11:11 and a little gift from Mom

With Mother's Day upon us, those of us who no longer share time with our Moms on the physical plane are faced with displays of cards we don't send, ads for flowers we don't whip into a bouquet, visits to gift and whatnot shops where we stroll through aisles of candles, scarves, jewelry we don't meticulously pick out and wrap up as a special little something for Her Day.

But the thing that is worse than all that, is that we just don't get to say, "I love you, Mom".  We don't get to touch her, to kiss her, to hug her, to feel her warmth and hear her voice say, "Thanks, Best Pal".

But, on occasion, she still reminds you of her never-ending connection with you.

I hopped into my car this morning to take Ivy (our dainty beaglette) to the sitters and run a bunch of errands. Upon turning on the car, I saw the clock on the dash read "11:11".  Now, anyone who follows numerology knows that 11 is a Master Number, and that double Master Numbers are often a sign of angelic intervention.  I then got a really strong feeling to turn on the radio.  No, more of an order, loudly and clearly stated in my mind's ear.

So I turned on the radio and what was playing was this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iAzMRKFX3c

Bette Midler's iconic song, "Wind Beneath My Wings" was THE song that I would equate with how I felt about my Mom, especially in her last days, battling skin cancer. She supported me, held me, fostered a safe place in the world for me.  She was my hero in that, when she was strong, she was unstoppable.  She also taught me that depression need not render you helpless - sadly, not by example, but due to the fact that she often succumbed to the disease; I saw how it immobilized her and I knew she wanted something better for me.

I love you, Mom. Thank you for your undying love, support, and encouragement.

A labyrinth on Winter Solstice Eve

Labyrinth, Theosophical Society, Wheaton, IL (photo from website: https://www.theosophical.org/)

December 20th doesn't get much love.

Mind you, it IS a busy time.  Especially busy for me this year, since my lovely husband and I just wrapped up a show (the 80th anniversary performance of the old-time Chicago radio classic, "The Cinnamon Bear" - a huge labor of love for him that occupied much of our energy for the last month or so), and now I have a raft of voice-over auditions my agents are sending for end-of-year campaigns, plus final holiday "business and industry" (cards, last-,minute gifts, figuring out which tipsy spirits to purchase for an upcoming shenanigan), plus maneuvering through a list of distractions as long as a daisy chain of a hundred Elves on Shelves.

I needed a bit of quietude.  I needed to decompress.  And I needed to dial in to Spirit for the Big Day tomorrow, Winter Solstice, then soon to follow Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (and Festivus.  Let us not forget Festivus). So I was delighted to find myself, between errands and an audition, near my own personal Hogwarts, The Theosophical Society in Wheaton, IL, and recalled they have quite a beautiful little labyrinth on the premises.  And it was whispering my name with not just a little bit of urgency.

Quite often, when you enter a labyrinth, you come with a question, a request of Spirit, or to concentrate on something.  Walking to the center of the design, you're often encouraged to work through something, to let go of something.  Then, once you arrive at the center, you center, give thanks, then you exit as you came, all the while either thanking Spirit or filling the space that you emptied with a new energy or purpose or goal.

I did a little bit of all of the above. I won't go into my personal details, but I at first came with a particular problem.  I was then told, in no uncertain terms by my angels and guides, that it was small potatoes and would be taken care of in a timely manner and all was well.  No, for me, I was to concentrate on a bigger picture goal of peace, love, creativity, and connection with Spirit.

And, upon exiting the labyrinth, I realized I have a new tradition to incorporate into my seasonal festivities. December 20th, Winter Solstice Eve, shall now be deemed Labyrinth Day.  Since Solstice itself is filled with so much power, I think starting your work with Spirit a day before is a perfect way to set the stage for the Shortest, Darkest Day, the day when we go within, start to germinate our goals and Life Art for the new calendar year, especially those things that will start to bloom and grow in the Spring and Summer.

So walk a labyrinth. Start your own tradition of connection to Spirit. May that connection only grow and deepen during these dark, quiet months ahead.

Peace.

The News: I shall endeavor to write a book about spirituality. Because there is much more than this ...

But it won't be just another book about spirituality.

It'll be about the idea of "more than".

Some of my inspiration comes from this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qta5_pY9y0

Throughout my life, even as a tyke, I was always drawn to the more than, what's just beyond the horizon, what's just beyond our grasp.  The unknown, the esoteric, the paranormal.  But not the dark side. I acknowledge it, but never embrace it.  I've always known that good does win out. And I've always known, always felt, guided, supported, and comforted by forces not always seen, but often felt, sensed.

This family felt completely normal to me

I know most kids have rich fantasy worlds.  Mine were extraordinarily clear and vibrant.  And I was always, from as long as I can recall, drawn to the mystical and magical: not with a sense of whimsy, but a sense of belonging.  Samantha Stephens, Mary Poppins, even in some ways the Adams Family: these were my people.

So, today I officially announce to the world that this book project is under way. Some portions have been under way for years, but kept veiled in secrecy.  Let the veil fall.

This Mystic is ready to reveal what it's like to visit the More Than every single day.

Words to ponder:

Hamlet:
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Hamlet Act 1, scene 5, 159–167

New Moon in Gemini: Extemporize Your World.

I love this time of year, just prior to the summer solstice, when the sun stays out so very long.  When the day just strums along like a banjo player, settin' on a front porch, pluckin' a slow, sweet tea-infused tune.  Kind of reminds me of this image from the beginning of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland, one of my favorite experiences at the park.  A night dappled with indigo-sapphire, glinting fireflies, lunar reflection on the water.


The Gemini New Moon urges us to make up lyrics to that banjo tune, just for the heck of it.  And, while you're at it, stay up until it's dusk and look for the faerie folk in your backyard.  Because this time of year allows you to say what you feel, declare your exploration into the worlds of make-believe and craft your own colorwonderful possibilities.

If you've wanted to write some poetry, you should pour yourself right in - but be ready to read it aloud, with all the passion in your soul.  Walk in nature and talk with the trees.  Tell someone about your guardian angel.

Enjoy this magical, luxuriant time.  And whisper to the fireflies.

Welcome to the natal day of Mid-Century Mystic! Let the nose-wiggling begin!

Greetings!  I've been anticipating writing such a blog for a while now, but needed an angel wink from the cosmos to make it happen.  And so it happened just about twenty minutes ago.

I was out, walking for fitness and participating in one of my usual walking meditations at the same very time (it's two, two, TWO life-affirming activities in ONE!), working through a particular conundrum I've had for a while:  I've had three separate psychics, completely unrelated to each other by acquaintance or location, look me squarely in the eye and ask, "Who's Samantha?"

I usually explain that I'm the biggest "Bewitched" fan they'll ever meet and pretty much leave it at that, since I truly don't know what the connection is for me.  They then, all three of them, mention that it's my spirit guide.

I've meditated on it, journalled, conducted rituals, thrown tarot spreads for clarity - nothing.  Then today, it came to me, as I entered the house and gazed upon our gorgeous Christmas tree, and my eye was drawn as if by ultra-magnetic powers to the Samantha Stephens ornament my friends Jon and Tom gave me a few years ago.

So, the combo of my Mid-century interests (which go way beyond Sammy) and my abilities in the spiritual realm (tarot, astrology, spiritual co-active coaching, to name a few) are overseen, inspired and coaxed by my spirit guide, whose name happens to be Samantha.  It all became crytal clear!  And I immediately was hit with the words: "mid-century mystic" (I clearly saw it in the"Bewitched" font, in my mind's eye).  I threw it to the wall - and it stuck like a 60s starburst clock.

And so it was, on this day, December 5, 2011, that Mid-Century Mystic was born.  It's my blog, my calling, and what makes me sparkle like stars in the ceiling of the Cosmos Cotillion. 

Curious?  Well then, I urge you, by all heavenly means, to stay tuned and read on...

(And to have a natal day shared with Walt Disney, the ultimate mid-century mystic,  is pretty smackdabby spectacular.)