Out of the Fog

On-air readings, website update, and more

2009-06-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

It's been almost three weeks since I updated this blog, and the time has just flown by. The radio show is going great guns, and we consistently rate in the top 10% of BlogTalk Radio's Spirituality category. THANK YOU to all of you for listening and telling your friends!

On-Air Readings

I've now been asked to appear on several other shows as a guest to talk about my work and give on-air readings. I don't know how other "radio psychics" feel about it, but for me, giving on-air readings is a wonderful combination of terror and sheer glee. The terror part is because it's radio, and millions (or hundreds ... or at least dozens) of people are listening, and you'd better make a quick connection and get it right! The sheer glee part is because I can talk with so many people, really get my message of common-sense spiritual empowerment out there, and get confirmation that I'm actually touching people's lives. Love it!

But as much fun as the on-air readings are, I feel that the heart of my work is the one-on-one private sessions. Although it's fun to get a fast answer on the radio, a private reading allows us the time to examine some of the questions behind the questions, and get you guidance that is more than a quick fix. You also don't have to worry that what you say in a private session will be downloaded onto people's iPods the next day! We have a lot of iTunes subscribers to the radio show, and so a reading on the radio isn't quite as ... confidential ... as a private reading. ;-)

Website Update

I added a couple of pages to the site this week. People had been asking to read what other clients were saying about me. You can find some reviews for me on Yelp!, but I've also added a Testimonials page to the site so you can read even more. I'll update this from time to time. And if you're a happy client, please feel free to email me if you'd like to be included on this page.

Also new to the site is an On the Air page. That's the place to go to find out where I'll be appearing in the next few weeks. And the list is growing, so please check back often for updates!

Coming Up

In the next few weeks on "Out of the Fog," you'll hear guests like women's empowerment coach Megan Walrod, the triumphant return of psychic Trella Davis, and "spiritual fitness" expert Rena Reese.

Check the On the Air page of my site for news about where I'll be popping up next.

I was especially pleased to be invited to appear on Ray Jorden's "Haunted 911" show on Para-X radio (powered by CBS) on June 24th at noon Pacific, 3 pm Eastern. This is the first UK-based show I've been asked to appear on, and it's exciting to think that Fog City Psychic is now officially "international"! ;-)

Summer ... already?

2009-05-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

This year is zooming by at the speed of light! Am I the only person experiencing it this way?

My sons are in their last two weeks of school, and they're having mixed emotions about leaving the teachers who've made such a big difference in their lives this year. They're also very excited about spending long summer days NOT being in school! Just between us ... although they're imagining endless days of playing Wii and watching Spongebob, the truth is that I have other plans for them! Sinister plans that involve yardwork, the library, and trips to the beach! ;-)

Summer in San Francisco means cool weather and lots of fog. Although I miss the scorching hot days and humid nights that we had in Michigan when I was growing up, there's something about the cool dampness of a San Francisco summer that suits me fine.

Radio Show News

Tonight (5/26) on "Out of the Fog" I'll be taking your calls and giving free on-air mini-readings! If you're feeling stuck, and want to get an intuitive perspective for your next steps, I hope you'll call in. (646) 929-2947

On next week's show (6/2), my guest will be Anastasia Toom. She helps clients relieve anxiety and stress, and eliminate trapped negative energies and belief patterns ... and she'll be taking your calls! You won't want to miss this show.

Workshop News

The first Intuition Lab workshop, "You Are Psychic!", is this Saturday 5/30 in San Francisco. I still have room for one more student, so if you've been waiting for the right time to register ... this is it! This is a hands-on class for those just beginning their intuitive development. You'll get an overview of psychic boundaries, psychic "hygiene", using common sense to validate received information, and much more!

Last year at this time, I would have laughed my head off if you'd told me that Fog City Psychic would be up and running, with a growing client base, workshops, AND a radio show! Just goes to show you that when you open yourself up to Spirit and go with the flow, you'll be surprised where you end up! Many thanks to all of you for your continued support.

Wow ... make that the top 15%!

2009-05-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your support of the radio show! "Out of the Fog"now ranks in the top 15% of Spirituality programming on BlogTalk Radio. We jumped about 10 percentage points with last Tuesday's episode!

Not that ratings are important in themselves, but I love to use them as a measure of how well/effectively the show is getting out the message of positive, compassionate intuitive guidance as a tool for spiritual growth and life change!

Intuition Lab News: Special Pricing

I've extended the early-bird registration discount for May 30th's "You Are Psychic!" workshop. Tuition is just $65 for the afternoon if you sign up by 5/22.

You can get more info here, but basically this is a 3-hour workshop designed for adults who are just beginning to rediscover their intuitive gifts. I believe that everyone ... everyone! ... has intuitive abilities, although we all choose to develop and use our gifts differently.

In the workshop, you'll learn about:

-- using exercises to quiet your mind and open safely to Spirit
-- setting psychic boundaries
-- using common sense to filter and act on received information
-- practicing good "psychic hygiene"

By the end of the class, you'll be able to give and get mini-readings from me and from classmates in a safe, fun, protected environment.

This is the first of what I hope will be more classes and workshops under the Intuition Lab umbrella.

Radio show ratings are in! We're in the top 25%!

2009-05-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

I've just learned that "Out of the Fog" is in the top 25% of Spirituality programming on BlogTalk Radio! BTR hosts literally thousands of shows in many categories, and it's a pretty darn big deal that our show is performing so well in our category after only four weekly episodes.

THANK YOU to all of you who are supporting the show by listening live, calling in for readings, spreading the word to your friends, and downloading the free podcast on iTunes (just search on Fog City Psychic)!

On this week's show (5/12), I'll be taking your calls for the entire hour. If you're feeling stuck, or are in transition, this is your chance for a free on-air reading. Next week, the Rev. Trella Davis returns by popular demand!

Intuition Lab Workshop

Just a reminder that this Friday (5/15) is the last day to get the early-bird tuition rate for my upcoming workshop, Intuition Lab: You Are Psychic!

Everyone has intuitive gifts, but very few of us know how to tune into our Higher Guidance to help us move forward with clarity and confidence. This workshop, on Saturday 5/30 from 1-4 pm in San Francisco, is designed for adults who are just beginning their intuitive development. The goal is to learn to explore and experiment with your innate intuitive gifts in a protected, safe environment. We'll do some exercises to quiet the body and mind, so that it's easier to listen to your Higher Guidance. By the end of the afternoon, you'll be able to give and get mini-readings from me and from your classmates.

For more information about the workshop, and to register, click here. And if you have any questions, just shoot me an email.

This week's radio show ... be my guest! (and more)

2009-05-04T13:45:00.001-07:00

Just occurred to me that I can post a player here (to the left) to let you folks listen to past episodes of the radio show without searching frantically all over the place for it. You WERE searching for it ... right?

On this week's show (5/5 at 8 pm Pacific), I'll be inviting you to call in to be my guest. I want to talk to people about how they are living with change in their own lives. What got you through a difficult transition and brought you out of a dark time into better days? Do you have any spiritual tools or tips to share with the audience? The call-in number is (646) 929-2947.

And as always, please keep those emails coming! If you have comments, questions, ideas for guests, or anything else you want me to know ... just email me: karen@fogcitypsychic.com.

There's still time to register for my 5/30 workshop in San Francisco. Intuition Lab: You Are Psychic! is a three-hour class that's designed for those of you who are just beginning your psychic development. We'll do some exercises to quiet the mind, and work on listening to your Higher Guidance. The goal of the class is to empower you to explore and experiment with your intuition in a protected setting with like-minded people. I believe that everyone has innate intuitive gifts, and that they are meant to be used to help you move forward with more clarity and confidence.

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

2009-04-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

San Francisco is having a spring heatwave, with temps in the 80s yesterday and today. More of the same tomorrow, apparently. This sudden catapult from cool, foggy spring weather to the middle of summer kind of mirrors how I'm feeling this week. Whoa ... how did I get here? Things are moving faster than I'd planned for!

(This is a photo of my dog's favorite swimming hole, glistening in the heat. No way I'd jump in there, but the dog has different standards!)

Radio show news
Thanks so much to all of you who listened to last week's debut show, and especially to those of you who took the time to write and let me know what you thought of it. I was surprised ... in a happy way ... at how many people heard the show.

If you missed it live, you can catch it in the archives here. I welcome your comments and questions at karen@fogcitypsychic.com.

This week's "Out of the Fog" broadcast (Tuesday 4/21 at 8 pm Pacific) will feature Trella Davis. She is an intuitive, angelic reiki master, tea sommelier ... and so much more. Trella is also one of the funniest people I know, and her lightning-fast wit and strong psychic gifts will make this a show to remember! (Talk about heating things up ...)

For more information about this week's show, and what's on tap for future broadcasts, click here.

Workshop news
Registration is open for the first-ever Intuition Lab workshop! The class is called "Intuition Lab: You Are Psychic!" and it will be held on Saturday, May 30th in San Francisco. I'll be leading this 3-hour workshop, designed to help people learn tools for developing their own intuition so they can move forward with clarity and confidence. Check it out here. Discounted tuition for those of you who register before 5/15! I'm keeping this class small, so get in there if you're interested!

That's it for now. I'm ready for a tall glass of iced tea!

The radio show is coming! The radio show is coming!

2009-04-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

I want you all to know that the "Out of the Fog" radio show will premiere this Tuesday (April 14th) at 8 pm Pacific / 11 pm Eastern. We'll be on the air every week for 60 minutes of mini-readings and conversation about how you can tap into your intuitive gifts and move forward with clarity and confidence.

You can listen live (or just find out more about the show) here. The call-in number is (646) 929-2947. And if you miss the live show, it will be archived for your listening pleasure! Just follow the link above.

The feed will also be submitted to iTunes. Their approval process takes awhile, but in the next couple of weeks, the show will be available as a free iTunes download. You'll also be able to subscribe to the podcast through iTunes so you will never miss a thrilling installment! ;-)

Brainstorming

2009-03-31T10:40:00.001-07:00

One of the biggest ways I sabotage myself is this: I am doing something random (dishes, treadmill, whatever), and I have the glimmer of an idea. I examine the glimmer, and it holds up under scrutiny -- at least for the five seconds before I go on to something else and the idea is gone forever!

If I take the time to actually WRITE IT DOWN, I've accomplished a couple of things. One is that I've honored myself and Spirit by taking the glimmer seriously enough to record it. The other is that by writing it down, I've given myself the space for evaluation and exploration that any idea-glimmer deserves. Not every one of them's a keeper, but every once in awhile a real gem emerges from the brain-muck.

As I work on keeping Fog City Psychic a healthy and growing business, I spend some time every few days brainstorming. Here's what's percolating now:

I'm continuing to work on pre-production for the "Out of the Fog" radio show that will debut on Blog Talk Radio in April. This is a weekly show that will feature free on-air readings (and who doesn't love those?), as well as interviews with local and national people of interest to the metaphysical community. More info here, and this will be updated as we get closer to our first air date.

Interested in being a guest on the show? Email me at karen@fogcitypsychic.com.

I'm also working on ideas for a workshop that's tentatively planned for late summer in San Francisco. This would be a half-day class that encourages people who are developing their intuition to experiment and learn in a safe, protected space. Because we are ALL psychic, everyone can tap into their intuitive gifts. We just need someone to show us how. And we need the encouragement and support of like-minded people so we can practice honing our gifts without feeling like crazy people! ;-)

Interested in joining the mailing list for classes, workshops, radio show updates, and more? Please drop me a line at karen@fogcitypsychic.com.

Spot the Psychic Scam Artists! (part 2)

2009-03-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

3. Don't let yourself be frightened/hurried/browbeaten into doing ANYTHING. Consider the stereotypical used car salesman. He wants you to drive off the lot in that banged-up 1979 Mercury Comet with "slight" flood damage TODAY. And he'll do or say anything to close the sale. If you ask for a test drive, he'll make you feel silly for doubting his word about what a great car it is. And if you insist, he'll ride with you and turn up the radio so loud you can't hear the engine shedding parts all over the road.

Fake psychics want you to hand over your cash before you've had a chance to think twice. Sometimes they'll say there's a "curse" on you that must be removed RIGHT AWAY or else the consequences will be terrible!! Some will even tell you that your willingness to immediately send them a ton of money in good faith is part of the cure for the "curse"!

I met a woman who was told that if she didn't Western Union a large amount of money to the psychic within 48 hours, her loved one would die. She was terrified, and sent the money right away. By the time she'd calmed down and had a chance to think clearly, the money was gone and the "psychic" wasn't returning her phone calls.

Don't let anyone talk you into doing something that doesn't feel right to you. If the psychic is pressuring you to do anything, or making you feel threatened in any way, hang up the phone or walk out of the session. Don't worry about seeming rude .... just get out of there as fast as you can.

Spot the Psychic Scam Artists! (part 1)

2009-03-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Folks from the Bay Area may have been following this story. Phony psychics are everywhere. They will gleefully separate you from your money and most of the time there is nothing you can do to get it back.

I often meet people who tell me about getting scammed by so-called psychics. Besides taking their victims for a financial ride, scamsters often do tremendous emotional and spiritual harm to the vulnerable people who've turned to them for help.

Here are some tips for avoiding the con artists:

1. Do your research. Take a look at the psychic's website. Does their approach resonate with you? If the website is full of flashing lights, incoherent sentences and misspelled words ... move on. Find someone who is thoughtful about explaining what they do and why they do it. The approach you see on their site is probably a good clue to how they'll treat you in your session. Do you want all flash and no substance? Or someone who knows what they're doing?

What is the psychic's experience and training? Don't take their word for it, either. With the power of Google, you can quickly check out claims of publication, media and personal appearances, for example.

Check them out on Yelp or other sites where you can read online reviews from clients. Don't just pick someone at random out of the phone book or call a psychic hotline on a whim. You don't know who you'll end up talking to.

2. Keep an open mind, but use your common sense. Once you've booked a session and are talking with your psychic, keep an open mind. One of the most frustrating things people can do in a session is to try to stonewall the psychic to make them "prove" their gifts. I call these the "what color is my car?" clients. If you're looking for an insightful answer to whatever question you called me to work on ... ask the darn question, already! The more willing you are to be specific and open energetically when you're expressing your concern, the more in-depth and accurate your answer will be.

With that said, though, you need to remember to use your common sense. Phony psychics often use a technique called "cold reading," in which they gather information about you from what you tell them, as well as your non-verbal cues, and then repackage the information with a few likely guesses to make you think they're magically reading your mind! Do a search on "cold reading" to get some examples of how this works.

(to be continued ...)

Hail! Rain! Sun! Rainbow! More hail! (and change aplenty)

2009-02-17T10:53:00.000-08:00

The weather this week has been keeping me guessing. We're veering from one dramatic expression of nature to another, and it's fascinating to watch ... if you're inside where it's warm and dry, that is.

The rapidly changing weather is a good metaphor for all the change that's happening for me, too! I began 2009 by restating my intention to be open and flexible when opportunity knocks ... and as soon as I did that, things have been hopping!

I want to thank all of you who've taken advantage of my Valentines reading special. The offer is good on any reading booked through 2/21 (that's this Saturday), so jump on it if you haven't already! Details in the post below, and also here.

Thanks, too, to those of you who had comments and guest suggestions for my BlogTalkRadio show! Please keep them coming! Email me at karen@fogcitypsychic.com. You can see my info and find out a little bit about the planned format here, and my goal is to take the show live by 1 April. My *secret* goal is to get started even earlier than that! I'll keep you posted.

And I've finally decided to join the 21st century and get a Twitter account! I'm just starting out, and I'd be honored if you'd follow me. I'll return the favor, and I'll even steal your clever posts and re-tweet them as my own! (just kidding ... really) If you want to take the risk, I'm @FogCityPsychic.

Valentines Reading Special and radio musings

2009-02-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

First things first: When you book a phone reading with me between now and 2/21, you'll get 15 minutes free! It's my Valentines way of saying "thank you" to all of you for helping get Fog City Psychic up and running! If you book a 30-minute reading, you'll get 45 minutes. Book a 60-minute reading and get 75 minutes. Not too shabby, right?

And now a question for you: I've been encouraged to consider beginning a weekly broadcast on BlogTalk Radio (check it out here). The show would go out live and then be archived for your listening convenience. It would also be available as a free download on iTunes.

As I envision it, the show would be 60 minutes long. About half would be spent taking calls from folks who want a free mini-reading. The other 30 minutes would be devoted to conversation with people from the local and national metaphysical community.

What do you think? Would you listen? Have any guest suggestions? I'd love to hear from you. Email me at karen@fogcitypsychic.com

Free readings tonight in Belmont

2009-01-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

I was invited to be part of the annual "What's Your Sign?" event at Notre Dame de Namur College in Belmont, CA. I'll be giving free readings tonight (1/27) from 7-9 pm at "The Oaks" on campus. If you're in that neck of the woods, please stop by to say hello!

Alcatraz

2009-01-22T19:56:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to take a night tour of Alcatraz, and this week I got my chance!

Alcatraz has a reputation as a haunted place, and you don't have to be an intuitive to be aware of the island's eerie atmosphere. Before I go into a place like this, I make sure that I've taken steps to protect myself so I don't get blindsided by unasked-for clairvoyant or clairaudient information.

I was visiting as a tourist with my friend, poet and mystery writer Jan Warner. Because we were there to see the sights and learn about the island, I had my psychic shields up and in the locked position (!) during our time there. I'd love to go back sometime with a group doing a paranormal investigation, so that I could open up a bit and see what would happen.

The areas that especially interested me psychically were the shower area, D block (the isolation and segregation area), and the hospital section. As I said, I was pretty much on psychic lockdown during our visit, but the atmosphere in these areas is so strong that it couldn't be ignored. Again, I'd love to make another trip for the purpose of exploring the Spirit side of Alcatraz.

Foggy morning

2009-01-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

As the sun was coming up this morning, it brought out beautiful pink highlights on the low-lying fog. Again, the photos can't do it justice!

Holiday blessings

2008-12-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break to celebrate with my family, but will return on January 5th.

I'd like to wish all of you a joyous holiday! May 2009 bring peace and opportunity to everyone.

Blessings,
Karen

Profanity, parenting, puppies, and public places

2008-12-20T11:44:00.000-08:00

My youngest son and I went to Pet Camp today to pick up our dog, who'd been boarded there for the last few days. (Pet Camp ROCKS, by the way ... highly recommended.)

Our dog is high-spirited and energetic, and that's an understatement! She came racing out to greet us, barking for joy and wagging her tail so hard I was afraid she'd sprain something. With the help of a Pet Camp staffer, we wrestled her into her collar and got the leash on.

With my (high-spirited and energetic) son leading the way, we headed for the door. The dog was pulling me all over the place, and it was all I could do to stay on my feet ... and here it needs to be said that the dog is only 35 pounds, and I'm a woman of Formidable Heft.

Just as we got to the door, and my son was reaching for the handle, the dog gave a tremendous yank, and I dropped the leash. As I bent down to pick it up, my purse fell out of my hand and poured out all over the floor!

Without thinking, I said "CRAP!!!" and bent down to retrieve all the junk from the floor.

My son, following my good parenting example, yelled "CRAP!!!" as loud as he possibly could. And that's pretty loud.

Although I was still bent over, I could feel the disapproval of the other people in the place. We got out of there fast!

Questions and answers

2008-12-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

For the first time in a long time, I have the whole day off! My partner let me stay in bed while she made breakfast for the boys and did the morning chores. I was able to finish the book I've been reading and then get started on some writing I've been putting off.

My first-ever radio appearance is coming up on 12/22 (more info here) and the host asked me to submit a list of possible questions I'd like to be asked, along with the answers she should expect.

I thought it would be very easy to put the list together for her. How hard could it be? But I kept putting it off because I couldn't think of the "right" questions. What are the three or four things I really want to get across in the interview? And because I need to supply an outline of the answers, too, it forced me to focus even more closely on what I actually have to contribute to the discussion.

After the interview part of the show, they'll be opening up the phone lines for folks who want a free mini-reading on the air. That's the part I'm looking forward to the most, I think! I'm always more comfortable opening stuff up for other people than I am babbling on about myself.

Anyway, I finished the list of questions and answers this morning and sent it on its way. And now the boys and I are going to put up the Christmas tree!

Cafe Gratitude

2008-11-30T13:57:00.000-08:00

My partner and I had a babysitter yesterday (the crowd goes wild!!!), and got to spend some much-needed "grownup time" together. We visited some bookstores, drove around talking and laughing our heads off, and just generally enjoyed reconnecting.

With about an hour left of our grownup time, we decided to stop in somewhere for tea and a snack before heading back into our lives as parents to two very energetic boys.

We ended up at Cafe Gratitude on Harrison St., and walked in without any idea of what we were getting into.

You can read more about the cafe and their philosophy here. Please do!

I'll just say that it was the perfect place to spend a small part of my Thanksgiving weekend. It seems to me that Thanksgiving, which should be all about abundance and appreciation of what we have, has been transformed into a holiday that's all about not having enough (and not having the "right" things). And of course, Christmas is right around the corner ... and we are supposed to need/buy/want more and more and more and more ... (don't get me started on Christmas).

So for me, happening into Cafe Gratitude yesterday was a wonderful way to reorient myself in the midst of this weird holiday greed-fest. And the food was fantastic, to boot!

Am I sufficiently fascinating?

2008-11-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

Last week I had a screening interview for a spot on a talk radio show. The host interviews Bay Area psychics, alternative healers, and other guests of interest to the metaphysical community.

I've worked as an actor since I was a kid, and I know a thing or two about getting through an audition. But this was different -- there was no script, no role to read for. The host was going to audition me to see if I was interesting (and credible) enough to be a guest on her show. I couldn't fall back on someone else's scripted words or a well-rehearsed monologue.

As I sat in my office and waited for the phone to ring, I was nervous. What was I going to say? What if I sounded like a moron? Or said something stupid? Or ... worst of all ... what if I found I had absolutely nothing to say at all?

The phone rang.

I took a deep breath, sent up a prayer for the right words at the right time, and answered.

Once I let go of my fear, the interview went very well. In fact, the host and I ended up chatting a lot longer than we'd intended. So apparently I am sufficiently fascinating ... at least for one hour's worth of radio time! ;-)

I've been booked for Monday 22 December from 8:00 to 9:00 pm. You can get info about the show here.

Foggy Saturday

2008-11-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

Out for a walk with the dog on a very foggy Saturday! These photos were taken in McLaren Park. Although it wasn't raining, the fog was so heavy we were soaked by the time we got home.

Halloween fog

2008-10-31T13:38:00.001-07:00

I took this picture today in McLaren Park, one of my favorite open spaces in the city. The way the light's coming through the thick clouds reminds me of the way things seem to me at this time of year, when the veil between the Spirit World and our world is very thin.

Loosening up

2008-10-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

I believe that I am supported and guided in the work I'm doing, and that what I need will be there for me when I need it. But I have to set an intention every single day -- or several times each day -- to honor and live out that belief, because it's so tempting (and easy!) to slip back into my standard control-everything, live-in-fear mode.

I'm also knitting Christmas presents (mostly dishcloths, since that's about my speed). The piece that's on my needles now wasn't looking quite like it should, so I went back to the website I got the pattern from to see what I was doing wrong.

Turns out I am knitting much too tightly, which can distort the look of the project. And the answer to that, I'm afraid, is to loosen my death-grip on the needles! Once I relax and just let the yarn do what it's meant to do, things fall right into place.

Of course, loosening up couldn't possibly apply to any other issues in my life, so I'll just leave it there. ;-) Funny how the universe gets messages across.

Jumping to conclusions

2008-10-22T11:30:00.001-07:00

I'm a single mom for the next couple of days, and that makes just about everything a little more challenging.

This morning, I needed to grab a shower before taking my boys (5 and 8) to school. I told them that I expected good behavior from them, and that I'd be out of the shower as quickly as possible.

I had no sooner turned on the water than I heard an ominous galloping sound in the hall. Someone was running around. Then came door-slamming. And hysterical laughter, followed by more galloping and door-slamming.

"Boys," I shouted from inside the shower. "The door is not a toy." There was a brief silence, and I heard my oldest son say, "The door is not a toy!" Both kids laughed like it was the funniest thing anyone had ever said. More galloping.

And so I had a choice. I could leap, cursing and dripping, out of the shower and start yelling at the kids to stop all that noise. On the other hand, they sounded like they were having fun and nothing had been broken (yet, anyway).

It took an iron will, but I stayed in the shower until I was reasonably clean. I dried off and put on a bathrobe. And THEN I went to see what the boys were doing.

They were turning their bedroom into a haunted house! They'd been running back and forth to get yarn and string to make "cobwebs" in the corners, and they'd cut out different scary shapes to put on the bedroom door and on the walls.

If I'd leapt screaming out of the shower and done my Crazy Yelling Mom thing, I would have stopped the fun and missed seeing their obvious glee and pride in what they were making.

By not immediately jumping to the worst possible conclusion, opportunities for joy and growth may appear in the space I leave for them.

Telling them what they didn't want to hear

2008-10-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

In two readings this week, I've found myself in the position of having to tell people what they don't want to hear. The readings were very different ... one was a client asking for guidance around a relationship, and the other centered on the client's current and prospective job opportunities. But in both cases, the guidance I received from Spirit meant that I had to tell them the exact opposite of what they hoped I'd say.

In both cases, it would have been easier to just say what the client wanted to hear. But I feel very strongly that I need to convey information just as I receive it from Spirit.

I have an ethical obligation to treat the person who's come to me for advice with complete honesty and integrity. A client should have every expectation that I will gently tell the truth with love and compassion, but not sugarcoat or alter the message to make them like me better or feel happier about the choices they're making.

If I can't be counted on to tell the truth, even if it's uncomfortable, then why would anyone trust any guidance I gave them?

Coming Out of the Psychic Closet, Part 2: "So, What Are You Up to These Days?

2008-10-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

Although I've been psychic forever, and although I've been exploring and expanding my intuitive gifts since ... always, it wasn't until quite recently that I made it "official." When I gave myself permission to actually BE the intuitive person I've always been, when I allowed myself to be open to the possibility that this was my Life's Work, things moved mighty fast.

I printed business cards. I built a website. I began reading for clients who weren't family or friends or friends of friends. And I was faced with a dilemma: Who do I tell what I'm doing?

I don't believe that you have to tell everyone everything ... but I also have a no-lying policy that's stood me in good stead for many years. The no-lying policy is basically a way for me to be sure I'm living my most authentic life. If I'm ashamed of what I'm doing, or afraid people will make fun of me, that's a pretty strong sign that I have more inner work to do.

On the other hand, I have family members and some acquaintances who would definitely be baffled and/or angry and/or concerned for my immortal soul if I told them that I was working as a professional intuitive counselor and psychic channel. No amount of explanation or earnest attempts to educate them is going to make the slightest bit of difference. They'll be hurt, and so will I.

So here's how I've implemented the no-lying policy. If someone says, "So, what are you up to these days?" and if that someone is likely to be sympathetic or tolerant or open-minded, then I tell them about this part of my life. If they are likely to be hurt or shocked, I tell them about the many other parts of my life. Why cause more pain in a world that's already full of it?

If someone asks me directly about the website or about whether or not I believe in psychic phenomena, I will not lie about or hide things that are such a big part of my identity and spiritual journey.

I think it's vital for me to be around people who are like-minded souls, so that we can support each other on this strange and wonderful journey. But it's equally vital to be with and learn from those who don't share my view of the world. What makes this interesting is to try to balance being open to what some call a "teachable moment" without unintentionally harming or baffling people who don't want to be taught.

Ooey surveys the city

2008-10-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's a beautiful crisp, cool autumn day. My younger son's favorite stuffed toy, who he named "Ooey" for reasons that escape me (maybe it's like "Moo-ey"?) had to be washed today and I put him out on the deck to dry.

When I came out to check on him, I took this picture of him looking out over the city.

The city is just sparkling today, and Ooey and I can see all the way over to Mt. Diablo!

I will now get back to work and stop fooling around with my son's stuffed cow. (It is Friday, after all!)

Winchester Mystery House

2008-10-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

I moved to San Francisco in January of 1987, and visited the Mystery House sometime soon after. It didn't make a big impression on me. There's a lot of hype about this place ... Britain's LivingTV "reality" show Most Haunted even did a live broadcast from the location last Halloween.

A friend invited me to meet her in San Jose yesterday, and we toured the Mystery House together. I was secretly hoping for something ghostly ... or ghastly ... or spooky.

No such luck.

The Winchester Mystery House is a classic example of taking an idea/place that has fabulous potential and missing the point. There's so much material here to make a good, lively tour ... the mysterious, eccentric Sarah Winchester ... the rambling, random building style of the home ... the clever innovations she came up with to make life easier for her there. Heck, you could even draw on the many ghost stories about the mansion.

But the tour group I was with heard only a canned spiel about the house (details about the kind of wood used on the floors, for instance) that completely failed to convey what life was like in the house for those who lived and worked there. And the ghost story aspect was never mentioned ... not even in passing!

The guide made several dismissive (and weirdly sexist), clueless "jokes" about life in the 19th century. And although spiritualism was touched on very briefly, it was spoken about as something Sarah Winchester believed that proved she was insane. No mention of how the spiritualist movement in the 19th century was a tremendously galvanizing force for many of all social classes in America and beyond.

I left the house feeling that a great disservice had been done. Not just to Sarah Winchester, who both loved and felt trapped in her enormous house, but to the hundreds of people who worked on it over the years, and to those who feel drawn to it still. I heard a tour guide talking to one of the visitors after the official tour was over, and his love for the house and deep knowledge of it was very apparent. Why not use some of that passion in creating the scripted tour?

If you're interested in seeing what I saw on the tour, there's a great guide to the house here (created by a former tour guide): http://strangetastic.com/strangetastic-winchester-mystery-house/

A lot of what really went on in the house is a mystery to this day. I'd like to see the proprietors concentrate more on the mystery, and less on the gift shop and scripted spiels.

(image is one of the many beautiful Tiffany stained glass windows in the home)

2008-10-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

I took this photo last week when we spent the afternoon hiking around Mt. Davidson in SF. It doesn't do justice to the beauty of what I saw when I looked through the camera.

Coming Out of the Psychic Closet, Part 1: Labels

2008-10-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

To a lot of us, the word "psychic" conjures up an image of a gypsy woman in a shabby carnival tent. Cross her palm with silver and she'll look into her crystal ball and divine your future. Or maybe we think of unscrupulous TV "mediums," preying on grief-stricken people for their own financial gain.

When I realized that I was meant to be using my intuitive gifts to help other people connect with Source in their own lives, it turned my well-ordered world upside down. Deciding how to label myself seemed like a small concern among so many others, but it turns out to be an important thing.

Getting business cards printed forced me to face this head-on. Would I call myself a psychic? Intuitive? Clairvoyant? Medium? Part of my work is helping people who feel that their homes or workplaces might be haunted ... what catchy phrase could I shoehorn onto the card to cover that?

My teacher and mentor calls himself a "channel." When I met him for the first time, I was afraid he might suddenly morph into a 3,000 year-old warrior or something. Although I know that there are gifted and genuine channels of this kind out there, I'm a bit put off by the theatrics involved in the process for some.

He quickly explained he didn't mean that kind of channel. He sees himself as a conduit for messages from Spirit. This makes perfect sense to me, and it's exactly how I think of myself. So I decided to label myself a "psychic channel" -- meaning that I am someone who is willing to act as a conduit for relaying information received psychically from Spirit.

The "intuitive guide" label came very naturally to me. One of the most important parts of this work for me is to help people who are feeling stuck move forward on their spiritual paths. Together we explore their options, and I use my intuition to see where Source can lead them for their highest and best outcome.

Next time: I've got business cards burning a hole in my pocket, but who can I tell (and will they make fun of me)?