When I was in my thirties, I lost a good friend. When I say I lost them, they didn't die or move away. They misused our friendship and I was left totally devastated. Not only did they hurt me irrevocably, they then lied to me, telling me that my extended family believed there was something wrong with me. We had been best friends for many years, and I was absolutely sure we would be lifelong friends. However, she had a perception of me that wasn't true to who I am. I may have once been that way, but we all grow and evolve. That's what life is all about. I embraced and accepted the changes in her, but she was unwilling to do the same.
Just lately (over twenty years later), she has been 'popping into' my head. In the last month or so, I have been wondering how she is, not to reclaim our friendship, but perhaps because there was a piece of me that wanted to heal the pain from our parting.
I was out shopping the other day and, while waiting at the bookstore checkout, I became 'present in the moment' and realised I was standing next to this friend of my past. As we chatted, I realised I had almost bumped into her about ten minutes prior. As I had come out of the post office, I almost tripped over a woman who had bent over to pick up her car keys. I had, on some level, noticed her necklace, but, because I was so lost in my thoughts and what I needed to do, I hadn't really taken any notice of who she was.
After we had finished speaking, we both separated a little to go to our respective cars. The third coincidence was when we discovered that we had parked right next to each other. Now, as you know, three is always a charm for me, and a sign that the Universe was assisting me in some way.
Although we didn't 'kiss and make up' and we didn't speak of the past, there was a sense of peace and closure when we parted.
As I drove away, I thanked my guides for allowing me to release the old emotions and pain from the past. It was interesting to note that the old anger I had thought I had forgiven and resolved came through as I drove home. I was surprised that they came from a place deep deep down, hidden away from my conscious thought. I listened to these feelings. I honoured them and then I released them.
Sometimes, when we see someone who has hurt us in the past, and allow those little knots to loosen up, we can move forward a lot lighter and freer. We don't forgive so the other person feels better. We forgive for our sake, because we don't need that extra weight within our energy field.

With love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

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

Sometimes our negative thoughts can get in the way of enjoying life. As we allow our minds to dictate our energy, we can spiral into negativity, not realising that we are the ones creating everything that is happening around us. We begin to attract more and more experiences that confirm that life is not working for us and that we don't deserve to be happy.
A great way to help change our negative behaviours, words or thoughts is to have a stress-less box.
Now I find the best way to feel as if you are really investing in creating positive change, is to create a box. Decorate it in any way that you like, and as you do so, consciously think about how this box is going to change your life and the energy around us. The intent as well as the way you have decorated the box will help. Write a name on it, eg. 'Stress-less Box'. After you have finished, either cut a slot in the top, or ensure that you can take the lid off. I prefer to have mine tied with a ribbon, so that I am in the present moment as I untie it, open the box and retie it again. You will have your own way that works for you, so be sure to spend some times making sure your box resonates with you.
Start carrying around a small notebook and pen or ensuring they are in convenient places arond your home, in the car or at work.
Each time you feel a negative thought coming through. Write it down and put it in your Stress-less Box. (If you can't get to it until later, don't worry about it too much. The writing is just as important as putting it in the box.
While you are doing this, you are not just giving your worry away to your worry box, you are also living in the present moment; the place where you are creating your reality. You are distancing yourself from those thoughts, enough to acknowledge them and see them for what they are.
The important thing is not to define them, pull them apart or judge them. When we focus on the why and what, of our negative thoughts, we give them power. By writing them down and putting them in our box, we remove the power that they have over us.
It doesn't matter how many times we write the same thought down, or how many different ways we express it. Some thoughts will try to fight to survive, and this isn't about fighting them off. This is about allowing them to 'be', acknowledging them and then releasing them.
A stress-less box can take a few days or may months to help us let go of a limiting thought - the time is relative to the focused intent we have towards it, our motivation to change and how long we have been 'carrying it around with us'.
*Don't give up if you don't feel a change straight away - anything that is for our highest good is worth waiting for! You may not notice as your energy shifts, but, believe me, it will be!
When you feel ready, take that box , or its contents, if your box is wooden, metal or plastic, and bury it in the garden under a plant. This will show you that something good and positive can grow from those thoughts. Or you can burn it in a safe controlled place. If you choose to burn it, you can scatter the ashes somewhere that is relevant or important for you. You are not limited to how you dispose of your notes or box. You will know what works for you; what symbolises completion and what will give you an enormous sense of satisfaction.
*Burning it during a full moon is a great way to add emphasis to your release.
**There is no limit to how many Stress-less Boxes you have. If you feel the need to start another at any time, then repeat the process.

with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

For a long time now Karen and I have noticed that when we are together, I have felt a sharp pain in my neck, almost as if I have had a cut to the back of my head. We have often joked about how she probably chopped my head off in a past life. It never seems to happen when we aren't together. Yesterday it happened while we were having morning tea with a friend. I had a severe jolt to the back of my neck as we chatted. Karen and I laughed, as we usually did, and then she apologised. We explained to our perplexed friend what we thought was the issue and she asked if I had ever done a past life reading on Karen. Sometimes we get so busy doing for other people that we forget to see what could be happening right in front of our nose - obviously a past life issue that needed addressing.
Today it happened again, but this one was slightly different. As Karen said the word 'pain' and clapped her hands, I felt a sharp pain and then a strange sensation as if my head was going to fall off. This was accompanied with a visual of where the axe had separated my head from my body.
Karen and I got my pendulum and decided to explore it further. Amidst much laughing and irreverent comments and questions, we established that Karen had indeed, been my executioner in a past life. I was a young girl of around 14-16 years old. I was executed as a way for the 'powers that be' of that time to be able to control my parents, who were drowned not long after they had witnessed my demise. I could see my parents, the same ones I have in this lifetime, watching in horror, as the axe was raised, and fell, ending my young life.
Of course Karen was horrified that she had killed a friend (that would be me ☺) that she had from this lifetime.
We discussed whether I would stop getting this sensation now that we had discovered the cause and released the past life issue that we had been making fun of for months. However, I could still feel a tightening around the place where the axe had hit...so we decided we needed to venture further into the story with my pendulum.
We discovered that I had not committed an actual crime, apart from being the daughter of my parents, who obviously weren't behaving in the way the 'Magistrate' wanted them to.
After a little more probing, we discovered that in that lifetime, the executioner had loved me (well, what can I say? I am definitely a loveable type!) and had been forced to execute me on the orders of the town's Chancellor, who then arranged for my executioner to be killed afterwards. (this made Karen feel a little better knowing she played a reluctant part in my death). Apparently he had resigned his axe sometime earlier, but the Chancellor insisted that he wield the axe one last time, no doubt for obscure reasons of his own.
This event happened in Russia during the seventeenth century.
The ache disappeared after we had learned this, so we felt we had learned all we needed to know about that particular lifetime. We discussed, and joked, about the event, taking away the power it once held, and integrated it into our 'knowing'.
Had we not explored it fully, we may have only got half the story and not recognised that Karen wasn't an active participant in my execution. We may have missed a vital piece of information that could have affected our soulular memory of that time.
Working with pendulums can be so much fun, especially when you are able to isolate an issue and work out what is causing it; the thought patterns and beliefs we have brought in with us. Looking back, I can see that on a personal level, I have always been waiting for Karen to 'stop being my friend' or to 'cut me off', without really understanding why. I wonder if I knew in that lifetime my executioner/love had no other option but to play the role he did. I am assuming not, given this irrational thought I have carried with me about expecting Karen to turn away.
I wonder how often we carry about perceptions and beliefs we have brought in from other lifetimes that affect how we view our lives and relationships in this one.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

As some of you know I am a house-sitter. Sometimes the houses I sit have extra special things 'going on' while I am there. It is not uncommon for me to have serious issues with my phone or laptop as the house spirits let me know they are around. Sometimes its amusing, sometimes frustrating but always unique!The house I have been sitting in for the last ten days is 110 years old so I knew I was in for an interesting time....and I have not been disappointed. When I first visited the house to meet the owners, I could sense a few friendly spirits. I went to my friends afterwards and as I was sleeping that night a young girl in period dress, around 8 years old, came to 'visit' me. She told me that she had lost her parents and didn't know where to find them. Given the style of her dress, I assumed they had probably passed over and told her as gently as I could. I fully expected to be asked to help her cross over when I arrived at her old home four weeks later, but she had already gone. Perhaps 'knowing' where they were had been enough?! It turns out that the house was brought into this area and cut in half, with one half being placed on the other side of town. Interesting stuff. My first night there I had serious trouble with my phone. It kept disappearing. I got pretty tired of this after the first four times, knowing exactly where I had left it. I gave the spirits a piece of my mind, telling them I was there for the next ten days and they had better get used to it. (I admit I did use a few expletives and stamped my feet as well!) That night I was woken three times with different faces appearing over me. I didn't feel threatened at all, they were obviously 'checking me out'. I told them to go away as I was trying to sleep...or words to that effect. The first week was full of bumps and things, internet issues, lost 'stuff' - that appeared as soon as I got cranky and told them to stop playing games. The lights flashed, the doors opened and closed by themselves and. I swear I could hear them talking about me...in not so hushed tones. I'm okay with all that. Its one of the 'benefits' to being psychic and spirits knowing I can see/hear/sense them. And don't you worry I gave them a rev up whenever the situation called for it.  Last week I went out for tea, returning around 11pm. I had complained to my friend that I had forgotten to leave a light on in my haste to leave.
As I pulled up I found I could see my way quite clearly and thanked the Universe for the light in the fishtank. However, when I got inside, I found the TV on with no sound. I had been busy with clients and studying all day and knew the TV hadn't been turned on at all. Funny, I mused. I went to get ready for my shower and heard a noise, similar to someone getting off a chair. As I headed back through the lounge to get some clothes, I noticed the TV was now switched off.
I laughed, wishing them a good night and thanked them for waiting up for me.
The last morning, I was 'dreaming', even though I could hear/sense what was going on around me, like the birds singing and the cat meowing...I was taken on a guided tour of the house from when it was 'complete'. It wasn't until later I realised that I had seen parts of the house that were not there...
One day I had a busy day with clients and they fooled me again. The electric clock gained an hour...but I didn't realise this until I arrived at my appointment way too early! Gotta love sassy spirits with a sense of hunour! They are so gonna miss me when I leave!

Remember to look and listen for signs from your loved ones. There is nothing to be fearful about, they are just letting you know they think about you just as much as you think of them. ...and if the spirits that 'reach out to you' aren't yours, you can be sure they are just letting you know they are there and saying 'Hi!'

With love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

There are times when I am shown a past life through a vision and other times it is within a dream. This morning I was shown a past life as a Jewish woman in Auschwitz. When I learned about Hitler in my teens, I was fixated on that period of time in Germany. I read everything I could about it, exhausting first the school library and then the town one. I had such an urge to know everything about it. I was sickened, sad and frantic without ever knowing why. Now it all makes sense.
I was with my mother (father from this lifetime) at some kind of doctors surgery. I was in my late 20's, around 26 I believe. I feel this started as a 'normal check up and I fit the bill for some kind of research they needed to do. My mother was led out of the room, helpless to do anything and I was left there, absolutely terrified. I was examined and even at that age, in those times, I had never shown my body to a man before and here I was being inspected by a small group of them!
At the beginning I cried and I screamed. I begged for mercy, but by the end of my time there I was disconnected and devoid of all feeling.
Memories of those I loved were running through my mind. My best friend (mother this lifetime), my sister and older brother (daughter and son this lifetime).
One of the older uniformed men tried to get through to me and be friendly. He had such soft sad eyes. 'We are not all bad you know,' he said as I cowered in the corner. He reached into his pocket and gave me a heart shaped stone of some kind. As he did so, I saw a flash of him as a younger man and recognised him as my husband from this lifetime.
I was then shown an experience from my current lifetime where I was out exploring with a group of cousins and friends. We visited an aunty I didn't know. I had never liked her and although she was sweet and kind, I was cross with her and scared of her at the same time. I was shown that she was one of the men who had 'operated' on me. It is important that I share this story with you to remind you that we are continually surrounded by our soul family. Sometimes they get the 'shit' assignments, where they are cruel to us. Sometimes they only play a bit part, but often, they are the nucleus we find within each lifetime. Its harder to love them when they are bad or mean, and they knew that when they 'agreed to their assignment'. Our soul mate can be anyone within our life, a good friend, a lover, a sibling, a parent, or maybe someone who helps us to believe that there is good in our life. Sometimes our 'gut feeling' of someone isn't because they are bad or wrong in this lifetime, but because they left a huge impression in another.
For me, this has opened my eyes to my fixation with Hitler as a teen, my fear of hospitals, drugs and needles, the cancer I developed at around 26, where it was and how panicked I was, until they explained what would happen and why (I refused to allow them to anesthetise me until it was explained in full - much to their frustration of those in theater!). Even hearing about nazi Germany makes me feel physically sick to my stomach, but I know that they were all a symptom of their times, just as we are of ours.
As I lay there, afterwards, I sent healing to my past lifetime and all concerned. I asked for healing to myself, to remove the physical, emotional and soul-ular scars that I have brought in with me. I asked for integration of that lifetime into my present one. Healing a past life isn't about deleting it or fixing it. It is about accepting it and knowing it is a part if who you are, regardless of the person you were at that time. Healing a past life isn't about judgement. It is about acceptance and love. 
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I'd like to tell you the story of two clients of mine, Pamela and Janine. They were roughly the same age and had similar life stories.
Both of these ladies were in their second marriage and had been in a relationship with their current husband for 15 plus years.
Both had had unhappy first marriages, but it appeared to be an incompatibility problem. Both of their ex husbands had also moved on and were in happy relationships.
When they came to me for their first visit, they both had much angst and anger directed to their respective exes, as well as a lot of pain attached to these past relationships.
It was strange to be seeing two women with exactly the same issue. Although they were happy in their current relationships, they resented the fact that their ex husbands were also happy. They had a lot of 'unfinished business' between them and it was affecting their health and their weight.
Over a period of six months, we talked about their expectations, their hopes, their dreams, their pain and how they could move on from the situation in a positive and uplifting manner.
I used reiki healing, sound fork therapy and crystal healing, as well as 'love yourself' boot camp, Numerology and Psychic insight.
Pamela was keen to create change in her life. She was tired of being angry. She wasn't happy with her weight, which had eventuated into Type 2 diabetes. She worked really hard at forgiving everyone involved, including herself. She did regular release rituals as well as abundance rituals (in fact I think she still does).
Janine was not so eager. She believed everything was everyone else's fault and there was no way she needed to release anything or forgive anyone, including herself. As far as she was concerned she was blameless and she wasn't going to let anyone get away with what they had done to her. They owed her!
After 6 months, they both decided they were ready to 'go it alone'. Surprisingly, I have heard from them both recently.
Pamela has lost weight, is happier and more at peace with herself, her past and her future. She has reversed her diabetes and life is great. Her current marriage has gone from strength to strength and they have even been in a social environment with her ex and his partner, which has resulted in a friendlier atmosphere around them.
Janine has doubled her weight, is still surly, awaiting apologies from everyone she ever knew, especially her ex husband. She is bloated, has blood pressure problems and tells me that I didn't 'heal her'. I explained that healing has to come from within, but she doesn't see it that way.
All too often we have traumatic, sad or aggravating events in our lives, but we choose what happens next. We can choose to heal, or we can choose to hold on to that pain.
When I look at Pamela and Janine, I know which path I want to choose. How about you?
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I have just completed a challenge that involved taking 'selfies' for 30 days.
This is how it began. I was giving a client a treatment and they had a photographer present. When they asked if they could get a photo of me as I was working, I said 'Yes, but only my hands. I take an awful photo.'
Afterwards the photographer took me to one side and told me that the problem is that a lot of people are so hung up on how bad they look in a photo, they 'create their reality'. Hmmmm, food for thought.
She challenged me to take 30 days of selfies to see if it change the way I felt about my photos and getting my picture taken. I laughed it off, but continued to think about it for several days. I remember overhearing some older relatives once, talking about what a shame it was that my brother had 'got all the good looks'. I would have been about 7 at that stage, but I adopted that belief system quite easily. I would only pose for photos while dressed up or horsing around. If I didn't 'try' to make it a good photo and it failed, I didn't need to be disappointed. Now, don't get me wrong, I had had some wonderful photos taken of me through the years, but I considered them a fluke or a trick of the light. I rarely posed for photos, in fact I avoided it like the plague...and I was oh! so impatient! The amount of photos that were taken while I was mouthing 'For goodness sakes, hurry up!' far outweighed any other photos. Each time I looked at a photo I would see my faults and remember those wise old relatives and know they spoke my truth.
I wasn't conscious that this was why taking photos had always been such a chore for me. It has been during my 30 day challenge that I started scratching below the surface of this particular belief system.
I decided that I needed to change the way I felt about getting my photo taken, so a few days later, I accepted the challenge. I decided it needed to be a facebook challenge, to force me to comply and ensure I followed it through to the end. For 30 days I took photos. After 4 days, I wasn't enjoying it and wanted it to be over. I tried cheating by adding 10 days to my daily count. Unfortunately I have good friends who won't let me get away with that...damn it all!
In the beginning it was difficult. I felt I had to have a reason to pose. I needed to be dressed, sometimes made up, or at least presentable. As time went by, these rules floated away as I began to relax into the challenge. I admit it sometimes took 20 photos before I found one that I could live with and post up on facebook. After a while I noticed that I stopped looking for my faults, instead looking for the sense of fun that is a part of who I am. I stopped looking at my triple chins, my wrinkles and grey hairs. Instead I focused on my smile, my laugh lines and the energy I brought into each picture. I became 'real' and 'present' in my photos.
I began to see what I liked about my face, and even my hair... I looked for opportunities to take my selfie, seeing plants that looked great as background, wonderful views, or family shots. Instead of seeing what was wrong with the photos, I began feeling gratitude for who I am and what I look like. I've always loved who I am, but a part of me always felt cheated that my looks didn't match my personality... (lol. Remember when people told you that your awesome personality was way more important than looks... maybe not...? but I do!)
I loved the way a photo 'felt' when I posed with my family. At the end of the 30 days I felt a freedom that I cannot explain. I worked out which photos made the most of what I had. I also worked out that is I have a bit of mischief or devilment in my eyes/on my mind, the real me shone through!
Comments from those who followed my challenge was uplifting too - not that this was the reason why I did it, but they also made me look at myself differently, to see what others saw when they looked at me.
I nailed this challenge! And  I am so proud that I did. It was difficult about a third of the way through but I gritted my teeth and carried on. Now its done, I am very much aware of the change that has taken place.
I would definitely recommend this challenge to everyone. Its the perfect way to rediscover yourself and remember how awesome you are! There is a huge element of empowerment in it as well. This challenge also helps you tap into your creative side...you can go as wild or as subdued as you like. After all you are the photographer, director and editor
Go on, give it a go....you might be surprised where it leads you...
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

The past two weeks, actually the last two months have been a build up to a past life healing for me. Around about two months ago, I had a slight tickly cough and felt an immense heaviness in my chest. I assumed this was mostly due to the way the holiday season brings my grief to the surface as I consider another Christmas or new year beginning with Butch....and in truth, some of it was. However, this became all consuming, I struggled to breathe, as it caught in my throat and forced me to cough to create air intake.
As you know, I believe that whatever we are feeling or emoting at any given time is relative to the symptoms and signals we are receiving from our bodies. I knew the lungs was where my grief and heartache were centred, my frustration at life and feeling constricted or bound by the life I had, instead of the one I had planned. The throat is where we speak our truth, are heard or release our grief, so at the time it made perfect sense....until about two weeks ago!
Karen was doing an acutonics treatment on my back (which is relative to not feeling supported by the Universe - just saying!) one day and this awesome healing chant came on her ipod.
I had a sense of many people in the room, and later we discussed various things that had happened during the treatment - the blockages I was experiencing, where and why; the extra pair of hands on my forehead; the music that totally resonated with me and how I hadn't coughed once during the treatment (and many others that I can't remember).
I asked Karen if I might borrow the CD with the healing chant on it, and I felt there was some kind of urgency attached to it. Of course she agreed - thats what good friends do! ☺
I took it back with me and as soon as I was in the door, I had it playing in my laptop. I became quite fixated with this hour long chanting, playing it over and over, wondering why I felt as if I should know the words, as I could certainly feel the emotion behind it. I even played it before I went to sleep, hoping my guides would give me some insight or advice. Nothing.
Two days later, I was having breakfast, with my feet dangling in my current house-sits pool, listening to the the chant. Water is a great conductor for emotion. Next thing I was given a visual of a group of people standing on a hill, chanting, while their assailants rode around them, killing them as they stood. I felt that these were a peaceful people and they had chosen not to war with them, instead singing in unison to prove that they would not be changed by those that were around them. I also had the impression it was in 1890, and happened around Christmas time, hence the extra emphasis on my grief this time.
(If you are wondering why I never noticed it in other Christmases, I believe it is because I wasn't ready for it or open to it until this year....and possibly I would have struggled to differentiate between the grief I already felt with Butch's passing)
I could see the chief/leader, and he was only wearing a single feather or headdress, which I felt was strange given that I would have thought he would have had the big regal one - but then, would that have been tantamount to a challenge in a very aggressive way - who knows? He was very tall, almost freakishly tall.
I sat there crying my heart out as I saw those I once loved fall around me...and then the vision stopped. I wanted more! I tried everything, but nope, apparently I wasn't ready for the rest of this story yet.
I kept listening to the healing chant continuously, feeling a sense of peace that I couldn't explain. However, my breathing and heaviness got worse. I had various excuses for it, cutting back on various types of foods, concentrating on my vege juice and immunity supplements. When I coughed I felt like I was turning inside out! I made my never fail cough mix to help prevent the coughing which had made my throat raw and sore. It eased the throat, but the cough just got worse.
Christmas night onwards, I felt like I was truly dying. I know that sounds dramatic, but the coughing was leaving me light-headed, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk, I couldn't sleep, and I felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest, who only moved when I doubled up in pain.
Finally the 27th came and I could get a doctors appointment... As I spoke about my symptoms and the lead up (without explaining the spiritual side of it, of course) to that day, he smiled and nodded. I had asthma! I have never had asthma, so I found that quite interesting...and annoying.
All day I thought about what asthma meant to me. I had established the sore throat was merely an on going effect of the asthma - coughing to produce air obviously inflamed my throat.
Asthma tells me I don't want to be here, that I am done. I feel suffocated, angry, unable to vent my emotions, deeply depressed and grief devastated. I pulled faces at this thought, as it didn't quite fit how I believed I felt.
This morning, as I was pondering this and listening to the chant. I was given the final part of the vision. I was a young girl of around 10 or 12 when this massacre had happened. As my people were falling around me, my brother had thrown me on the ground to protect me, landing on top of me when he was killed. I was SO angry. I wanted my chance to die with pride and he had cheated me out of that! I fought against the dead weight of his body until I was so exhausted, I could move no more. Our 'enemies' left, not realising I was still alive.
I wasn't shown what happened after that, but I get a huge sense of displacement, intense anger, feeling cheated out of a glorious death, losing everyone I loved and forced to live a life I would never have chosen. I wanted to scream at my brother for what he did, but that would have disrespected his spirit and the love he had shown.
A couple of days ago I went on facebook to ask if anyone knew of a massacre that took place in 1890, without the group fighting back, and was told of the Massacre at Broken Knee (my knee just happened to be one of the blockages I had when Karen did the treatment - a hint perhaps?!). It took place on the 29th December!
Now I can't say unequivocally that this is where it took place, because my inner skeptic refuses to take anything at face value without heaps of  evidence. (and skepticism is healthy!) The chief was tall and although it doesn't appear he was wearing a single feather on that day, here is a picture I found. His name was
Miniconjou Chief Big Foot, meaning 'Touch the Clouds'.
Perhaps this needed to be healed before the actual date, or maybe there is more to the story, who knows?!
Today I feel peaceful, at peace and grateful for the ability to breathe once again.
...and it all started with a cough and a healing chant....
Who knows what past lives we carry within us that can be healed and accepted? We have all been here many times before, it makes sense we carry soulular and cellular memories. After all, can you remember something from Christmas Day that touched or upset you? Memories are powerful things.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
PS. As a by the by, I have established who my brother was in that lifetime, and now understand why every time I see him, I feel an irrational sense of betrayal, anger and sadness.
This also explains why I have taken to plaiting my hair a lot more and in a different way in the past two months. I have always loved all things from this culture, but have felt myself strongly drawn to clothing, etc that pertained to this lifetime in a way I couldn't explain before.... Interesting stuff, hey?

As some of you may know, I do house-sitting. I love it because I get to experience many different places and areas I wouldn't normally get to see. I also get to meet some wonderful animals that teach me about being still or loving life out loud. I also 'meet' various spirits who are guardians of the homes I stay in, or welcome guests.
The last one I was on had an older African man, complete with long dark pointy mask, who wasn't impressed that I was there on my first night. I wasn't in the mood to ask if he was friendly or otherwise, so instead I cleared the energy in  my share of the house with my pendulum. This didn't mean he had to leave, because it is not my right to tell him whether he should stay or go. This was a way of setting boundaries between us. He was allowed a certain area of the house and I would have the best part with the lounge, my bedroom and kitchen attached! He went quietly and didn't cause any fuss. For a week we lived in harmony. He would give me little surprises every now and then by dropping or rattling things, or letting out a deep noise, that wasn't so much a moan as just reminding me he was there.
As I was cleaning and preparing to leave, I had a CD on quite loud, and I could hear he wasn't happy, as the voice I heard at one stage wasn't compatible with the song playing. It sounded like a 'Noooooo-oo!' My music obviously didn't appeal. I just smiled and carried on singing at the top of my voice. And then the fun began.... He started jumping the CD back and forth, between songs and repeating some of the lines. Each time I would get 'into' the song, dancing or singing, and the music would change or repeat. I told him that I can't do housework without loud music (because then its more like dancing than working) and he was just going to have to deal with it. He still messed around with it for a while, but he must have eventually got bored, because the rest of the CD played without incident.
This week has been a difficult week for me, I have been pondering on my life before Butch passed and how different things could have been. Despite what other people think, I don't always have it together and I certainly don't have all the answers. I wallow in self pity and wishful thinking, just like the next person.
So, the next CD I played was one that Butch and I loved. As I sang along, I could feel Butch around me...and then the CD started to do strange things. It paused and skipped to the very last track. The song was extremely relevant to my week. It spoke of things happening within our lives, and sure, we could have avoided them, but, how, if we had done that, we wouldn't have had some of the great experiences we had had. I had tears in my eyes as I sang along. The CD stopped, so I pressed play, hoping to hear the rest of the CD....but it would only play #17 (the same song). I gave in, saying 'Okay, I get the message.' The CD stopped and then went to track #7, which was a song about learning to live again. (coincidentally, that is what my grief website is called!)
I finished my cleaning and sat outside to enjoy my cup of tea.....and realised after a while that the same song had been playing over and over again. I laughed a little to myself and knew I was being told to pay attention. The song playing was our song. The one we had played at our wedding, whenever we were feeling mooshy and at Butch's funeral... *sigh* Love that man! ♥
So I encourage you to listen to the music that is around you. Be aware of the messages you are being given....and always listen to loud music when you do housework! It makes a huge difference to your attitude!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

I'd like to share a story with you. The plant in the bottom left hand corner of this picture has a special significance to me. When Butch and I got married, it appeared in the background of all of our ceremony photos. After Butch passed away, I took this plant with me wherever I lived. Not all these homes had the same airy semi shade area as it was used to, but I needed it to be around me, so there it was.
It was an amazing plant. It didn't matter what happened to it, it still survived. As I walked past it, I would pat or stroke its leaves. I would thank it almost daily for being there whenever I returned home, as I am well known for my 'plant cemetery' full of good intentions and dusty plant pots of years gone by. I know it sounds strange, but there were even times when I would brush against it and I could feel a dampness and see droplets, as if it grieved alongside me.
I have recently moved and couldn't take it with me, but whenever I went to stay with my daughter and her family, I would be able to visit it, so it wasn't too bad.
One day my daughter rang me, most upset and worried. She told me that the plant had snapped off the day before and they hadn't known whether to tell me, because they knew how much it meant to me.
I reassured her that it was okay, that what is meant to be is meant to be. A week later I was visiting and noticed they had stuck the broken part of it into the pot as well. I didn't hold out much hope for either piece and said so.
Each time I visited I could see the top part had deteriorated more, the leaves were collapsing and dying. Yesterday, I decided that I needed to accept the inevitable, that this plant was beyond help.
As I went to empty it out of the pot, I noticed some new growth under the original stem. How exciting!
I looked at the other section of it and resolved to throw it away later. As I was preparing to do so, I mused that the plant was teaching me a lesson - that from old and broken parts of our life, there will always be new beginnings.
Imagine my surprise when I pulled the broken stalk out and found there was a whole new root system on the end of it!
The other part of my lesson is that although something may appear broken and will never be the same again, it can still be a part of my life, it will just be altered and different.
And thats how it is with life. We hold onto some things because of how they make us feel or the emotions they invoke. We want them to stay the same because thats how we remember them and need them to be. But nothing ever stays the same, change is an integral part of our lives. And sometimes things have to break to remind us that life is worth living, that there is more to look forward to and that change isn't all bad, it's just different!
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

Let's talk a little about astral projection....
How many of us have felt that sudden rush of heat as we have woken up, or that strange jolt as we kinda 'fall into' our body again? Did you ever stop to consider you have been out all night travelling?
As a child, I used to get quite excited when I could feel a shift in the energy around me as I lay in bed, signalling that I was about to go on another 'trip'.
Now I'm older, I find it interesting to note that I sometimes have sore legs or arms from the 'work' I do at night.
I can remember going to a psychic when I was younger and her asking me if I felt I was here to do something specific. I said 'Yes, ever since I can remember I have felt that I have an important job to do but I have no idea what it is. As I get older I am getting a sense of urgency, as I worry that I am not fulfilling my life's purpose.' I then added, 'and I worry that it's somewhere in a third world country, because I don't even like camping!' I am truly inspired by those who visit these places and actually live amongst the people, while doing wonderful things, but seriously, it's just not for me.
She laughed and said 'But you are already doing it! Each night, you travel to far off places to help those less fortunate.'
This made perfect sense to me, because I would have snippets of memories where I running with children through forests, or building bricks out of mud. And sometimes, I would wake with an 'impression' of a bruise or unexplained aches and pains.
I don't always remember my travels, but I do know I go on them. I have visited parallel lives, other planets and even friends and family (both living and in spirit) to 'check up' on them.
Many years ago, before I realised that what I did as a child was actually astral travel, I bought a book to help me 'do it'. I was really disappointed in my purchase. Not only did the person who wrote it, have a guru complex, where two thirds of the book was all about him and how amazing he was, but he also created a lot of fear. In the end I donated the book to charity (I never throw books away, they are too precious). In subsequent conversations with others I have sensed this 'fear' all too often, so I've decided it's time it was laid to rest. So lets look at some of them:
What if you get lost?
There is no 'lost'. You are connected at the solar plexus with a beautiful cord (rather like an umbilical cord) that gives you as much leeway or length as you need. When  it is time to come home, you can be either 'reeled in', hence the jolting feeling, or you can just gradually enter your body when you are ready, which explains the sudden heat wave we feel as our astral body and physical body become 'one' again.
What if the cord was to break?
The cord will never break. The only way your astral or etheric body and your physical body can become separated is through death. Even then it is not an abrupt ending, it is a gentle floating up and out motion. The cord has to wither and separate, not snap.
What if someone/something tries to enter my body while I am away?
Well, should this extremely doubtful thing even begin to happen, your physical body would send a message along the cord and you would be back faster than someone/something could get past your toes! Your physical body is specifically made for you and all the parts of you. No one and nothing else will be welcome in your body, without your express invitation.
What if my house catches fire while I'm gone?
Once again, your physical body would 'call you' back.
Where can I go?
It is possible to set your intent and ask to travel to specific places. My favourite is to set up a test with someone, and ask them to place something on a table and I will tell them after I have visited, what it was. It is possible to go anywhere you choose, or just to let your astral/etheric body to have free range.
I can't astral travel, what shall I do?
Just because you can't remember whether you travel or not, doesn't mean it isn't happening. Instead of focusing on trying to, start noticing the areas/countries your dreams are set in. Start noticing any strange aches and pains that are not easily explained.
I think I travel, but I don't remember anything. Why not?
Sometimes we aren't meant to remember everything. Sometimes that information is stored within our inner wisdom and it is later,when we say something that we can't remember learning about or knowing, that the information is ready to be used or utilised.
If you have any other questions that I haven't thought of, please feel free to contact me on angelicattitude@live.com.au.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

According to Chinese Medicine unbalanced emotion is the biggest cause of blockages in the body.
Anger and anxiety affects the liver, fear the kidneys. Sadness and depression create issues with our lung energy. Over-thinking can affect our stomach and pancreas.
For example. when a person gets angry, for example, the automatic chemical activity of the body cause energy to form in the liver. If this energy is not removed from the liver, a blockage gradually forms and our liver can become 'sick'. (Have you ever heard the comment 'Wow, you are in a shitty liver today'? Well, this is one of those phrases that tells you what is really going on in our body)
As these emotions begin to affect our organs, we may find that we wake at the same time every night, or feel sluggish at a certain time of the day. Generally, our body is saying 'Hey, you got an issue with your organs! Work through that emotion and let it go, so we can get back to normal.'
So, lets look at a few of our organs and what is causing our body to send us a 'wake up call'.
Heart & Small Intestine: Negative feelings: Hate, Impatience, Cruelty, Heartache
Physical Symptoms: Heart Palpitations, High Blood Pressure, Chest Pain/Ache
Spleen, Stomach & Pancreas: Negative feelings: Worry, Anxiety, Mistrust, Finding life unfair/unjust
Physical Symptoms: Trouble with digestion or elimination of food
Lungs, Skin & Large Intestine: Negative feelings: Sadness, Depression, Anger, Fear
Physical Symptoms: Red Rashes, Breathing problems, Less oxygen in the blood, Constipation - a sure sign we are 'holding on' to our 'stuff'!
Kidney, Ears & Bladder: Negative feelings: Fear, Feeling unsupported, Anger (Peed off), Ready to take flight
Physical Symptoms: Loss of libido, Dwindling life force, Issues with nervous system, Body becomes acidic, Knot in lower stomach, Ache in area of kidneys, Urinary Tract Infections
Liver, Eyes & Gall Bladder: Negative feelings: Anger, Frustration, Jealousy, Envy, Being one-eyed or believing we know more than anyone else
Physical Symptoms: Increase in cholesterol, Bile production is impaired which affects digestive system, Liver becomes a dumping zone, this reducing the body's ability to self de-toxify
When release this energy we are holding within, we can begin the process of healing our organs. You body is constantly regenerating itself. Your skin regenerates itself every 4 weeks, your liver every 6 weeks, your blood every 16 weeks. Even your bones completely regenerate themselves over a period of time. It is possible to repair the damage we create with our emotions/feelings. We do, however, need to remember that what took months or years to create will take at least as long to repair.
After Butch passed away, I woke up every morning at 3.30am - during the 'Grief Hours'. There was a time when I got angry with the medical profession and the untruths we were told. When this happened, I began waking up at 2.30am every day. I developed a nasty rash and had massive headaches (a sure sign of repressed anger).  After that phase of my grief wore off, I went back to waking between 3-4am.
So next time you wake up in the night consistently, perhaps your body is trying to tell you that you have unfinished business to 'sort out'.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
*This is not medical advice, and not to be construed as such. If you have a symptom you are concerned about, you should consult your medical professional of choice.*

I was talking to a businessman a couple of months ago, about nothing in particular. As we were chatting, I couldn't help noticing how huge and yellow his aura was. I wasn't sure how open he was to that subject, so I didn't say anything. An hour later we ran into each other again and chatted a bit more. After a nudge from my guides, I said to him 'Are you feeling a bit out of balance at the moment?' He looked at me a little surprised and replied that, yes, he was feeling as if things were a bit topsy turvy in his life and he didn't feel very settled...and then he asked me why I had asked.
I told him about his aura; that there was a yellow band extending about 60cm out from his body and it was vibrating as if it was out of kilter. I suggested he wear something purple or sleep with something purple beside his bed to help him 'find his balance'. I was surprised when he agreed to give it a try.
Today, while I was out shopping, I ran into him again. The first thing I noticed how settled and balanced and he appeared. His aura looked as it should and he couldn't wait to tell me that using purple had worked really well. He'd worn purple for a couple of days, used a purple pillowslip at night and even eaten purple food to help his body/aura connect in the way they should.
He asked if I remembered asking if he'd felt out of balance. Of course I did! He then told me he'd been facing a huge decision when we'd last spoken and he'd been struggling to make a decision, but after a couple of days doing his 'purple treatment', he'd been able to make the right choice.
As I walked away I thought to myself 'Of course he did, the yellow was signifying a lack of trust in his choices/inner wisdom, and the purple reconnected him with his innate wisdom and higher self/intuition!'
...have I mentioned I love what I do?!!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

Tonight lets talk about protecting ourselves from being depleted by 'things', events and people around us. All too often we can find we are completely exhausted after a day at work, even though we aren't busy or rushing. When someone leaves after visiting us for a short while, we can feel as if our energy has been sapped by them, the conversation or the energy they hold around them. If we are working continually around computers or electronic equipment, we can feel as if our eyes or head feel a little fuzzy around the edges. When we are in a large group of people, we can begin to feel extremely tired as well.
Sometimes its the energy from those around us, sometimes, its the things, sometimes its the situation, sometimes its the energy in the area we live, or even the world as international events bombard us from TV, internet and radio.
Its important we learn how to help ourselves, how to protect ourselves and how to ensure we retain our energy, rather than allowing others to siphon or 'steal' it from us.
Its not difficult, it doesn't take long and it doesn't have to cost a cent, and the benefits are feeling energised, happy and balanced.
1. In the morning, when you get out of bed, imagine you are stepping into a bubble of protection. Acknowledge it and go about your day. Remember to take it off at night, so you are conscious of being in your bubble. You don't have to continually think about it. It is just 'there'...you don't think about breathing or air all day, but it's there, right? If you do think about it, just smile and be grateful for the protection you are enveloped in.....
2. Imagine mirrors all around you, slightly tilted upward. Imagine that any negative energy coming toward you is reflected upward to the ethers, where it is cleansed, purified and returned all clean and positive.
3. Wearing crystals on your person (bra, pocket, handbag), especially onyx, tigers eye, tourmaline and smoky quartz is also a great way to protect your energy fields
4. If you are around computers or work in a negative environment, place a smoky quartz, rose quartz, fluorite or obsidian on your desk/behind the computer. They will absorb the negativity and raise the vibration of the environment.
5. If you have trouble remembering to do any of these and you have to go in the car each day, put a piece of paper/cardboard on your dashboard to remind you to surround yourself with white light. Each time you get in the car, you will see it and consciously 'switch on' the white light. Imagine flicking on the switch as you turn the key or do up your seat belt.
6. If you have time sit or stand and imagine a beautiful pillar of light coming down into your crown chakra. Imagine it filling you completely with the white light of love, flowing out through the soles of your feet and coming up and around you to create your bubble of white light.
7. If you forgot to protect yourself beforehand and you are feeling low on energy, drained or just plain exhausted, it is a good idea to cut the energy cords between you and work, the situation or the person/s involved. Stand up and bring your hands up quickly to clap just above your crown chakra. This is an awesome way to dispel negativity around you. If I have had a rough day, I do this before bed, so I am free of the trials and tribulations of my day.
8. If you feel that the energy around you is more of a psychic drain/attack than an energy seepage then wearing, carrying or sleeping with fluorite by your bed is a great way to dispel it.
9. If you are finding the energy in your home draining, place small bunches of rosemary with pink flowers around. This will raise the vibration and help dispel the negative energy. (this is also really great if you are wanting to sell your house)
10. Saved the easiest one for last....centre yourself by slow, steady breathing. Imagine yourself filling up with pure white light and exhaling any old or negative energy. See it filling you completely and extending out in a bubble around you.
Remember intent is everything. If you forget your crystals, then think to yourself 'My intent is that I have my crystal with me today'. If you forgot to 'protect' yourself, don't get stressed, just state your intent. 'I am protected by my bubble/a circle of mirrors. '
You will forget every now and then when you first start, but after a while, it will be as easy as kneeling on the ground to slip on your shoes and knowing that the bubble just slid over as you stood up!
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx

As I was driving to work this morning, I was struck by how much I take for granted....even the big things in life. I was coasting over the gateway bridge at the time and I realised how I have never considered that the bridge is there every day, the amount of traffic  that flows over it and it doesn't collapse. The thought and design of this bridge withstands a phenomenal amount of traffic all day every day...and in all the times I have crossed back and forth, I never once thought 'O my goodness (OMG), I wonder if the bridge will collapse today', or 'perhaps I should wait until there is less traffic in case the burden is too much to bear for this bridge.'
And so it is with many things in our lives, especially our backs. We store a lot of emotion in our backs, the times we have been hurt, abandoned, scared, all the negative stuff we don't want to face, or let go, we tuck away nice and close to our spine. We carry our worries and burdens on our shoulders, sometimes taking other people's burdens and carrying them as well. We store our stress in our neck and head, sometimes over-weighting it with thoughts that just don't make sense, or are distorted according to the emotion we are currently allowing to peer out from behind our spine.
...and with all that, we never say, 'OMG, (o my goodness), I wonder if my body will collapse today', or, 'perhaps I should offload or release some of this past stuff in case the burden is too much to bear for me.
So tonight I'd like us all to look at the burdens, emotions, hurts, thoughts we carry around, those things that weight us down and see if we can't offload a couple (at least) and make our load a little lighter.
...and then lets show some gratitude for the wonderful job our bodies do....They not only do all things physical for us, they also carry our emotional 'weight', even when we aren't even aware how heavy that baggage is.
with love, respect and integrity
Cherie xx
PS. And lets be grateful for the designers and builders of this world who make all things possible. 

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

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