Ever notice how some houses take on a mythic character in a neighborhood? Especially as children, we characterize houses—and often the people who live in them—as creepy, foreboding, magical or just plain different. What role do you, and your home, play in the neighborhood dynamics?

When we visit a new culture, we encounter beliefs and interactions that are foreign to us. The same is true as we get to know the nonhuman cultures of the world (including those found in our backyards). There’s a tendency to either overly-anthropomorphize nonhuman animals or to consider them to be overly-other. It’s tricky to find the right balance between similarities and differences (as it is with human cultures as well).

Commonly, people caution, “Be careful what you ask for, you may get it.” While I do not advocate fear, it is true that the universe responds to our inquiries. The practice of mindfulness—creating through conscious intention—is powerful, and powerfully illustrated in the following story.

As the veil thins this time of year– and we celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead– we discover that spirit is not that extraordinary after all. As a house healer, people ask to hear stories about the spirits I encounter. Below is just such a story. However, this story illustrates the humanity of spirit.

Psychics use visualization tools (e.g., clairvoyance / “clear seeing”) to increase awareness of the many influences that shape our senses of self, as well as our behaviors. As we recognize these influences, though, we realize that not everything that shapes our lives aligns with our truth.

We teach cooperation to youngsters; and, yet, it requires some finesse. While personal growth is necessary to enter into genuine cooperation, we must move beyond ourselves to collaborate with others effectively.

Transformative healing can be exciting! Often what is thrilling becomes fun when we embrace the ride. Have you ever felt as though things were changing so quickly and radically that you wouldn’t be able to keep up with the growth? Right now, many people on the planet are experiencing this level of transformative healing.

Many of us seek to find the location in which we feel the most comfortable. However, while a certain level of comfort creates an environment in which we feel safe enough to grow, it is not the comfort itself that supports and spurs our growth.

We may make choices based on information that was useful to us in the past– but is no longer relevant. Are you choosing what’s best for you now?

Satisfying the demands of the body can open space for the creativity of the spirit.