Southwest Spirits Calling

I was told to go to the Southwest as there was treasure awaiting me. And so my partner Dean and I loaded up the van and began a 12 day journey from FL to CA. I gathered art supplies, a book I had recently published, Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail, and some camping supplies.

Meditation: I was given a very strong message from a guide who felt different then any I have ever met. "No more doubting, no more questioning, no more struggling over choices - only DOING. You are now prepared to GO and DO. Do not question if we are with you...KNOW and BELIEVE and TRUST. You are to BE positive affirmation as you wake each day and say "hello world, what can I do today?" You are to spread this, teach this to ALL people of ALL races. If it is about smoking 1 less cigarette for one, or thinking one less self destructive thought for another it is a path to self love. Positive affirmation means moving that positive thought into action. This message is to be shared. You are all to begin every day with a positive affirmation speaking aloud what you will DO. If it is about changing a direction of thought then begin today to move in this direction- today I can BE positive, today I can BE love. So many hurting, look around, so many impoverished minds...Help bring a fresh wind to a stagnant world. Each of you is equipped to do much more - no more waiting, doubting only DOING. Blessings to ALL."

 

This journey has brought me the most beautiful gifts. They come in the form of new relationships with people, the land, the animals and the energy connecting it all. Although I thought my purpose was bringing students the free gift of art, and I am…what they are GIVING in return far outweighs it.

 This connection feels as if my heart is in tune with the heartbeat of the earth. It has helped me become more grounded as I bathe in its wisdom.

Each day I meditate in silence giving thanks for ALL that IS. The overwhelming sense of LOVE is in the air I breathe.

I look forward to traveling to Lompoc, CA next weekend, where I will meet the wild horses that were stripped from the Calico Mountains of NV and now roam safely within the ranges of the Return to Freedom Mustang Sanctuary.

I am blessed to be able to do this work and I do not take it lightly, it is an honor. All of my efforts are to help raise awareness and funds to the plight of these wild sentient beings fighting for survival. If I can leave them with one lesson let it be this–ALL of us can help one another, we all have gifts, it just takes MOVING THOUGHTS INTO ACTION. To be continued...

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The meditation above came while touring the country as I am giving away free art lessons to children/parents to help raise awareness to plight of wild horses and burros rounded up sold for slaughter... (here is my schedule) http://www.calicohorses.com/Meditation.html

To learn more about meditation please read Meditation Mojo.

The Vibrational Elevator

There are times in your life when you wake to find that the pathway you are on feels pretty ho hum. It's safe it's secure and it is working. So what is off? You float some thoughts over your "what's wrong?" internal meter, and you come up blank. Perhaps some close friends and loved one's have noticed and have made comments which send you more signals that you are not feeling "yourself."

Sometimes it is merely a shift in your energy. The earth is always going through changes that may be unseen but are truly felt. The inhabitants all collectively pick up these vibrations and we send them out to each other. If you take the time to connect with your beautiful spirit, who is ALWAYS with you, you may be able to tune in. This can help us be better prepared when our senses seem to be askewed. How can we make this connection?

First and foremost we must learn to raise our vibration. We are all vibrational balls of energy and our auric fields (Aura: a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object) are very sensitive. One of the key ways to raise your vibration is through short meditations that are set for this intention. Moving out of your routine and getting into nature is another excellent vibrational boost.

Here is how to begin. You acknowledge something is off and you cannot determine what it is.
Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed and close your eyes for 5 minutes. Say a prayer of invocation like this one:
To my highest guides and helpers second to none
Bless me protect me and keep me safe as I sit
Knowing that everything that is said, heard, felt or sensed is with absolute love
I ask at this time for help in RAISING MY VIBRATION
I wish to be brought back in 5 minutes.
I thank all that is.

Now just let your mind float. You are dedicating a short space of your day to reset your energy. Recognizing and validating this imbalance is the first step. Doing something about it is next. Do these short meditations for a few days. These little subtle time-outs may help you avoid disharmony in the workplace and home. It may help you avoid purchases that in the past you made with the hopes of feeling better. People often indulge in many activities thinking it will bring more happiness only to feel a little let down when they find they are still feeling unsettled.

Another good vibrational enhancer is spending time in nature. Try to get outdoors even if it is altering the way you park your car at work in order to walk a pathway that may bring you closer to the birds, plants and scenery that will lift your spirits. We are a people that are always on the go bustling and hurrying to get the next appointment. Take time to slow down and tune into this beautiful planet that you call home. Begin to see that you are filled with bright glowing energy that is connected to every thing around you. You have the ability to raise your energy and enhance your life just by making this connection - start today and as you feel this positive shift, share it with others.

For more ways to raise your vibration please read Raise Your Vibration Daily

Straight From The Horse's Mouth

As we move through life we often find nuggets of inspiration. For me I have collected these little gems them through years of journaling all of my dreams and meditations. Like a treasure box I hold each one dear. Below is one of my entries:

February 25, 2011: I meditate daily in total silence. No music, no imagery cues, I do not go to a garden or to a mountain. I sit in silence and still my mind and if I come away with a blank slate. I thank my guides and start my day feeling connected. Through my meditations I have been given clear directions to write children's books of my own. I was given 3 separate messages this week.
1) I saw a rolling farmland of fields all adorned in multicolored fabric – a black tubular substance broke through this image as if it were black oil paint – or black toothpaste and covered the entire image
2) I saw the same rolling fields of fabric as real crops all dried up – all brown and withered
3) I saw an illustration (in my artistic style) of three calico horses made of fabric standing on a hill

This collection of meditation notes became a young adult novel, it was released March 26, 2014 and only four days later Barnes and Nobles placed an order for 1200 books causing this to go into a second printing. I illustrated the cover as I saw it given to me in meditation. I created a video for this book with the same imagery I saw unfolding over and over again as the horses that were threatened came to me.

I was given the idea to use children's Equine Art Camp as part of my story. I developed this wonderful place for children to meet the wild horses that had been rescued and motivate their creative abilities through art. I am about to take that fictional part of the book and make it a reality!

I am about to embark on my very first book tour where I will be teaching Child/Parent Equine Watercolor Workshops throughout the US. Students will learn how to meditate and connect with the artist within.

This is a hands-on equine watercolor lesson for ALL levels. I teach a very loose style, erasers and pencils will not be needed as we will “sketch with paint.” Anyone can do this – there ARE NO MISTAKES only learning. A portion of all proceeds will benefit wild horse and burro sanctuaries. Autographed books will be given to all along with a new ability to paint freely.

Connecting with the spirit of the horse enables us to speak through art. It was through this connection that I was able to write and illustrate Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail. Just look at all of the people that will come to learn about this story and art!

EQUINE WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
April 23, 2014: 4:00Pm - 5:30 pm Twirl Toy Store/Playhouse – along
with Moby Dickens Bookshop Taos, NM
May 17, 2014: 2:00pm - 5:00 pm Return to Freedom – Lompoc, CA
June 1, 2014: Hidden Valley Protection Fund – Reno, NV
June 7, 2014: Wind River Reservation – Riverton, WY sponsored by Wild Horse Education
June 8, 2014: Zuma's Rescue Ranch – Littleton, CO
June, TBA 2014 Bee Hive Books – Santa Fe, NM
Aug. 23, 2014 Chapters Bookstore – Fredericton, NB, Canada
Sept., TBA 2014: The Country Book Shop – Southern Pines, NC
Sept., TBA 2014: Moore County Driving Club – Southern Pines, NC - Speaking Engagement
Oct., TBA 2014: Salem County 4-H Club – Predricktown, NJ

The wild horses came to me in meditation and asked me to tell their story, but they also showed me that I needed to MOVE my thoughts into action. What purpose would it serve to record every meditation and hear their cries if I had closed my journal and stayed put? Now is the time to connect to your inner voice to find YOUR purpose.


Begin today by using meditation to uncover your hidden treasure. To learn more please read my book.
I am a Professional Animal Communicator, I can speak with your animals! learn more.

Goodreads reviews for Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail

Reviews from Goodreads.com

Alone Following a Break-Up 2

Troubled waters

continued from Alone Following a Break-up
Learning to overcome things that kept me from wanting to explore my "alone-ness" took months. I had to learn the technique of "mind-shift" in order to move my thoughts from the captive state of  "flight or fight" to trust and believe. Meditation helped connect me to the invisible guardians watching over… allowing me to feel safe and protected.

It was hard to move through this transition of loving myself more and appreciating the alone time. I had avoided caring for myself for many years as I kept busy with the needs of others. Insomnia had kept me hidden behind my books and sleep deprivation dulled my brain. I was ignoring my inner-voice  and doing a damn good job of it.  I was miserable, why would I want to keep company with ME? My thoughts were certainly not positive, they were more like self-pity. I didn't show this persona to the world, and most thought I was a happy being. It was only when I was alone with my thoughts that my facade would crumble. And that is where I would have remained if I hadn't learned to look within.

Abundant opportunities

When you try to move forward after a break-up often you feel it might all be better if you could return again to the relationship, or maybe find a new object for your affections. But by taking this alone time and quieting the negative thoughts I was able to find the me that had been buried beneath despair. It had been so long since I had tuned into me. What was I passionate about? What made my heart sing? What caused distress and worry? What brought me fits of laughter or silent tears? What were my favorite foods, songs or hobbies – I really had not taken the time to examine any of this.  Meditation began to strip away the thoughts I had allowed to creep in like poison ivy that were strangling my beautiful self. My inner-voice allowed me to find the creativity that had been stifled, the voice that was trapped as a lump in my throat and the forced smile now spread more naturally as I dried my eyes.

This pathway is mine, but the story may be similar to yours. You may walk this road with others by your side or choose to go it alone. One is not better then the other and tuning into your own heart's desire will allow you to feel which road is best for you. I now treasure my silence and honor this wonderful journey.

My relationship with my family and friends is far richer for discovering this me that was hidden.

To learn more how you can find your inner-voice please read How to Begin.

Alone Following a Break-Up

I never thought I would find myself alone, after all I was born into a overcrowded family and married at the age of 18… having personal space was a luxury. But that marriage dissolved and my inability to be alone probably counts for the many unsuccessful relationships that followed. Oh sure, there were many other reasons and I don't mean to be glib about this, but the truth of the matter is that I did NOT know how to love myself– let alone others. And so in the year 2007 I did something that made a lot of people think I was crazy...I hit the RESET button and said NO MORE.

It wasn't like I woke up one day and said, hey Lorraine you need to love yourself. No, it was more like a feeling of emptiness. Something off, something missing and it was very deep. By this stage of my life I had raised three children and was now a grandparent. I had lived a role for others and in doing so, lost a bit of me. How? Aren't we supposed to be dutiful parents and give ourselves 24 hours a day to the needs of our offspring? And what about our grown parents, are we not supposed to drop everything and care for them as they become more needy? This is the the correct path, so why wasn't I happy? I adored my children and had a warm, loving relationship with my parents (they are both now in spirit). But I spent years battling insomnia and depression, and to be quite honest I was hoping some mornings I would just leave and go quietly into the spirit world... but that was then.

Hitting the reset button helped me to discover self-love. It wasn't easy contacting the lawyer and starting the divorce procedure, telling my kids I needed to start fresh, or telling my aging mother that I would call when I was settled. But you know what…it was pretty easy to quit my high-paying job, and swap all of my jewelry for cash. Yes, that part felt right, it felt solid, it felt like a huge GREEN LIGHT!

And so at the age of 52 I was finally alone. I drove 1400 miles to Key West, FL and found a tiny space I could barely afford. I came with the items I could stuff into my tiny car. No furniture, no pots or pans, no linen…just my laptop, art supplies and some summer clothes and flip-flops.

Bedroom/art studio

My new job paid me about the same hourly rate I earned in 1973 and let me tell you, it was day to day, penny to penny living. My furniture came from trash picks and yard sales. But little by little my tiny space began to feel like a palace. I was learning the importance of silence. I was learning what made me uncomfortable, happy, irritable, excited, bored… I was learning who Lorraine the person was. Not the mother, daughter, sister or friend person I had been, but the bubbling energetic child that had been squashed for a long time. I want to make it very clear that I hold no ill feelings or blame anyone, I am merely stating a fact that I was NOT BEING TRUE TO MYSELF.

My perfect tiny space

As I began spending time alone I found there were bits and pieces of me that I either wanted to examine further or discard. But how…where do you begin? It was then that I discovered the magic of being alone. At first it felt lonely, and I was wondering if I had traded my insomnia for a new zip code. I now had a new problem, I was afraid of the dark and every bump in the night. Florida had geckos, eww, creepy little things that crawled into every crevice. I DON'T DO CREEPY THINGS! I came from a quiet suburban neighborhood with squirrels and blue jays. Now I had to dodge iguanas and don't even get me started about the Key West chickens, they are as common as palm trees crowing every time someone turns a light on. So how alone was I exactly?
to be continued... Part 2

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To learn about meditation please read Meditation Mojo
Art for a cause.

Spirit Horses Sound the Alarm

                    

I live in a world of flip-flops and palm trees – no wild horses. I didn't even know they still existed. But I came to learn about them in the most bizarre way—through daily meditation. I began seeing images of horses running over fields of calico fabric. Vivid patchwork mountains appeared as I flew over them. This continued until one day I saw three horses rendered in my own painting style standing on a hill. Who were these calico-covered horses and why did they appear to me? The final patchwork meditation gave me the answer. I was given a very clear message by these beautiful creatures: “We want you to tell our story”…and so I did.

In researching the novel Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail , I learned about the plight of the wild horses named after the colorful Calico Mountains located in Nevada. I added many elements to the story from personal experiences, such as when years ago I had to make the tough decision to relocate and uproot my children. As I learned about the mustangs and burros being stripped of their freedom I saw the truth in the powerful statement my three year old told me at the time I moved her from everything she knew: “Nobody asked me.”

This is the story of how Carrie, a girl ripped apart by divorce, helps the wild mustangs torn from the range. Together they face uncertainties brought on by the decisions of others. There is a strong element of magic realism throughout: is she a budding horse whisperer or is her troubled mind playing tricks on her?

In the book Carrie’s dreams are actually taken from my meditation journal. Here is an excerpt from Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail.

Sunday June 29^th:

I had another dream of rolling hills of fabric. It all began with those same lights flickering on sparkling water. Then I was looking down at the patterned lands that were made of patches of varying colors. I felt as if I were flying as I soared overhead. The hills had valleys and I dipped down into them as I looked all around me at the many colors of blue, pink, green, lavender, and gold. Then a black, misty fog covered the hills and all went dark. The darkness slowly became un-foggy as if the sun was beginning to rise. Black hills appeared and three horses were standing on the ridge. They were pawing the ground and I heard them snorting as they swished their tails. They were real horses but they were covered in patches of fabric. As I looked closely I could see that they were each made of the same swatches I had seen on the hills. Three beautiful horses covered in calico fabric. And then I woke.

* * * * *

As a meditation instructor and motivational speaker I encourage readers to move their thoughts into action. I will be offering Equine Water Color Workshops throughout the country, donating my services to help where I can. I hope this book touches the hearts of all who read. May it continue to raise awareness about the plight of all the wild horses and burros struggling for survival.

Calico Horses and the Patchwork Trail a young adult novel by Lorraine Turner.

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

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I am a Professional Animal Communicator, I can speak with your animals! learn more

Mediumship is NOT a Fast Food Pick Up

Can a gift of mediumship really be that simple? Are we truly living in an age where anyone can zip into a metaphysical shop, throw down some cash, purchase the "flavor of the month" oracle cards and speed back home to charge for a "reading"?
Why is there a surge of popularity in becoming a medium? Is it because paranormal exploration is a popular genre among tv audiences? Is it because the desire to join spiritualist churches and circles is becoming a common practice? Is it a desire for entertainment? It would be an interesting poll to take among this vast community of medium wanna-bees. It's not my intention to ridicule anyone's journey, I am just stating questions that seem to pop up again and again.

There are two things that jump out at me as I ponder this subject. The first is the incredible shift that is occurring in mainstream society to accept this communication with afterlife as TRUTH. How fantastic that we are no longer shunning people, labeling them as satanic creatures and worse yet burning them at the stake. We should applaud this open attitude and be thankful for the progress.

The second is the misconception that mediumship is something we can just "dial up" instantly. Countless seminars and workshops somehow make people think if they put in the right amount of attendance (paying fees to others soaking up their energy) will make them a channel or communicator for the spiritworld. Maybe it does. It is a matter for them to decide. I have witnessed the frustration within groups of the ones not able to "do it" as if it is something that is learned overnight. Desire is not going to make anyone a medium. Just because a person wants to be clairvoyant or a deep trance medium does NOT make this happen. Many of us simply do NOT have this ability. We can certainly develop our connection and strengthen our intuition and work very smoothly in our gifts assisting others.

If we could take time to stop, pause and reflect we may halt all of the trying and just accept what our role is on this planet. I do not claim to have the answer, but I know who does…YOU. Yes, just like Dorothy and her ruby slippers you have always had this knowledge. It lies within you. Your loving intention to develop your gifts in the sequence of time needed for YOU is what brings awareness. Understanding that no amount of workshops, angel certifications, cards, runes, or crystals is going to zap you with the ability to be a medium is one of the first steps. I am not saying we cannot use tools as they are of great assistance. It's much like a carpenter – first in learning the steps of how to build, then using a hammer to help achieve the goal. Recognize them simply as supplemental elements in connecting with higher conscious and the ether-world.

Frustration, anger or negative thoughts have no place in spiritual development. This will definitely hold you back. Ego can be a huge obstacle along your journey. Be sure to ask yourself often. What is my purpose in gaining this knowledge? What am I seeking? Is it for the highest good of myself, others and the universe? By setting your intention to develop in this manner you will be able to slow down and accept the guidance offered from within. Yes, we have loads of wonderful teachers all around us, but some are not physical and have a treasure chest of knowledge waiting for you.

Development takes many years. It takes a devotion and commitment in helping others. You will truly begin to see a change in your journey as you slow down and reflect. Examine all of your heart's questions and look within. This looking within can be greatly assisted with meditation and clicking your heels 3 times may not hurt...

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

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I want to thank Helen DaVita for her excellent article The Rate of Mediumship Development 
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I am a Professional Animal Communicator learn more.