One of My Favorite Spiritual Guides

Check out the recent testimonial I wrote about one of my favorite spirit guides/psychics Melissa:

I have been going to Melissa for the past several years and it has always been a wonderful experience. That face that I continue to seek her guidance after all of this time should say volumes about how much her readings help. I've found clarity during some of the most stressful times of my life. When I leave a session with her, I feel uplifted and positive about what is about to happen in my life. She has been RIGHT ON THE MARK about job issues (including the fall of Bear Sterns), health, and relationships. Additionally she has suggested ways for me to grow and become more grounded and happy in my life over all. I cannot recommend her highly enough! If you want clarity, direction and answers, she is the woman to see.

Make sure and check out her web page by clicking on this posts title!

I've Got To Sing My Song

I wanted to share the DVD I just got back from my singing performance in June- it was an amazing experience and I am blessed to have been strong enough to do it. I hope this inspires others to push past some of their limitations and see what they can accomplish if they put their mind to it! Click on the post title and it will take you right to my video.

My Amazing Visit With A Psychic Medium

Hi all,
I wanted to share with you the fantastic session I had with Marilyn Papa, who is a very gifted Psychic Medium. I can't say enough about how great her energy is, and what an emotional and eye opening reading I had. First of all, when I fist walked into the room, I was struck by how peaceful and loving the energy was, and how comfortable I immediately felt. I was blessed to not only have received messages from people that I have always loved and who have passed, but I left knowing that they were always with me and I am never alone. How beautiful is that? Honestly, if that knowledge was all that I received from this experience, it would have been more than enough, but I can happily report that it was so much more than that.
Marilyn could see me very clearly and was able to get to the heart of many of the issues that have been holding me back. In addition, she was also able to keenly hone in on what my life has been like, and some of the stuggles that I have gone through-it was quite touching. I was asked to bring a list of questions, and by the end of the sitting, they had all been answered in one way or another. Big stuff like my health, my move to Santa Barbara, and the topic of romance and marriage. I was really moved by the reading, and at one point the heat in the room became quite strong- that's how powerful the energy was in there! Anyway, I left there feeling touched, motivated, hopeful, grateful, and with an undeniable feeling that I had just had a life experience that I was not going to forget any time soon. In fact, I think it will stay with me for the rest of my life.
I have included a link to Marilyn's website below- she is in the LA area, so if you live here or are visiting, you can have a session with her in person. If you are out of the area, she does great phone sessions as well. I am not one of those who just believes that all mediums are for real, or even talented, but I truly think that she is one of the very gifted ones. I really can't recommend her highly enough. Feel free to contact me as well if you have any questions, and promise me that you will let me know about your visit once you see her for the first time. You won't be sorry!

http://www.moonridgespirit.com/index.htm

When Do I Move To Santa Barbara?

I have been planning on moving from LA to Santa Barbara for a few months now, and I have been okay with not knowing exactly when it would happen. I told myself that it would either be for the fall semester of this year (I will be going to school there) or spring of next year. The thing is this: if I want to attend for the fall I will need to have moved by August, so I will really need to get my ducks in a row in order to make that happen. I believe that June is the month to see what I can accomplish and let go of my fears of actually starting a new life by myself in a different area. As exciting as the idea is, and as much as I want to get out of the rush and stress of LA, I have a lot of "what ifs" that keep popping in my head, and I know that in order to get past my projections I just have to keep in the solution and do the necessary footwork. Who knows, I may end up moving at the beginning of next year- all I can do is accept that I don't know the answer right now and let go of the rest.
In order to stay on track I have made a basic list of the things that need to be accomplished in order for me to go sooner rather than later:

1. School set up
2. Apartment
3. Part time job
4. Church
5. OA/Alanon meetings
6. Where to shop for groceries
7. Acupuncturist
8. Chiropractor


Making the list took a load off of my mind, and in the next few weeks I am committing to really try and get these items taken care of. I will keep you all posted- feel free to share any words of wisdom or encouragement too!

Sharing the Recipe for Two of My Favorite Dishes

As a lot of you know, I don't eat sugar or sugar free items, so I have to get my kicks from somewhere! The following two recipes are for winter squashes that I eat on a daily basis- I look forward to them and what's even better is that they are healthfully prepared and good for you too:

1. Butternut squash: preheat oven 400,spray a non stick pan with cooking spray or coat with oil, cut butternut squash into cubes and place in pan, then sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, cover with foil. I usually cook it for about 20-25 min with the foil on, then I take a spatula and flip the cubes over and let them finish cooking with the foil left off. If it happens to get too dry then add a bit of water and cover again. You can also use this on Acorn and other similar squashes but they are more delicate and cook much faster.

2. Kambocha: preheat to 350, put some water in the bottom of a non stick pan, cut squash into pieces and sprinkle with the same seasonings as the butternut squash. Cover with foil and after about 25 min check it to see how far it has progressed. This squash is a little trickier- if you cook it too much it dries out or even becomes like shoe leather. I have also found that when you buy the squash its best to get one that looks older and is not a vibrant green- when they are a vibrant green they aren't quite ripe and the don't turn out very well.


Let me know how it goes!!

Just Dance

Check out this wonderful email I received this morning- it really set a great tone for my day:

"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music."

Angela Monet


Dear Erika,

Dance to the music of YOUR soul.

Who cares if no one else hears the beat?

Who cares if you dance alone?

Who cares if you look silly?

JUST DANCE

Passion is an INSIDE JOB!


Blessings,

Rev. James J. Mellon-Bailey
Founding Pastor
The NoHo Arts Center for New Thought


Check out our website:
www.nohonewthought.com

Are You Having A Romance With Life?

I just got back from church a few hours ago and it was a great service with a fantastic talk! Essentially the message was a wake up call to really dance with life and the universe and not hold back out of fear and old ideas. Our reverend asked the question "are you waiting to do what makes your heart beat faster, what makes you feel fully alive?" My response was yes and no. The stronger I get physically and emotionally, the more I reach out and try and do the things that make me happy: sing, be in nature, ride horses, sit in the sun. On the other hand, I also let my fears and my limiting beliefs stop me from even attempting many other things that I know bring me joy.
What is it in your life that you would like more of? Is there something that fills you with joy, makes you smile, and completely carries you away once you are "in it?" I have decided to challenge myself even more and reach for the things that fill me up- no more excuses. Are you ready to do the same?

Toxins In Your Skin Care

I just want to put it out there for those of you who may not be aware: there are many, many toxins in most of our beauty products, cleaning aids, laundry detergents, deodorants, and last but not least, processed foods. One area in particular that I would like to lean more about is skin care- from what I have taken in so far, most of these items contain parabens which are small amounts of toxic chemicals found in almost every beauty product on the market today. They have been shown to effect changes in estrogen levels, linked to breast cancer, and harmful to those with chemical sensitivities. This doesn't really sound like something that I want to be putting on my body and face everyday- what about you?
I have tried several natural alternatives,and so far I have been rather disappointed. Do I have to sacrifice my health in order to look good? I do intend to look into this further because I feel that it's quite important for my health and my return to wellness. I have stopped using deodorant (don't need it actually), I clean my house and wash my clothes in natural detergents, and I eat organically as much as possible. I really feel that the next step on my path to total wellness is to get rid of the chemicals that I use in the name of beauty each day- there must be some great alternatives out there- if you know of any good brands please let me know!