The Meditation Police

Ok I know this may be a bit absurd, but have you ever been in a beautiful loving meditation, on your very own island of peace only to be interrupted by a thought or "voice" that you KNOW is unwelcome? If your answer is no, good for you. If your answer is yes, then how are you dealing with this?

I have had several occasions when I am in trance that this will occur. My reaction is always the same. I send out this thought "YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE THEREFOR BEGONE NOW!" This of course always startles me back to full consciousness and my meditation ends.

I am only now writing about it, because I have learned from reading blogs and listening to several podcasts, that some people actually engage these entities in communication. This is extremely dangerous. When you "open" yourself up to the spirit world to connect with your guides, your intention should only be with the purest. This connection has to be done surrounded in love for your own protection. Listen to the advice of experience that your inner voice is whispering, no screaming...Don't talk to strangers! Allowing uninvited spirits to suck up your energy is like communicating with strangers via the internet or telephone. If it "feels" wrong... IT IS!

I have worked as an illustrator and designer most of my career. Being a designer in the publishing industry for years now, I have a working knowledge of the nuts and bolts of producing written material. My guides have been urgently insisting that I need to move past the production of other authors and WRITE as my gift is in communication. And so I have begun writing my own books. Great. Sounds exciting right? I sit, I meditate... and I'm given clear and concise direction of what to put chapter after chapter. Books of inspiration and overcoming adversity. Stories of encouragement to so many that face each morning in utter despair. They have no passion of purpose.

It was on such a morning that I opened up to my guides for this purpose, that a voice broke in. This is what it said "You are not a writer, you only think you are. You are wasting your time and you are inexperienced." This was followed by laughter. At first I just sat there feeling awful, and realized something was off. I am clairaudient and was not surprised by the voice, it was the "feeling" surrounding it. It felt FALSE. I finished my meditation and at first just felt empty. As I looked back on this I became more certain that this was a spirit that wanted to derail me. NONE of my spirit guides and helpers have ever done anything intentional to harm or dissuade me. I always get positive guidance and feedback, in fact I get CLEAR direction and if I am in doubt I meditate on it and it is clarified. But what happened on this occasion? Who was this voice? Where was my protection and who let this unwelcome spirit in? Where are the Meditation Police?

I cannot answer this, but I do know that I was given the immediate thought that this was FALSE information. We need to tune in for protection. We actually DO have meditation police, and they are beside us and sending us an understanding that we are NOT to engage or listen to false spirits. They do exist and they want to create with their negative energy, this is why we need to surround ourselves with the protection and blessings of our guides.
I am almost certain that I did ask for protection during my meditation, but I also know that I like to meditate at a time when the world is waking up - at dawn when my mind is just on the edge of being awake. Perhaps I did not ask for protection correctly. Perhaps I thought I had, yet only skipped over this request... moving forward to meeting my guides. I cannot say for sure.

ALWAYS ask for protection when meditating.

I have had this happen several times. Once I was even told that in order to have access to some information, that I needed to do harm to my spouse first. HUH? No, this should NEVER be allowed. If you find yourself in meditation and you are given ANY instruction to cause harm or feel harm towards yourself or others then you need to CEASE the communication. Be very careful and realize that if you did NOT invite them, then they are UNWELCOME and you should not allow any communication. ZIP. PERIOD. End of story!

Here is my opening prayer of protection that I use daily:
To my highest guides and helpers second to none

Bless me and keep me safe at this time that I sit
Knowing that all that is said, done and heard, felt or sensed in any way
is with absolute love as I blend myself with my consciousness
I wish at this time to be at one with my spirit

I strongly suggest that before you open yourself up to the spirit world, that you surround yourself with protection. YOU are in control of your mind. And for all of you that listen to those so called "expert" mediums, please do not think your guides are waiting to find you a "good" parking spot, because quite honestly they have much better things to do.

There is so much that awaits you on this journey and meditation allows you to move in a clear direction, surrounded in love. Be one with your spirit and listen ONLY to what you know to be truth. You are loved and you are here to spread love.
To learn how you can meditate please read my book Sæ-sii Meditation How to Find Your Bliss in 15 Minutes a Day

Artists Who Have Crossed Over Part 2

Me working on Alex Toth art

Continuing on from my last blog. I am not alone in channeling energies - this has been going on for centuries. Man wakes and creates each day. From the smallest things such as how you arrange the furniture in your home or how you prepare a meal - there is a process of moving thought into action. It's in the times when you quiet your mind and clear away the debris that you can sometimes come away with profound inspiration. Where does this come from? Many would say- from yourself, and they would be correct, some would say your Spirit or your higher consciousness. Both are possible, but so is connecting with loving guides who want to assist. This assistance can only come by asking, something I would never had considered before as a professional artist.

As a young girl I could always see the object, draw it, paint it... whatever, I just moved with it. As an adult I continue to build on this experience and experiment with different mediums. I have created bouquets of sculpted fruits and vegetables -  art with fabric, wood and even broken dishes. Why have I tried a gazillion different ways and what leads me down those paths? I cannot say for sure, but I'm beginning to request assistance from my guides:)

Alex Toth Volumes 1, 2, 3

I have progressed through many phases of my career and now, as I have stated in my past post, my work brings me to a place where my focus is on artists from the last century. I collect and gather their hard to acquire artwork and design books filled with these precious gems. These artists may not be familiar to many, after all, the current generation is more interested in the world of pop stars, the gods that rule the sports-world or the hottest video games. The artists I work with lived during the time when newspapers cartoonists were kings. Some of the books I currently produce: Chester Gould's - Dick Tracey, Milton Caniff's - Terry and the Pirates, Harold Gray's - Little Orphan Annie, Alex Raymond's - Flash Gordon and finally Alex Toth. Toth's list of credits is so long we had to break it into 3 volumes. It would be too difficult to list them all in this post, (I'll put a link at the bottom) but he did brilliant storyboards for Disney's Zorro and many Hanna-Barbera cartoons such as Space Ghost.

Before and After of Jon Fury strip by Alex Toth

I spent hours and hours working on Volume 1 Genius Isolated. Images were found of a rare newspaper strip he did while in the military. He created "Jon Fury" and it was distributed among his fellow soldiers in a camp newletter. The story was about a dashing detective that drove a fast car and always got the girl. As his career progressed and he became famous, these early strips were never published. They were seen by the men stationed in the military and collectors who hunted them, but for the most part a complete set was never released for viewing - until now.  I was given the task of scanning and cleaning the smudges and placing them in order so that they could be viewed as they were in the 1950's. I did the best I could and we inserted them into the book, among hundreds of other sketches and drawings he created throughout his career. My next task was to take all of the family photos we had borrowed, some cracked, many faded, some with huge creases and restore them. So many unseen photos. There was even a rare photo of he and his mom and dad. He was a small boy and it was difficult to see Alex as it was a very dark image. I worked on that using the skills I have learned though many many years of photo restoration and brought it to life the best I could. I found another image of Alex when he was in high school. It was creased and his eyes seemed dull, just a worn old photo. I worked on this and was particularly happy that I was able to give some spark to him and I remember telling my co-worker my main goal was not to fix the tears in the image, but to restore the glint in his eyes. The book was completed, sent to the printer and that was that...

Alex Toth's high school photo

Two months later I contacted a wonderful medium Bernie Scott who lives in the UK. I learned of her through the wonderful work of Mick and Sylvie Avery who gave me insight into my akashik records, but that's another story:)  Bernie's expertise lies in connecting individuals that have crossed over with those of us desiring to communicate. I was once again reunited with my parents, my brother and a good friend that passed in his 30's. I laughed as my dad was even collecting all the pets that have crossed and Bernie named them one by one- Cassie, Ashley even fish from my nephew's aquarium, what a delight.

I had meditated long before my reading and sent my thoughts to ask questions, never revealing them to Bernie. The answers flowed through in a natural rhythm and I was overcome with emotion. I was hoping to move past all the spirits assuring me of their identity and we did... and then some! It was quite refreshing. It was near the end that Bernie began to ask me about my work with newspaper artists. It threw me a bit, as I was not focusing my attention in this direction. She began to describe a gentlemen that was wishing to make contact with me. She gave his description, the circumstances surrounding his death and none of it registered at all with me. She spoke in what seemed like riddles- how I took broken images and put them together like a mosaic. I actually love doing ceramic mosaic work so I though she was speaking of this. She continued to talk and said he wants to "thank you for the tribute you are doing for him." This meant nothing to me. He wants to tell you how "healing and therapeutic your work is and how much he appreciates the work you are doing." Still I sat there listening as if she was getting a message that was meant for someone else. Maybe Bernie's wires were crossed... and then she said something that brought me to tears...
he particularly wants to thank you for the "work you did on his eyes... he loves what you did on his eyes."

And so each day at dawn as I begin my meditation I ask for protection, blessing and a little help from my friends. Help in finding new ways to spread that joy to the people that walk among me and to those that have crossed over. I am so honored to be able to give joy to artists such as Alex Toth. It has given me that extra assurance that not only does my work bring pleasure to the readers of today, but I bring light and love to the artists of yesteryear who are cheering me on. I am doubly blessed and for this and hope that others will stop and take notice of all that they do. We continue to bless others long after they have passed. I hope you find as much comfort in this as I have. To learn how you can meditate please read my book Sæ-sii Meditation: How to Find Your Bliss in 15 Minutes a Day
To learn more about Alex Toth please follow this link.

Messages of Artists Who Have Crossed Over Part 1

Cliff Sterret's work

For most of my life I have been a professional artist. I have worked with many clients. Some were local backyard mom and pop businesses, some were huge corporations. I am a freelance artist who has designed tv commercials, logos, billboards and graphics of every description. Let's just say I have enjoyed a very diverse career and now find myself embarking on a new twist. I have connected with artists from the other side of the veil.

I designed this cover

In the spring of 2009 I began working with archival newspaper cartoonists of the early 1900's. This was a time in our world when there was no tv, no internet, no ebooks, no iphones...it was a world of radio and newspapers. My work is in the restoration of this beautiful form of art and placing it into volumes of books that readers of today can view and learn from. The artists were masters of their craft, such as Cliff Sterret, (seen here) - using their raw talents of pen and ink without the benefit of cut and paste, undo or save. The source of my work is often found in dusty old attics as a generation fades away and the contents of their treasure chests are brought out into the light. Many people can only glimpse the work of these great artists, as collectors gobble them up on ebay or trade shows hording them away or selling them to the highest bidder. They are precious and some of the price tags on these gems reflect it. I, along with a team of others, scan them and make them into digital files. They are placed in a chronological order so the viewer can read them- just as they were meant to be seen after being picked up from front door stoops and opened every morning. I usually have to digitally clean them to bring them back to life. Often newspaper strips are faded and cracked and I smooth out the wrinkles and erase the dirt they have accumulated (some over 90 years). I have become an expert photo restorationist and my talents are put to good use as I am called upon to add old images of the artist into each book. These photos are collected from all over the world and many are personal images on loan from family members. Looking at these fantastic old family photos of the early teens gives depth to the artist and I somehow feel connected. I never knew just how connected that would become.

My meditations often bring me to a place where I am given messages. I have always journaled my messages and love looking at them months later. It was through this experience that I was given this realization and my gift.
Meditation message:  "Your work is therapuetic and healing to the soul. You were brought into alignment to be able to use your talents to bring forth the work of artists who no longer walk among us. "
This at first sounded like some flowery compliment, but I am beginning to understand that the artists of the books I am working on are watching me. I thought the theraputic and healing was for the many people here on earth who are enjoying reading these collections, but clearly they are truly for the spirits who view their work disintegrating into dust - I am bringing them joy. This has opened my heart to an understanding that they stand at my shoulder cheering me on.

Sterret's Polly and Her Pals ran 1912 - 1958

The newspaper will become a tool of the past, as we are witnessing. The age of the book is uncertain and no one knows where this will lead. Books stores are closing worldwide and libraries are having their budgets cut as I write. So, as you can see, recovering and restoring art from old newspapers is a type of rescue work. This is a new dimension of my career that I had never dreamed of.

In my next blog I will speak of the message I received from a wonderful cartoonist Alex Toth. Part 2 Artists Who Have Crossed Over

To learn how you can meditate read my book Sæ-sii Meditation: How to Find Your Bliss in 15 Minutes a Day

Creating Art Through Meditation

How many times have you woken from a dream with a sense that you had just been having a conversation with someone and you cannot recall who? It seemed so real, ah but alas it was only a dream. Since beginning meditation I am increasingly becoming aware of more and more visits or conversations with beings on the "other side" of the veil.

This cover was given to me in meditation

I have at times seen distinct patterns between my "visits" and so I started to journal them. I strongly suggest that you try it yourselves as this is a wonderful tool in which we can increase awareness that is brought to us by others who have walked the path before us.

 For example, recently I was working on a project, as I am a professional designer. I was creating a cover and the thumbnails and comps were really not hitting the mark so to say... It was a cover for an archival comic strip known as Flash Gordon.

Here is my journal entry:

Feb. 4, 2011 - Meditation: I stir and decide to meditate as I am not completely awake and I decide to just enjoy the silence of my mind and accept whatever message my guides have for me today.
"Constellation" comes to me.
Huh? constellation?
"Star charts use the universe." I thank my guides and wake with what just happened slowly filtering through. Oh man...the missing element in my Flash Gordon Cover.

I was particularly happy with the results as Volumes 2, 3, 4 were given to me as well, and are all completed way ahead of schedule. Not all of the meditation experiences come through in this way. I think for many there are moments you come away from it with an overall feeling of peace of mind. If you continue this practice daily you will even begin to feel that you are aligning yourself to the universe. You have a love for your planet and all of those existing in it. Yes, I can see the changes in my own life. I cannot squash a bug!

Here is another journal entry:

Feb. 13, 2011 - Meditation: I had what seemed like a meeting with spiritual entities--I am not sure who they were as it was as if I knew all of them. Upon saying goodbye I was reminded over and over again to remember what they had told me. I was kinda miffed and said --ok, ok I'll remember this--chill all of you....relax...I'll remember
then as I lay in my bed I reflected...who were they? It seemed a cozy room, big overstuffed furniture a fire in a large hearth. They were impressing upon me this truth.
We all need to "let go"of any feelings we have of people who have wronged us. In other words the mind shift of letting go of the pain and hurt is extremely important. I have had occasions in this life to confront people who have harmed me and I have faced them--they were saying that this took and enormous courage on my part to face my enemies or people that meant me harm, but even had I NOT faced them, the "letting go" of the negative thoughts I had towards them was AS important. This, they said was what I need to include in my writing. Many people cannot for one reason or another confront people (maybe they have passed, etc) but that it's ok--it has to be a "letting go" in a mental thought. It will raise our vibration.

And so I will continue writing and sharing these messages that are being brought to me through meditation as I truly feel that they were given to be shared.
To learn how check out my latest book Sæ-sii Meditation: How to Find Your Bliss in 15 Minutes a Day