you feel it will help you to 'connect'.
Sit quietly before you light the candle and imagine a beautiful bubble of protective energy around you and your candle -you choose the colour!
Ask your guides and angels for assistance and ask that only that which is for your highest good may enter your bubble.
You can place a photo of the person you are trying to connect with either under the candle or beside it.
*Intent is everything. If you dont have a photo, simply write their name on a piece of paper
Light your candle and just sit quietly while it gets into a 'state of rhythm'.  
When we first light a candle it either has a little time it needs to get going, or if it has been used before, it may need time to 'get past' the wax etc from last time to be burning in the 'now'.
When you are ready ask your loved one to 'come in'. You don't need to speak it out loud if you don't want to. If you would prefer to 'think talk' then simply state your intent that your loved one has access to your loving thoughts.
Be aware of the temperature of the room, how you feel and what you can sense during this time.
Wait a bit. If the candle begins to flicker differently, or you feel you have waited long enough, ask if your loved one is there. Ask for a tall flame to signify a 'Yes'. (Now as I am a skeptic a tall flame isn't enough for me. I tend to say 'a little bit higher please', unless of course it is a proper tall flame!)
Ask questions that require 'yes' and 'no' and take notice of the flame.
Sometimes, as I stare into the flame, I can see my spirit family, but everyone is different and what works for one, may not work for all.
Using a candle may not work as well as you would like the first time, but keep trying. Practise makes perfect, not just for you, but for your loved one in spirit as well.  I can remember being so disheartened when I first started using a candle flame and walking away in disgust. As I turned my back, the flame went really really high and separated the tip of the flame  with a 'poof'! The person I was  with suggested I had just been given not just a lesson in patience, but a bit of a telling off as well!
When you are finished thank your loved ones, your guides and angels for their assistance.
Don't just keep doing it when nothing happens out of stubbornness, when nothing is happening.  Spirit also have things to do or places to be and you may have caught them at a bad time. Try again later!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I had a rat! No, not one of those pet ones you can buy. No, I had one that had snuck in through my open door after the first cold snap. Don't you just hate it when you know there is an intruder in your house, but he's too wily for you to catch. He never went in the kitchen to eat, oh no, he had a thing about chewing the hard plastic of anything and everything. At first I thought I was imagining things when I heard strange noises, but then I found evidence that I had an unwelcome guest.....when he left his little calling cards!I'd had an exceptionally busy day and a late night, so I was impressed when I heard a strange noise about 12.30am. I remember thinking it was my daughter's dog outside the window, and promptly fell asleep. I woke a short time later to that same crunching noise. It was coming from the lounge! I carefully and quietly, pulled back the covers and sat up. The noise didn't stop. I did my tai chi impersonation out to my torch, finding it easily in the dark. Unfortunately I scraped against a box and the noise stopped. So there I was, standing in the dark, wondering whether to wait for it to start again, or to begin moving toward the general vicinity. As I stood there in the dark,  I contemplated how big it might be, whether it might be as big as a possom, or if it would run across my feet if I disturbed it....In the end moving was preferable to freezing. Tai chi style, I moved to where I thought it was, flashed my torch and was rewarded with the sight of a tail as it scuttled away. (And thats when I went and got my slippers, just in case!)
I stood on the furniture as I tried to work out where it was (didn't really need those slippers, did I?) I eventually 'encouraged' it to run into a spare room which I duly barricaded to prevent a return visit.
I asked him to leave, as I shuffled him along, telling him I really didn't want to kill him, but he had to go. I was so pumped with adrenaline, I couldn't settle down and sleep for hours.
The next night I discovered rats don't have much respect for barricades. Sighing, after another sleepless night, I set a trap.
Rats don't have much respect for traps either - well this one didn't! The trap would go off, and so would the cheese, in spite of the fact that it was tied on securely.
I was talking to my friend, Karen one night and complaining about my new roomie. She asked if I had asked for 'help' with the problem. Well, no I hadn't...
So that night, I had a little chat to my angels, guides and spirit family and asked  could they please make the rat go away, or something....
The next day I woke up and went into the spare room. The trap had been completely dismantled and the rat was dead some distance away. Although he'd been a nuisance, I must admit I felt sad for him....and then I looked at my trap, having a good whinge about it being totally trashed.
As I was driving to work, I realised that I'd had more help than I'd expected. I am not a violent person, so although I'd set the trap, the idea of actually trapping a rat in it was repugnant, and it would have been extremely difficult for me to disengage it. So, not only had the rat issue been sorted, but I had been saved the bother of ever having to use that trap again!
Thank you Angels!
Remember not all assistance comes in the way we expect it to!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Have you ever asked for a sign that you are on the right path? Have you had a moment when you doubted what you were doing and whether it was meant to be a part of your journey, or just something you enjoyed so much you didn't want to stop? Well, I was having one of those days on Friday. I'd woken up feeling lacklustre and although I managed to 'adjust' my attitude before I got out of bed, it still felt as if something wasn't quite right. I had an awesome day at work as usual, but every now and then I would get a whisper of this unnamed and unexplainable feeling. During my break I checked my messages. emails and facebook pages. (please don't judge me for not looking at all the spam that is located in one of my email accounts - 75 unread emails!) I saw 11 notifications on the 'page' icon. When I opened it, there were 7, definitely not 11. I didn't think anything of it and closed out after checking all my pages (I have 5, including my personal page).  According to the icon, I still had 11 notifications. I opened up.....nope, nothing new happening there...
That 11 stayed there all weekend. Every time I went to look at my pages, there was an 11 beside the icon. It began to irritate me. I restarted my mobile...nope, still 11. I checked off any notifications on all the pages...nope. I turned on my lappie and made sure I checked off all my notifications there...back to look at the mobile...nope, still 11. I tried everything  I could think of, but it stayed on 11. All weekend I was checking to see if they had disappeared or the number had changed. Nope. How frustrating!
This morning as I was driving to work I was thinking about signs from angels - I'd just spotted a cloud in the shape of an angels wing. I was thinking how often the number 11 features in my life, that almost every time I go to look at my mobile, the time always has an 11 in it, especially when I'm about to check my facebook pages....And then, BANG! It hit me! The 11 continually showing up on my pages icon was a sign, a validation from my angels! (yes, I know you were way ahead of me there!) I couldn't wait to park my car so I could have a look at my mobile and see if it still had 11 on it. Yes it did!
I was doing telepathic air punches, thinking 'OMG! All this time I've been getting a sign, but I've been so busy getting frustrated about the fact that I couldn't clear the notifications, I almost missed it!' (about now I could hear my angels and guides cheering and doing High Fives!)
I don't know whether I have mentioned this much, but I have a healthy amount of skeptic...so it was no surprise to me when that kicked in a few seconds later. I remembered that I am an extra admin on my son's page as well, maybe he had 11 notifications. (cue the groan from my angels and guides)
When I checked the 'pages settings', there were 11 notifications on his page. I must admit I felt a little disappointed, but took a screen shot anyway to put with this post, because even though I am a skeptic, I still believed it was a sign. Just because a sign has a logical explanation, doesn't make it any less a sign.
I checked to make sure the picture had worked out okay and can you imagine my surprise when I saw I had 2 notifications for Angelic Messages with Attitude? That would make my total notifications 13! I quickly closed 'pages' and looked at my mobile....and yes, there were still 11 notifications on the icon. I could hear my angels and guides heaving a sigh of relief and congratulating each other on a job well done, as I turned off my mobile and headed to work with a huge grin on my face!
Remember, all signs from our guides and angels aren't big or noisy. They don't always stand out. They don't always make us feel happy (some of us can get frustrated and irritated). They don't always make sense....until we are ready to make the sense of them.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
**For those that aren't familiar with the significance of '11', it is a spiritual number first and foremost. It is also the sign of the 'light worker'. My message is that I'm on the right track, that what I'm doing is what I'm meant to do.
[Before we came to this physical plane, we chose the number 11 as a reminder of our life purpose/calling, or to heed the call to be a light worker.]

Today I was thinking about life in general as I sat watching people in the mall.  An elderly man with a white stick was holding onto a trundler, while his wife led him out to the car park. I marvelled at the adaptability of humans, the fact he could trust his wife to lead the way; that just because he was visually impaired, he didn't stay home and sulk.
I felt inspired as I watched them slowly crossing the road and it made me think about the rest of us and the life path we are on. How often are we lead, almost blindly where we are meant to go? How often do we reach our destination, even though our eyes aren't focussed on that particular goal?  How often do we need to trust we are heading in the right direction, guided by unseen hands? How easy would it be to say 'I can't see where I'm heading, so I refuse to go any further?' 
When things are going wrong and life seems like a struggle, I sometimes wonder if it would be easier to just sit there and wait it out. Life seems a lot easier for those people who dodge the obstacles in their life, who find other ways to do what they want, but then, does that mean they miss out on what they are meant to learn? But I wonder, do they reach the destination that they planned or do they find themselves unable to avoid that path later in life, which then leads them to the destination they are meant to 'arrive at'.
If we try to avoid the 'stuff' that causes us sorrow and pain, does it catch up with us in another guise, on another part of our journey? Of course it does. Like when we decide not to take an opportunity because it doesn't feel right, but it is destined to be ours....it comes around again, maybe in a slightly different guise, but it we do revisit it.
We are here to learn a specific amount of lessons, to teach others in many ways and to experience all that life has to offer. Sometimes, it can feel as if we are being guided by unseen hands, especially when we believe we are heading in a particular direction, and when we get to the end of that path, we find the view isn't quite what we expected...in fact its better than we could have anticipated!
Isn't it great when we 'trust' in the journey...in our path?
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

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

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

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

The other day I was doing a Reiki treatment for a dear friend and client. It was such an amazing experience, I wanted to share it.
The past week or so 'past life healing' has popped into my world in many forms and I was debating whether I was getting a nudge...until I got a shove!
When I begin a treatment, I tell clients what I feel and ask if they have noticed these symptoms or we define them energectically and emotionally. As an empath, I 'feel' what is going on in my client's bodies as we 'connect' energies.
I was receiving a pain in my stomach I could only describe as severe anxiety. When I asked for confirmation, and she told me this happened whenever she was worried about what would happen to her ten year old son if she passed over. I had  severe ringing in my ears and pain in my forehead as we carried on, which we agreed was related to the anxiety as well as feeling disconnected from her spiritual side. 
I asked about her angel wings (located between the shoulder blades) and she said she couldn't feel them anymore. The sensation I had was of them being crushed. Suddenly I had a sharp pain in my left lower back, above my hip bone. I asked if that had any significance. She told me that when she was pregnant she felt like she had torn a ligament or something similar and that it often acted up when she was extremely stressed.
As I sent energy into her shoulders, I could feel a tingling where my angel wings are, and a sensation as if they were being unfurled. At that point of time, she raised her upper back and told me she felt like she needed to adjust how she was lying, because there didn't seem to be enough room between her and the table. We hadn't been speaking at that stage, so this was validation for both of us.
I had a sudden visual of what had happened in her past life. She'd been a soldier, sometime in the Roman era. He was stabbed through the hip in a horrific battle and as he lay there dying, his last thoughts were for his wife and two children. I described his wife Sandra, and mentioned her long black hair.
Instantly my client began to cry, telling me that as a toddler she'd had a strange attachment to a long black wig, wearing it continuously until her mother hid it. She'd always wanted long black hair and was disappointed that it didn't suit her. Having come back as a female this lifetime, she'd wanted to be the woman 'he' had loved in that lifetime.
The position of the hip pain and the stomach anxiety explained why my client had such an intense fear of the future for her child and herself.
I explained that Christophe, the soldier, had helped her to get to where she was right now, but his time was now over and it was time for her to take charge of her life. He had helped her when things had seemed hopeless, when she struggled to keep going, by reminding her of this past life emotion. When things were at their bleakest, the thought of her son had kept her battling on.
Christophe stood before me (as close as he could, I might add!), a handsome man in full battle gear. He would have been around the same age as my client.
It is my belief that when we have a past life guide like Christophe, that as we reach the same age they were when they passed over, this is the time we need to take over.
I thanked Christophe for his assistance in her life thus far, for keeping her on track and reminding her she had much to live for, even when it didn't feel like it. I told him she would now take over and he could go home to Sandra now.  I then asked my client to ensure she did the same.
I had the distinct sensation of the sword being gently removed and the space where it had been, being healed over. My client said she could also feel sensations in that area. We both felt a great sense of peace and love fill the room.
A short time later, as I was packing up, a candle that had been burning during the healing was knocked over - in the opposite direction that the wind was blowing the curtains.... Christophe had left the building!

The next day, my client sent me a text
'Oh wow, that reiki and reading were amazing. I feel amazing, confident, inspired, energetic, peaceful and calm and an amazing secure feeling about what the future holds. It feels like I need to share this feeling of kindness to everyone I know. Feels like the world is my oyster! Never felt like this before. I am in control of my life and feel I can do anything with my head held high! Thank you...

Sometimes we have strange fears and emotions we can't explain. Situations and  events can create a sense of 'knowing' or a repeated reaction to them from our
past lives. We may not remember, but our cells, inner wisdom and energy do.  
It's putting the puzzle together that creates a sense of  understanding and realisation. Isn't it awe-inspiring to know that you may be receiving guidance from another you - for as long as you need it?!!
Thanks to my wonderful friend and client who allowed me to share this as well as her message. x
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Quite often when I do a reiki or massage, I end up with am extra 'visitor'. I used to tell people who came in and why or what they wanted, but unless someone is ready to hear about that side of life, they just freak out....and never call me again. It's funny how some people think that because I'm psychic or I can feel the pain or discomfort within their body, that I have the ability to read their minds as well! Even if I could, I wouldn't do that. To me reading someone's energy or doing a reading without their permisson is plain bad manners - it's just like breaking into someone's house...
Sometimes the 'visitor' is extremely helpful, whispering advice, or placing their hands on mine to place more power in my client's energy field. I have had my hand pushed slightly, pushed down and even had arms wrapped around me as I do a reiki healing. I love it! It's so wonderful to know their spirit family, or angels are doing the best they can for the person on my table.  I am always grateful for any help from our Spirit frends and family.
Unless I know my client wants to hear about the spiritual side of healing, I say nothing. My belief is my belief and it is not my right to force it on anyone else.
I have never had a negative experience while doing my treatments, I know that anyone in the room with us is only here for our highest good. End of story!
I did have a giggle the other day as I was giving a lady a massage in her own home. I 'heard' someone come in and they stood slightly behind me. I knew it was a male energy, and he had a message for the woman on my table. I was filling in for another therapist, so I didn't know much about her or what her beliefs were. I 'talked' (with my thoughts) to the spirit as I worked. 'I'm sorry, but I can't give any messages to Anna. I don't know how she will take it and I don't want to frighten or upset her.'
He wasn't angry, but he was a little peeved, and I swear he stamped his feet at me! All of a sudden there was a sound in the ceiling above me. It started as a cracking sound, then as it spread, I imagined it was similar to a sheet of ice as it cracks and splinters. It sounded so real and loud I was almost too scared to look up in case it was about to fall down around my ears.
Anna looked up suddenly and said 'What the hell was that? I've never heard that before.' We both looked up, but there was no trace of anything wrong with the ceiling.
I smiled and said nothing as I carried on massaging, but I had a chuckle as I realised I had seen my first Spirit tantrum!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Sometimes we have crazy dreams we can't possibly explain.  I believe dreams are the result of messages our unconscious, our intuition or our guides want us to listen to. Although some of them seem to have such strange content, we can always find a gem within that tells us something we aren't looking at or attending to within our lives.
Our subconscious uses dreams to help us to think about things we are repressing or trying to bury/hide from ourselves. It's usually a wake up call. It very rarely means exactly what the dream portrays. Our subconscious speaks to us in pictures we understand and the emotions that go with them.
Dreams aren't always as straightforward as we think they are.
Sometimes our subconscious or our guides are trying to tell us something
important. Each persons dream will be unique to them and their thought patterns,
values and mindsets, so we need to unravel these for you to discover what your
dream is trying to tell you.
The only time our guides and spirit family can get into our minds is when we are asleep or meditating - when our busy minds are at rest. Otherwise it's like trying to cross a busy highway, it's hit or miss for our spiritual companions.
Although dream books are extremely helpful, if a definition doesn't resonate with you, then you may find it difficult to make sense of it. Everyone's dream is unique to them, as what one thing symbolises a certain thing in one person's mind isn't always the same in another, so it's important to look at the symbols in a dream and what they mean to you. Once we establish what they represent, we may discover you have an Aha! moment. Once you have reached this stage you may find the dreams stop because your subconscious has made it's point.

 Here's an example of a dream to give you an idea of what I mean.
Supposing you had a dream where you were in a house, pregnant and very unhappy. Your partner was extremely happy. Next thing you were in a car and it spun out of control...and then you woke up.
These are some of the questions I would ask you:
Being pregnant to me means you have an idea, something you are thinking
of doing or a project, etc. What does pregnant mean to you? When you think of
being pregnant, what do you associate it with?
For me a baby is usually about a new beginning, so it could be a fresh start, new venture, something different about to happen in your life. What does this mean to you, not in actually holding one or having one. Is it a sense of fulfilment? A burden? A struggle? Contentment?
If you knew the sex of the baby, to me a girl would mean it is either to do with your femininity or something that affects you personally. So are you acknowledging your feminine side? Do you feel desirable? Are you being all you can be? A boy would be about being strong, taking action, feeling confident in yourself. Are you feeling overwhelmed by the will of others? Do you feel stuck? Are you feeling unhappy or stifled at work? Do you want to change your career direction?
Are you and your partner happy? Do you feel something is lacking? Do you feel less than desirable? Is there something you want to sort out within your relationship but don't know where to start? Do you have an idea for a venture that you would like to pursue but you aren't saying it out loud? Are you buying a house or taking a
risk financially and it is worrying you? Do you want to buy a house or take a risk and your partner doesn't?
I believe a house is usually symbolic of our soul, the place where we truly live. Do you feel happy in yourself? Do you feel you are being all you can be? Do you feel like there is more to life?
Are there any other specifics in the dream? Rooms? Colours? Where do you think you are? Country? Time, as in present time? Is anyone else around you? What else is happening?
If it's a kitchen, what does a kitchen symbolise to you? For me a kitchen is all about drudgery and boredom, never-ending sameness. If it's a bedroom, what does that mean? Is it about your inner sanctuary? Is it your cave away from the world? Is it a place for sleeping? Or is it a place full of romance and sex?
When I define my own dreams, a car typically symbolises our journey through life. What type of car was it? Is it your current car? Is it better? Is it worse? What colour iss it? What does that colour mean to you? Were you cramped? What does a car mean to you personally? What springs into your mind immediately when you think about a car accident? Could it be a fear for the person/people in the car's safety? Or for your relationship with yourself? Does it feel like your life is out of control, that you aren't driving your journey?
Is there a part of you waiting for something bad to happen to you....your partner, family or your relationship. Do you feel as if it's too good to be true? Do you feel unworthy or that he/she could/should have someone better?  Do you feel like your relationship has changed for better? for worse?

It is important to break your dream up into the bigger symbols and then look
at what each one means to you. I used to write down each item and list what they
represented to me; what I feel when I think about them and anything else that
popped into my mind. As I did so, I would usually have an Aha! moment and
understand the message. I love the challenge of defining what my message is. In
fact I'm disappointed when I don't get to dream! Having done it for so many
years, I don't need to write it down anymore. I wake up in the morning and think
'Okay, I need to address that issue, or I need to do that for me, etc'

Of course there is another theory as well.  As I say in another chapter, I believe we currently live on many planes, that major decisions we make impact how our life pans out (similar to the movie Sliding Doors). Generally it feels like we are a bystander, or that they can't see us. However, when we visit these alternate planes in our dreams it is possible to feel all the pain, emotions and anguish, because we are that person too. So in a different plane, someone may have been killed or the outcome may have been different.
I know that when I 'visit' another plane, although I am watching what is happening, I feel all the emotions of the person in the dream so acutely as if I was experiencing it, and in a way I am.
I'd be willing to bet that the next dream you have, you will look at it differently.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
(picture by Zen Gardener)
 


  
 

I have been doing volunteer massages on a weekly basis at a centre for senior citizens and  intellectually disabled people.
During this time I have noticed that there can be a certain 'musty smell' around those who don't get around much (said with love). I used to think was just associated with the older generation, as I remember smelling it around my grandparents as a child. I've come to the conclusion this is 'stale energy', when we aren't moving around or using the energy trapped within our bodies.
The last couple of weeks when I've come home, I've had a whiff of it as I work on my laptop at night and I couldn't understand why. I knew I'd had a shower and changed.
Tonight I mentioned it to my cousin, who asked if I thought I was bringing 'someone' home with me. Talk about an A-ha! moment! Now this might seem like a perfectly obvious explanation, considering what I do. However, given that most of the people I massage for have reached the age where they have lost a lot of loved ones, I usually shut myself down completely before I leave my house. It would be just too overwhelming (and noisy) otherwise and I wouldn't be able to focus on what I'm really there to do.
I sat on my couch and talked quietly to a beautiful, frail female spirit. I asked her to put her hands in mine, to trust that I would help her. I reassured her that there was nothing to be scared of, I would help her to cross over. I could feel the tingling sensation in my hands as she did so. I told her I was calling the angels to come in and take her to love and light. She was quite anxious and I explained they wouldn't take her unless she was ready and willing. I would stay right here with her until she felt the time was right.
The room became warm and I knew her escorts had arrived. There was a knock at the door (two light taps) and as soon as she saw them she 'flew' across the room to be greeted with open arms. It was beautiful and happened so fast, I didn't even have time to say goodbye to her. Isn't that so wonderful? Her fear was unfounded. As soon as she felt the unconditional love, she knew she was going home and it was where she wanted to be. I would like to believe we will all feel that magical moment when it's our time, and if we don't, I hope that someone will help us to discover it.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Some time ago I attended a christening/baptism and was taking photos to mark the occasion, using a new camera.
Later, wehen I looked through the photos, I found this amongst them. I was going to delete it as a freak of photography, but when I looked closely at the picture I could see a person lying in a bed, (or perhaps a coffin) with angels comforting and embracing them.
I couldn't help wondering whether this was a sign that someone had been receiving healing as they slept, or if it was the energy left over from a funeral held recently at the church.
There was no indication that any of the other photos were related to this one. It was smack dab in the middle of two shots of the godparents.
Regardless of how I interpret this photo, I felt it was validation, a sign that there is more to our world than what we see though our eyes. Angels are amongst us, loving us, comforting us and a part of our life journey.

Today I'd like to talk about orbs. I get orbs a lot in my photos, sometimes I get fairies (but that's a whole different post!). some people tell me orbs are a result of dirty camera lenses, dust or
water droplets, but that doesn't explain why I can take two photos in a row and the orbs have moved or disappeared. It has been said that once you have seen one in a photo and acknowledged it, then you will be able to recognise them in your own photos, and I expect that has a lot to do with  awareness more than anything.
My belief and perception of orbs is that they are positive energy all around us. I know when I'm at my lowest and feeling isolated, it is comforting to see an orb or too. (and yes, I know it's weird, but when I do feel that way, my trusty camera is with me to confirm that belief.
Some people say orbs are negative and I guess that's their perception, but it's
not mine.
I remember my first orb, I was at Ripley's Believe It or Not! on the Gold Coast. There was this strange circle on my waist. I enlarged the photo and could clearly see a laughing face! After that they appeared in many of my photos, regardless of which camera or whose it was that I took photos.
The photo with this post was taken on a fishing trip I went on as we headed out from
Mooloolaba. I showed it to one of the guys and he told me the usual explanations. I explained what an orb was, that it could be spirit energy, guides or our spirit family. He found that hard to believe, so I gave up trying to convince him.
Three nights later, at 10:30pm, I received an excited call from him. He asked if I'd noticed that the fishing rod could be seen through the orb, so it couldn't be dust or water. I resisted the urge to say something like 'No shit?!' He then went on to say that he had enlarged one of the other photos, which had an orb right beside his face, and he could clearly see his Grandma, complete with her glasses on! Gotta love that validation!
So, my question is, have you ever had orbs in your photos? After seeing this picture, do you have any doubt whatsoever that we aren't alone?! xx
If you have any orb photos that you would like me to include in the Orb album on my facebook page, please email them to angelicattitude@live.com.au.

Today I decided to put a post up on Facebook reminding everyone angels are all around us. They are constantly giving us signs, some that are incredibly blatant, but we are so caught up in our daily life, we can sometimes miss them, or don't realise what they are.
As I was driving home after a healing session this afternoon, I was thinking about all the ways in which angels had let me know they were around.
If you don't know me very well, you probably wouldn't know that I am a 'challenge' to Spirit and Angels. I always like to be told three times before I take any notice and I'm the eternal skeptic, in spite of what I do for a living.
As I was driving along, I started to list the ways angels send signs. I began with cloud formations, sometimes in the form of feathers or angel wings. As I peered out the windscreen, I looked up and saw formations that, yes indeed, did look just like that.
I could hear voices singing in a beautiful and touching way, but my radio wasn't on. I remembered times I'd heard songs with the word 'angel' in them, or people talking to me about things that had nothing to do with angels, but they'd said the word. Two more ways we receive signs from them, I thought to myself.  I reached over to turn the radio on. The song that was playing was 'Stairway to Heaven'. I smiled to myself, saying out loud, 'Well, that's not really a song with 'angel' in the lyrics.' The announcer came on and said 'Well, that was Led Zeppelin, number ten on our top songs today. We'll be hearing the other nine songs soon, including one from The Angels!' I chuckled to myself, the angels were obviously going all out to remind me they were there. The next song that played began; 'Imagine there's no heaven..' By this time I was laughing out loud and letting them know I was getting the message.
My car filled with the most delicious and delicate scent. As I was relishing another sign, I was enveloped in a loving warmth, as if I was being hugged by angel wings. 'All I need now is for someone to play with my hair' I mused....and there it was!
Well, they convinced me! I knew I had to write a post, and also a blog about my amazing experience as I drove home today.
So, if any or all of these signs appear in your day, remember your angels are trying to get your attention. They want us to know that we are loved unconditionally and without judgement. We only have to ask and they will help us in any way they can. (unless we ask, they can't help - that's the way it works).
Some Angel Signs:
*Feathers laying in our path or appearing in the most obscure places.
*Cloud formations in the shapes of feathers or wings.
*Songs that we hear with the word 'angel' in them, (and now I can add 'heaven' to that).
*Singing that is beautiful and touches our heart, even though we are alone.
*Buzzing in our ears, especially our right ear.
*People mentioning the word 'angel' in conversation.
*A beautiful, delicate and sweet scent that surrounds us briefly.
*A feeling of loving warmth, or an angelic hug (warming our head and/or our shoulders)
*Movement in our hair as if we are being lovingly stroked or patted.
Now you've got the list, and this is only some of the signs they send us, you have no excuse not to notice and believe they are all around us. Remember to notice the signs and be grateful for the love and support they are sending our way.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Sometimes we get so caught up in our day to day life, we forget to notice what is going on around us.  The right people and opportunities are sent our way, but all too often we don't see them.  It is not until we look back later we see the signs and indications that were there to help us all along.  There are some of us who keep plodding along, in spite of the messages we are being given, believing we are on the right path and 'getting it right'.  We may be on the right path, but sometimes we need a little external help to show us the shortcut, or what we need to change within ourselves to speed up the process.  I know this is true of me as well as many others.  I sometimes prefer to take the road less travelled, which is usually steep, dangerous and dusty....and then I wonder why it takes so long, why it feels like I take two steps forward and one step back!?  I know I'm not alone here - you know what I'm talking about, don't you?  ...but then I turn on my ears and eyes... and suddenly, the road turns into a pleasant easy walk to where I am headed....
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie