Mar 242012
 

Hi everyone,

Guess who? Yes, it’s me, your favourite Medium!

Well, it’s back to the drawing board for Medium Jay! Due to unforseen circumstances that are beyond my control, I will be moving my home office to a new location effective April 2, 2012.

With that, it gives me great pleasure to let you know that I have found a new nesting place, namely, Tree of Life North, 227 Regent St. North, (beside Eco Cafe & Spa) who have been kind enough to welcome me to their establishment with open arms.

Charmaine Kennedy, owner of Tree of Life North has been amazingly receptive and is excited to meet with the many great people that I’ve connected with over the last year of so.

The Tree of Life North offers so many great services, so while you’re waiting to see me, feel free to grab yourself a coffee or a tea, or browse through the many goodies that are offered there (angel cards, books, crystals, stones, jewels, omg, everything!). You can visit their website posted under my partner links. You’ll be happy that you did!

So very sorry if this has caused any inconvenience. I appreciate your understanding!

Looking forward to making my nest at the Tree!

See you soon,  Jay

 

PS.. GROUP SESSIONS ARE STILL HELD AT THE SPA AT 61 ELM STREET (FRIDAYS ONLY) CALL TO BOOK TODAY!

Mar 052012
 

Gifts can come to us in different ways and forms. Some refer to gifts as presents, some “awards”, or even recognition for a job well done can be considered a form of gift. Then there’s the “just because” gift, whatever form, my definition is a little different, and after reading this perhaps you’ll agree! Let’s just say I received a “gift” from a higher source… A gift from above!

Back in October, we had lost our little boy, Chewey, our 14 year of Shih Tzu. He was my very first long term pet, one that was always by my side. My grief was unusually heavy, I had suffered a few losses within the last year and his death really hit home hard. My husband and I were barely able to function the first few days afterwards. All I could envision was my little boy, closing his eyes and taking his last breath. I had made him a promise from the first day I had set my heart to his, that I would never let him suffer.

As this memory set in, I turned and suddenly blurted out, “Brad, we’re getting another dog”. Brad, shocked at what I had just said replied, “We are?” and laughed nervously. He really didn’t know what I was thinking, all he could see were the tears streaming down, like a dam that had finally let go, and all I could do was sob as I said it.

Things seemed to fall back into place as we were getting used to our new routine of “no Chewey” in the morning, afternoon, evening, just no Chewey. We had started accepting the fact that this was indeed the best thing for him as there would be no more suffering. Recalling our conversation, Brad started asking about the comment I had made a few days earlier, referring to the fact that we were going to get a little heartbeat in our house… another Shih Tzu.

In discussing it, we started getting excited about the potential of another family pet, after all, our cat was also grieving the loss of Chewey and we thought that it could potential benefit him as well. It was just sad to see him walking around, looking for his little “brother”, howling like we had never heard before.

Reality set in when we started to think it had only been a few weeks since our little boy was gone… we couldn’t possibly ever replace him, no other dog really could! Talking our way out of this altogether, we agreed that it was just a great fantasy, however, in all due respect to our family pet, we would just leave well enough alone.

Besides, I really didn’t want to start training a pup.. I just had a strange feeling about it and thought to myself that if I ever did get another pet, he would have to be at least 18 to 24 months old. Was I feeling this or was I receiving this message from somewhere or someone? I left it as a wishful thought!

A few days had gone by when we received a call from Sara, the lady at the “doggy dressers” who groomed our Chewey. She had called after learning that Chewey had gone over to Rainbow Bridge, offering her condolences. I thanked her telling her that the dog she had bred was indeed the most amazing dog I had ever owned, and started to tear up. She didn’t say much until I started apologizing for my emotions; I still found it difficult to talk about him and asked her how she knew.

With a bit of nervousness, Sara said “Listen, I really need to say this, but I don’t know how Jay, so I’m just going to say it. My mother and I have a dog that we’re unable to show or breed and because he has a bit of a anxiety problem, we thought that perhaps you might be interested in taking him as a family pet. He’s amazing and I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with him! We know you just lost your little Chewey, the vet mentioned it when we were there yesterday. We know it’s a little soon, but we think you’d be the perfect family for him.”

I wasn’t surprised and felt there was a reason for this, and repeated what Sara had just said to Brad, who gave me the greatest little smirk! We immediately made arrangements to see the dog the next week. I think it was the longest wait we had ever experienced!

There he was, 10 lbs soak and wet, sauntering over to where we had been standing outside. As Sara approached us, she called out to us, “Jay, Brad, this is Sgt. Carter.” Leashed and by her side, he was the cutest little dog we’d ever seen, half the size of our Chewey, with a great big attitude and heart to match. You couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Tough looking perhaps, but you could tell there wasn’t a tough bone in his body… he was just so full of love, that’s what he was!

We immediately knew that we would have a big decision to make, because we had already fallen in love with him, but wanting to be fair to Sgt. Carter, we wanted to make sure that we didn’t adopt him just to fill a void or to have false expectations of him. After all, he deserved a good and loving family. We left with an agreement to call her back within a week to give her our decision.

The week was filled with fantasies, and questions of all kinds entered our minds; the thought of having another little one around us, depending on us for every single thing was something we took very seriously. But the writing was on the wall and the decision had been made. We were adopting Sgt. Carter!

We called Sara and made arrangements to pick him up a week later.

The day had finally come and we were ready, like expectant parents! We had thought of everything; from bedding, bowls, food, right down to a Toronto Maple Leaf Sweatshirt for cold winter days. Sgt. Carter was visibly happy to see us when we arrived, and Sara was armed with papers, photos, bags of food and loads of toys.

She took me aside as Brad socialized with Carter, going over his documents and discussing his diet. She assured me that if things didn’t work out, I was to call her and she would make sure to take care of the matter. Going over the documents, I started reading Carter’s birth certificate. It was quite different from the one’s we were accustomed to, so Sara immediately offered to go over it, outlining specifics in lamens terms so that I could get a better grasp of “breeder’s” terminology.

As I glanced down, there it was, right in front of me… three very specific things!! Tears of joy streamed down my face, and I waived to get Brad’s attention. Accompanied by Carter, Brad walked over to the back of the room where I had been going over the papers with Sara. We immediately locked eyes after I pointed out 3 specific dates…

  1. Carter’s birthday matched my father’s birthday;
  2. Carter’s registration date matched the date of my mother and father’s wedding anniversary;
  3. Carter’s last award was won on my son’s date of birth… with an inscription “In It to Win It”.. an affirmation I had repeated to Brad only a few days earlier in reference to some goals that I had set!

It was evident and clear…. this dog was indeed a gift, the influence of my family in spirit who had a passion for smaller dogs and a desire to heal my heart. They had sent Carter into our lives…

I believe that gifts can come to us in different ways and forms, and I can assure you that ours certainly did!  We just love and treasure our little GIFT… A GIFT FROM ABOVE!

GIFT: G od’s I nfluence F lows T hrough

Feb 012012
 

How exciting I thought, an Elvis concert!! I wasn’t even a fan, but I was thrilled to be accompanying my sister-in-law to Vegas so that we could attend no other than the “King’s” concert! I still remembered sitting on the two storied bus, sitting facing the inside aisle, lights shining through the windows. It was still and dark outside and I was so excited… afterall, I had never been to Las Vegas. My sister-in-law Liz was sitting to my left. Her arm craddled around my shoulder and happy to be by my side, she was paying attention to something outside the window behind her. I was so elated to see her and she looked amazing. Looking much younger than I remembered, she was wearing the neatest glasses I’d ever seen.

Turning to see what was keeping her attention outside, I remembered not wanting to take my eyes off of her. She was looking at my niece Natalie and her husband who were standing in front of a fountain taking pictures. It was a beautifully moonlit night, busy and bustling with so many people, and I thought that it was so nice that there was not a drop of snow in sight.

As the light grew dimmer, I could hear the sound of reality setting back in. I suddenly awoke. Grabbing for the nearest piece of paper, I recorded what I could remember from the dream that I had just had. It was 4:12 a.m., February 18th, 2010. Everything that I could feel, smell, sense about my dream of my deceased sister-in-law Liz, my concert companion, was written down as quickly as I could replay its memory. What an amazing visit I thought… and my niece and her husband were also there. I couldn’t wait to share this with her!

The next morning, Brad asked why I had awoken so suddenly and asked if I was feeling okay. Responding that I had received a visitor from beyond, he chuckled and started to poke guesses as to who he thought my dream visitor could be. When I recounted to him my dream, he asked if I was going to call my niece Natalie to let her know. Liz was her mother and she’d always had an interest in learning of my dreams as we called each other often to talk about these types of things. Later on that day, I called and left her a message to call me when she had a moment.

A week or so went by before she returned my call. She apologized for not getting back to me sooner explaining that she and her husband had been out of town on a much needed vacation. We chatted and laughed about the fact that she had kept the vacation under wraps as she didn’t want anyone knowing where they had gone. She then reminded me of my message.

As I started to recall the reason why I had left a message, I asked if I could refer to my dream diary because I wanted to make sure I was accurate with the details about what I was going to say. Returning to the telephone with diary in hand, I started recounting to her my dream about her deceased mother Liz and the visit that we had. I told her that she and I were on our way to Vegas to an Elvis concert and that we had made a stop at some posh hotel. I told her that while we were there, her mother had caught a glimpse of her and Mike, standing outside of the bus taking photos. Laughing, I told her that I recorded this dream on February 18th at 4:12 a.m. Natalie had become unusually quiet during this time.

After recalling my dream to her, she asked me if I was in front of my computer to which I replied, “I could be”. As I went down to my office in the basement, Natalie had sent me an email a few moments later with an attachment. As I opened the attached, I could see a two storied bus parked by a water fountain with many people walking about. This place seemed familiar to me somehow. It was dark out. Still on the telephone, I asked her about the photo.

She replied: “Auntie Jay, Mike and I were in Las Vegas on February 18th. We went there without telling anyone. We had just arrived to our hotel “The Belagio” when I decided to take this picture of the fountain in front of the hotel. As I went to take the picture, a two story bus had just pulled in so I waited for it to stop, then took the photo with the bus in it. That’s what you’re looking at. It’s the only one I took of that area. Oh my god, Auntie, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Liz had accomplished exactly what she intended… to let her daughter know that she was with her in spirit on her much needed vacation. The photo was simply a validation. So, are dreams just dreams? lol.. I’d have to say, Vegas or Bust! x

 

Feb 012012
 

She looked so tired, as if she hadn’t rested in months… The circles under her eyes, obvious to see she has endured an emotional turmoil of sorts. Her hair framed her frown perfectly, her burden evident from afar. She didn’t say much at first, as she listened to me explain what it is that we were going to do. She offered no information, and didn’t care to choose her cards.

“Davianne”, I said. “What a beautiful and unique name.” Smiling, she nodded in agreement. “I’ve chosen these Angel cards for you because I feel a deep loss has overcome you; you wear your heart on your sleeve!” She agreed that she was grieving. As I started to read for her, she validated the two energies that had come in to visit. “RO” was clear to me, “Robert” as she named him as being her brother by the events that I had recounted about his life.

The other was “Al” as I heard it, “Alex” as she called him, her father who passed a few years afterwards. She laughed and interjected to add details to the stories I was telling her. About 40 minutes into the reading, I asked her if she had any questions. She replied that there was a reason she had come to see me. Her voice said it all. Desperate in her request, she said “Jay, I came here for a purpose today. So many have told me of what you do, and that my daughter has come in to someone else that was here two weeks ago with a message for me. I’m sure it was her, the details were too accurate.” I apologized to her telling her that I didn’t feel her daughter’s energy. She pleaded “Jay, please, do you think you can ask her to come in?” I told her that I would try.

After some time, there was nothing that I sensed. I told her that I didn’t want to waste the time she had left in trying to bring her in. As we were discussing her daughter, I felt a sudden overwhelming rush of energy, warmth, love and understanding. I couldn’t see what it was until I blurted out “February 13th”. I looked at her and said, “February 13th, what does that mean to you Davianne?”As the tears welled in her eyes, her trembling voice said “Kara, my daughter’s birthday”. I told her, “I have someone here who tells me this date February 13th has significance. She has a message for you. I’m sorry mom, I couldn’t make it. I tried running faster, but I just couldn’t do it.” I asked her if she understood, and she nodded yes as the tears ran down her face. She asked me to ask her daughter if she came to visit her often, because she couldn’t feel her around.

I told her that her daughter did go visit her. I started to recount the details of her day before her appointment with me, which consisted of a shopping trip for shoes and lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Davianne was beside herself and couldn’t believe the accuracy of the statement I had just made. She was trembling and wanted to hear more. Suddenly, the surge of energy penetrated my entire being, as if I was swallowed by a blissful loving and unconditional being. Tears came rushing from my eyes as I said “Why did you cancel Halloween? Your daughter doesn’t want you to cancel Halloween. She’s happy you decorated her grave with these decorations but she’s sad that you’re no longer living your life because she’s gone.” “Don’t cancel Halloween mom, I want to come and play and have fun with the other kids too”. Davianne, shocked by what I had just said broke down and told me the story of the loss of her daughter, Kara.

“Jay, my little girl was only 8 years old. She was killed just weeks before Halloween, as she was getting off of the school bus. I was there with my youngest son who wasn’t of school age yet. Well, as she got off of the bus, a note a young boy had given her dropped out of her hand. The wind carried it away. I guess she must have been afraid to lose it, so she chased the note Jay. But by the time she looked up, it was too late. The car was coming faster than she could run from it. She died in my arms, my baby was gone right there Jay. So, she’s right when she said she couldn’t run faster, and just couldn’t do it.

Since then, we haven’t celebrated Halloween ‘cause it was her favourite time of year. It’s just too hard. My boy saw it too. Oh Jay, why did god have to take my baby?” We cried together, and I apologized because this had never really happened to me before. All I wanted to do was hold this stranger, so that she could feel the love I had experienced, the love that was meant and intended for her from her daughter.

“Davianne, your daughter is now with your father and brother. They take such good care of her and she visits you daily, but you see, your daughter doesn’t want you to stop living your life because she’s not here. She wants you to continue to live, because she lives on within you… Her memory is never far away, the love she gave still within your heart. You must celebrate life again; she wants this for you and your husband. “As she wiped her eyes, a smile came through as if to light the room. “Jay”, she said, “I’m so happy, I can’t wait to tell my husband all about what happened today. I don’t know if I can ever celebrate Halloween again, but I know that I’m going to really think about it. I have a few months to decide. It’s been so long since we have, maybe it’s time we start”. And with that, Davianne left with a sense of relief, a knowing that her daughter is around her all the time, and that she really doesn’t need any signs to know it. She just does!

 

Feb 012012
 

Do our loved ones visit us in our dreams? Do they communicate with us or send us messages? I say they do! Let me continue…

He stood in front of a burning wall, the tub behind him full of water. I still remember his white shirt, pants and the belt that he wore; the look of serenity that enveloped him was breathtaking. There were no other walls that I could see, other than the white ceramic tile one behind him which was on fire. I could see the blue skies on each side of him when I realized that we were both suspended somewhere in time. Was this a dream or was it a visit?

As we looked at each other, I could hear his voice in the distance saying “you’ll know this is true with the sign of the axe”. Not sure of what I had heard, I asked for him to repeat it again… the message was clear “you’ll know this is true with the sign of the axe”.

I awoke suddenly, and with purpose. I had just received a clear message from my father. I made my way into the den, and with pen in hand, started writing everything I could remember about this message. I felt a bit of a worry with what was whispered to me. I couldn’t quite understand what it meant. Where was this bathroom? Why the fire? What did this “axe” mean?

When Brad woke up, I told him of my dream. He also felt that this was also a message of sorts. A few days later, we decided to go out for our usual Friday night “fish and chips” at Sam’s local diner. It was a great meal as usual. As we were making our way out of the restaurant, an elderly gentleman asked Brad if he knew where the “Railway Museum” was located. Brad mentioned that he had never heard of it and referred him to an information centre where he could obtain more information. The man thanked him and then said “oh, thanks young man, you see, my grandfather forged his way into this city with this axe, one that I donated to the “Railway Museum” years ago. I was in town and thought I’d go see it”. Brad and I looked at each other with amazement. There was that “axe” word, one that normally doesn’t come up in conversation. We started conversing on the way home about it. This truly was a sign for us that my father had come to me with a message. But was did it mean?

A few days later, I was helping a friend in the lobby of the building where I lived. We were standing in front of building’s maintenance panel, when suddenly, the building fire alarms went off. The panel lit up like a Christmas tree and all I could were the words flashing “warning warning warning”. Before she could reach to unlock the system with her key, the alarm shut off by itself. We looked at each other and thought it was strange. As we started to walk away, the alarm sounded again, and we turned to see the panel lit up like it had just moments before. She turned it off. We looked at each other again, and then heard the sound of many fire trucks roaring by. Not knowing the situation, we checked the building, every floor until we felt everything was fine. The fire trucks were on route somewhere else so needless to say, we were relieved.

When I got home, I received a call from Lydia, the Administrator of the long term care facility where my mother resides. “Jay”, Lydia said, “Please do not be alarmed, but I must tell you, there’s been a fire at this facility. Your mother has been taken to another area and is safe. You see, we’re in the midst of demolishing the building in order to stop the fire because it started in the ceiling. If we don’t, the fire will continue down the wall into your mother’s room. We’re hoping it didn’t.” I thanked Lydia for the call and before she hung up, asked her which wall of my mother’s room was affected. She replied “oh, it was the wall in the bathroom Jay, the white ceramic one.” I sat there for a minute in total awe. The message was indeed intended for me. The sign of the “axe” was a message of love from beyond, and one of concern for my mother. Thanks for watching over us Dad and for stopping by for a visit! xx (PS Happy Birthday)

 

Feb 012012
 

Angels work in mysterious ways. Do you believe in Angels? They’re always around, if you really look for them.

It was a particularly hectic winter the year my mother had been hospitalized with a back problem. The doctor’s, however, were more concerned about her dementia, and that she had become a hazard to her own well-being and safety.

I had always had such a strong connection with my mother; she was my mentor, the love and light in my life. Her dementia affected her speech and it became difficult to communicate; something that we held so dear in our relationship. I wasn’t my usual happy-go-lucky self when all this was happening, as I thought about the ‘sentence’ this placed upon her life.

She no longer had the freedom she once had to do whatever she wanted, when she wanted. It was so difficult to accept that she would be locked up in a facility, just because a medical professional deemed she was unable to care for herself.

To help out with the expenses, I had taken on extra duties in the building where I rented an apartment. There was one particular day that I will never forget.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and even so, I felt like I was walking around under dark gloomy clouds. I went out for a walk, where I had a conversation with my Angels. I was looking for a way out of the gloom I felt myself in, and I asked for a “sign” of any kind about my angels. I was certain it would lift my spirits; anything remotely resembling angels always made me feel better, a feather, an angel song on the radio, anything angel. So, I made my request very specifically, setting 9:30pm as the latest time I would have to wait. I needed my angel fix so badly!

Well, it wasn’t long before the day neared its end and 9:15 p.m. there had still been no feathers, angel songs, nor any mention of angels of any sort. I was down in the basement of the apartment building, taking care of the clean-up in the laundry room, when a voice called out for me.

“Jay, Jay, I have something for you,” I heard.

Turning around, there was Mr. Vendi, an 87 year old resident in the apartment building. He was rather sickly, and had great difficulty walking. Just minutes away, I remembered how it would take him 30 minutes each way for him to go buy his bread, shuffling to and fro with his walker for support.

“What did you get, Mr. Vendi?” I asked.

“You know, Jay. I don’t know why, but I thought about you all day long,” he said.

As he led me down the hall toward his apartment, he went on to tell me about his walk to the mall to get something for me. At his apartment, he asked me to wait in the hall, with the biggest smile that no one could ever say no. Returning a few minutes later, he held up a little box.

“There, a present just for you,” he stated with his usual charm.

I was surprised, and thanking him, asked what it was.

“Open it,” he said, so I did.

Inside this tiny box was a crystal cube, and inside the cube was a beautifully carved angel surrounded by clouds and stars. I couldn’t believe my eyes, and the tears streamed down my face.

“What’s wrong, Jay?” Mr. Vendi asked.

“Nothing, Mr. Vendi, absolutely nothing!” I burst out. “These are simply tears of joy! Thank-you so much!” And I gave him a hug before leaving. Looking down at my watch, it was 9:30 p.m.

Believe! Always believe.

 

Feb 012012
 

Eyes betrayed her nervousness even though her smile was warm. She was young, perhaps late 20′s, and I invited her to come in. Climbing the stairs she stopped suddenly to turn and look down toward me and said, “I’ve had readings before, but not like the reading I’m going to get today.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, a little puzzled.

She began telling the story about her friend who referred her to come visit me for a reading. Specific words I said to her friend, and all the things I had said during the reading had changed her friend’s life for the better. Going on, she hoped to have some kind of relief from the reading and insights I would provide. Even so, she remained skeptical of life after death, and the spirit world.

Naturally, I hoped to be able to help her, and deep down I knew that I could. The energy inside me was eagerly waiting to jump in to the situation and show me what was troubling her. Feeling and sensing the rising energy excited me more.

We sat together at my reading table and I gave the usual spiel before I started. I explained my background, my own near death experience, the experience and training I had with astrology and numerology, when suddenly, I stopped and blurted out, “I’m supposed to tell you about the pizza party, or a pizza day. I’m just supposed to tell you. There are birthday hats and pizza boxes everywhere!”

She looked at me shocked for a moment, and suddenly broke down completely, crying uncontrollably over what I had just said. She apologized profusely as she wiped her eyes, all the while unable to stop crying. Giving her time, she gradually composed herself and said, “Thank-you, now I believe.”

We continued the reading, and on this day I didn’t have to use the cards that were sitting on the table at all. I had opened myself up completely to the love she lost, her father who was killed on her birthday, and I heard him say before he left for work that fateful day: “It’s Pizza Party Day! It’s your birthday! When I come home from work we’re ordering any kind of pizza you want.”

He never did come home that day, but he did make sure that she heard his message of love on the day that she came to see me. He brought her a message of love and peace that she so badly needed. She was finally able to make peace and come to terms with his death. Her gift was the validation of his love, the affirmation that he was still watching over her, and sending her “Happy Pizza Day” birthday wishes from the otherside

 

Feb 012012
 

It seems like it was just yesterday when I met Maureen, a woman who didn’t trust a soul. Regardless of this, I knew I was up for the challenge, as I had the direct-line to someone that was waiting who had so much to offer her. Let me share the story.

It was a beautiful spring day when three women arrived after a long drive from Toronto. I was overwhelmed by the simple fact that these women hired a driver to take them on this day-long adventure just to see me for a reading, so many hours from their homes in Toronto. My energy levels were high, and I was very excited by the prospect of giving them a great reading.

My readings throughout the day were simply amazing, and my last appointment felt that it would change all that. As Maureen walked in, I sensed her skepticism, and at the same time felt tremendously excited about the presence I felt lingering around her. Maureen didn’t know it, but she brought a new visitor that I hadn’t encountered in my last two readings with her travel-mates. The energy of this presence was very clear; a very strong male presence.

As I always do, I offered Maureen tea, to which she replied, “No, thank-you.” I continued with my introduction as preparation for the reading, feeling it might relieve her of her nervous tension. I handed her an angel card deck and asked her to shuffle.

Immediately, I received a message, an intuitive vision which I began sharing as she shuffled.

“I see a late model 80′s Chevy 1/2 ton pick-up truck, dark blue in color. It has a beautiful red bow wrapped around it, and the other side of the truck is old and rusted.”

She seemed completely uninterested in my statement, and I had her spread the Angel Cards out, instructing her to pick seven cards that she felt an attraction toward. As she handed over the seven cards, she blurted out, “I don’t know anyone with a truck.”

I repeated to her that this energy, male was showing me an 80′s model 1/2 ton pick-up truck with a bow, and just as suddenly I received another vision. Sharing this, I explained that I was seeing the man standing on a bed of ice, like a castle. Next, his name in the paper and his picture on the front page. This male energy sharing this information and vision was insistent so I kept repeating everything.

Following this, I continued with the Angel Card Reading, but Maureen was now very disconnected and frustrated. After her reading, I asked if I could answer any questions or elaborate further on anything I’d already shared with her. She got up, looked at me, and said she was very disappointed with the reading.

“I don’t know anyone with a truck, let alone an ice castle!” and was visibly upset. “I don’t know where you’re getting this from, but it is not for me, and I’m very unhappy with the reading!”

She bent over, put her shoes on, and left. It was a very uncomfortable few moments.

Later that evening, speaking with my biggest fan and supporter, my husband Brad, I told him of the experience and how uncomfortable I felt. The phone rang. Answering it, the friend that referred these three ladies to me greeted me saying, “Jay, we need to talk.”

“The lady you saw today just called me and she wants to apologize to you,” he said.

“I can’t share any of the details of the reading and conversation with you,” I told him. “My code of ethics won’t allow that.”

“Jay, I don’t want or need you to say anything, I just want you to listen,” and he continued. “Today, you saw some of my relatives. The last lady you saw, well, she just called to tell me that she saw you today and was upset with your reading.”

He went on saying, “You don’t understand Jay. When they left your place, the first two ladies you read for were really excited and happy about their readings. They were comparing notes on the drive back, and really happy with the things you shared with them. When they got to Parry Sound, they stopped for a bite to eat. Maureen had been quiet during the 2 1/2 hour drive there, listening to the other two talk and keeping her own experience with you to herself. The driver they hired even turned and said, ‘you’re pretty quiet. Didn’t like your reading?’ Maureen told the driver you were way off and that the reading was terrible.”

“The driver asked her why, so Maureen recounted the story about the 1/2 ton pick-up truck, the ice castle, and newspaper clipping. She continued on and said you weren’t very good. The driver pulled off to the side of the road, turned, and asked Maureen, ‘can you tell me again what you just said?’ This really surprised Maureen, but she told her again all the details of the reading. The driver was visibly shaken – shocked even. The driver said to Maureen, ‘I guess I owe you some money for that reading then, don’t I?’

Carrying on with the story my friend said, “Maureen asked the driver why, and the driver told her story.”

“My husband was an auto-body man. He loved to fix up cars, trucks, paint them, and all that stuff. He had bought an old truck, late 80′s model Chevy 1/2 ton pick-up truck for our son as a gift. He had fixed the body and had painted half of it. It was intended that way so my son could finish it. In part, a joke, and in part, a project the two of them could do together. Two weeks later, my husband went to a convention out of town. After a few drinks and dinner, he and some his colleagues were out for a walk. It was a beautiful evening, and the Carnival events were in full swing. They ended up at the ice sculptures. He and his friends went up an ice castle, and as they reached the top, it collapsed. My husband was killed instantly. It was all over the news and in the papers. Thank-you so much for sharing this with me,” said the driver, weeping joyfully.

“Wow! What a story, and thank-you so much for calling to let me know all the details,” I said to my friend who had called with all this news.

Of course, what a relief this was for me. I knew I hadn’t imaged all of this, but a question did remain: Why did this energy come to visit me that day? Why did he choose Maureen, a skeptic, to bring a message to his loved one?

Perhaps we’ll never know, yet this was a validation for the driver that day. One that she needed to hear; to know that her husband had made it through and was okay. And she knew it too, perhaps more since Maureen was such the skeptic. It was a sure sign, and one also for Maureen, who is now a believer!

 

Feb 012012
 

When you think you’re at the end of your rope, your luck has run out, and there is no where left to turn, there just might be angels around the corner waiting for you to simply ask for help.

I had gone with my husband, Brad, to visit Halifax. We were looking up an old friend of his, someone I’d never met before, John. Brad found him easily via telephone, and it seemed he’d never left home, as he was living with his parents. The real truth, however, was that a series of hardships resulted in John seeking solace and support through his loving parents who extended their small basement apartment to him after his ex had torched the boat he used to live on.

When we arrived, John introduced us to his common-law spouse, Kerry, who he claimed saved his life. She had helped him and restored his sense of hope, allowing him to believe in the gift of life again. He said, “I felt real love for the first time.”

To look at John, you wouldn’t be able to tell that he had suffered extreme harassment at the hands of a bitter ex-wife, who also exhibited some mental health issues. After setting his boat on fire, torching it completely, he had no alternative other than to move back home with his parents. Like many people, he had no insurance covering the loss of his property, and had to start from scratch again.

In spite of these hardships, John, although in his own state of despair, wore the greatest smile, and offered the warmest greeting as would a King. His partner, Kerry, shared a similar story.

Kerry survived Hurricane Juan, which had taken the roof off her apartment building, and her lacking insurance resulted in severe losses that would never be recouped. In spite of their hardships, the two of them decided that together they could build a great future for themselves. They were so optimistic, and I just loved their energy!

Despite the despair, there was the brightest love and energy that I’ve ever felt. I asked them, “What keeps you so positive? You have no insurance, and you have to start over. It’s just so great to see!”

Looking at each other, Kerry replied, “It can’t get any worse, and there is only one out of this, and that’s up and at ‘em! Besides,” she said, “it only makes room for something better.” We all laughed joyously and agreed.

If had been 18 years since Brad had been home to Nova Scotia, and it was so nice for me to see the smile on his face. I think I could have harnessed all that positive energy. It was a very emotional experience and I could feel everything as though it was my own person having his experience. It was simply the best trip we ever had, and honestly, the drive back home to Ontario was the hardest thing we both had to do.

We kept in touch often over the years with both John and Kerry, calling, sending cards, and enjoying the connection these routines offered. After all, there was so much joy to share every time we did call, or hear from them. It seemed that their luck was always changing for the better. John had been hired by a local factory, and while the pay wasn’t the greatest, the benefits made up for a lot. Kerry managed to get a great job at a local insurance company, and they had reached the point when they could move from the basement apartment, and into their own space.

One day, Brad and I were sitting on the patio at home when he said, “You know, I have a good mind to call John and razz him about his hockey team.” Brad’s a hockey ‘freak’ and I say this lightly, a true die-hard TML fan!

When Kerry answered she said, “Oh, hi Bradford, I’m so happy you called. Here’s John.”

John picked up the other phone and say, “Oh, you can tease me all you want Biffy, I’m gonna buy that team of yours and whip them into shape! We just won $15.5 million dollars my friend.” The look on Brad’s face was priceless.

The greatest things in life are ahead of you, if you really want to have them; if you really believe that you could have anything you want! John did, despite the suffering, having to move back home after years of being on his own, after having lost everything, and yet, he knew he could rebuild his life. He believed in himself.

When asked how he felt about his new-found luck, he simply replied, “I asked, I believed, and I received.”

 

Feb 012012
 

Connected? This question teases people all the time: Are we connected to each other? What the other side has taught me is that we are! In our experience of daily life, some people do feel these connections, while other people don’t. I’ve also referred to these connections as “gut feelings.”

I have always been tightly connect to one particularly person — my sister. From the earliest memories I have, I can remember feeling her pain, her joys, her losses, and so much more.

After doing readings all day, I felt very tired this one spring day in 2007. One woman who had come to visit for a reading that day was experiencing high levels of distress following the loss of her husband and daughter in a recent traffic accident. It was an emotional time for her and even long after she had left, I could still feel her emotional energy.

I had a number of early morning appointments so I went to bed early that night. At 3:00 a.m. I woke up suddenly, gasping violently for air. The dream was so vivid, so real, and left me shaking and trembling.

My sister stood under a dim light which seemed to grow weaker and weaker. Her face was expressionless, and her arms hung limply at her sides. Like a ghost, she stood there, saying nothing, a vacant look staring straight ahead. Reaching, to wrap her in my arms, I felt the pain through her chest.

I looked into her eyes as I asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

She didn’t answer, and the immediate sense of doom enveloped me. Awaking suddenly, this is the feeling that rattled me still, as I sat there recalling the dream, with a mad desire to call my sister. It being 2:00 a.m. in her time-zone, I couldn’t possibly disturb her over what might only be a bad dream. What could I do!?

My nervousness and movements woke Brad, sensing that something was wrong. I told him I had a horrible feeling for my sister and told him the dream. He listened intently, and when I had finished, agreed that it was too early to phone. Agreeing, and reassuring him I was okay, he managed to fall back asleep. I, on the other hand, lay there thinking about my sister as I watched the clock tick-tock its slow route to 6:00 a.m. so I could phone her!

After Brad and I had our morning tea together, I picked up the phone and called. Not wanting to alarm her to anything, I let her ramble on about her week, telling me of her cooking ventures, and new recipes she planned to share with the volunteers at the local church. She is my older sister of 12 years, and is the most cheerful person I’ve ever met, with a voice that carries on melodically even as she speaks. She never fails to put a smile on people’s faces.

This morning, her stories seemed to go on forever, and I finally blurted, “Lin! I had a dream about you last night and woke up because of it.”

“Oh really? What time?” she asked, and I told her it was about 3:00 a.m., so 2:00 a.m. her time.

“Geez, that’s funny Jay. I was up at that time too. I couldn’t sleep; I had the worst heartburn.”

“Did you go to the hospital?” I asked. Lin didn’t, of course, not wanting to wake her husband up, and he hadn’t been feeling well either. Despite having taken something to remedy the heartburn, it was still bothering her a great deal.

“I don’t feel good about your heartburn, Lin,” I insisted. “Can you please do me a favor and go see your doctor? I’m concerned about your heart.”

She promised she would call him that day, and that she would call me to let me know the outcome.

The very next afternoon, I received a call from Lin’s husband. With tremendous concern and emotion, I remember the flood of him saying, “Jay, I don’t want to alarm you, but your sister went to see her doctor yesterday. After a check-up, they had her transferred to the hospital which, thank-goodness, is just across the street! She’s had a heart attack and is not out of hot water yet. I don’t know much more, but they’re running tests. At least she’s in good hands. I’ll be in touch when I get word. The doctor’s are just thankful she got there in time. I don’t know what made her go, but I’m sure glad she did.”

We chatted a bit longer about everything and I thanked him for taking the time to call me with the news. He reassured me that she would call once she had rested as ordered by her cardiologist.

Could this have turned out differently had I not called my sister and told her about my dream, and my “gut feeling” that morning? I don’t know, but I do know that I’m glad that I trusted myself enough to express it the way that I felt it.

Know that we are all connected, and when you get that “gut feeling”, give yourself permission to trust yourself and what you feel. You’d be surprised what it could mean for you!