May 2005

This past month has been an interesting one for me. What about you? It’s been full of contrasts and peeks and valleys with emotional highs and lows, moments of doubt and moments of complete faith, bouts of confusion and glimpses of clarity. Now, as I am emerging from the fog and regaining my equilibrium, I recognize the symptoms. I call it a spiritual growth spurt. We are always learning and growing. But there are some times when the questions become deeper and we search a little harder for the answers. I was getting a little too comfortable, perhaps, so it took some discomfort to propel me forward again, to get me learning new things and new ideas that would add to the growth of my Spirit. There really are no right answers, anyway, are there? Only an expansion of one’s own wisdom that reminds us again and again about whom we really are. It is so true that the more we know, the more we know that we don’t know. And isn’t that the fun of it all?

In the next story, I want to share with you one of the recurring themes I have been experiencing during my “growth spurt.”

For quite some time now, I have had the words “dance lessons” on my to do list. I never took any dance classes as a child and dancing has never been one of my fortes. But I have felt drawn and guided to learn to move my body in new ways. I have thought about belly dancing, Flamenco, and even taking lessons with my husband (he has agreed to this).

Lately, I have come to a deeper understanding about this urge to dance. It’s about a lot more than shaking your body to music. When you stop to think about dance, it is amazing how it permeates every culture, religion, and society. It is used as ritual among indigenous peoples and ancient cultures. It expresses celebration at weddings and other rites of passage. It is used to tell stories. Every generation (and the experiences of that generation) can be defined be the type of dances they were doing, whether it was Swing, the Twist, or Disco.

Dance expresses the energy – the soul – of a group or culture and provides an outlet for every individual to express his or her own energy, or soul. When you allow the music to flow through you and move your body, it is the ultimate expression of freedom. And it can be a spiritual experience.

More than that, the physical dance is a metaphor for the spiritual dance of life. The song “I Hope You Dance” says it so well. We don’t want to sit this one out. We want to get in there and dance. Of course, that’s easy when everything is coming up roses. It’s like your favorite song is playing and you just can’t wait to get out there on the dance floor. But what about when the music changes? How do you dance to a song you can’t stand? Why should you? Maybe it’s because if you can find a way to move with it, find some piece of beauty in it, it will be a little easier to endure.

For many of us on the spiritual path, we want to stay in the love and light and avoid looking at our own shadows, our own pain and suffering, or the pain and suffering of others. But if we truly want to grow spiritually, we must look at the whole picture. We must face our fears and be honest with ourselves about what is going on inside of us and around us. We must learn to dance with the bad times, as well as the good times. All of this pain and darkness is merely an illusion anyway, a dream we have created individually and collectively. But we cannot fully understand that until we dance with it all.

During a recent seminar I attended, someone said to me “I hope you laugh until you cry and cry until you laugh.” Ironically, during that week, I did both. I danced with it all and it was the ultimate expression of freedom. I also had the chance to do some physical dancing that week. When I let go and allowed the music to move me, this too was the ultimate expression of freedom. It led me to write the following poem, which sums up what I am attempting to say here:

The Dance of Freedom

I do hope you dance, physically and spiritually. Crank up the music, close the shades, let loose, and dance as if no one is watching (hopefully they’re not). It’s a great way to get that old and stuck energy moving and flowing. It is a wonderful way to get in touch with your spirit, your passion and your creativity. And at the very least, it’s fun! Meanwhile, I am still planning on signing up for those lessons. I’ll keep you posted.

About Archangel Zadkiel (taken from Doreen Virtue’s “Archangel Oracle Cards booklet): His name means “Mercy of God” and he helps us release unforgiveness toward ourselves and others. Zadkiel is the ultimate spiritual professor. He’s patient, kind, and has access to all knowledge. He’s widely known for his ability to help human memory function. Sometimes Zadkiel uses the Socratic method of teaching, which means that he’ll lead you so can learn for yourself. Being observant of patterns in everything you see, hear, and think is the best way to benefit from Zadkiel’s teachings.

“To have a clear mind is one of the great keys of spiritual mastery. Do not underestimate the power of the human mind and the great complexity of the brain. There is so much more that your science has to uncover about this great mystery. Your mind spans many planes and dimensions and links your conscious Being to your physical Being. There is a creative process constantly in motion and the control tower is located within your mind. So who is manning the control tower? Have you abandoned your station there? Are you allowing the clutter and commotion to infiltrate and take command?

“Ask us angels for help in clearing away the debris that clogs your mind. A great time to do this is before and during your sleep. Release all of your peripheral thoughts from your day. Ask us to sweep away the images and stimuli that have bombarded your brain in your waking hours. Then awake refreshed with a mind that is as crystal clear as the still water of a lake.

“Maintain your clarity through mental awareness. Pay attention to the thoughts, worries, and fears that are arising and then, as the commander of your control tower, choose only those thoughts that bring peace, love and success. Still your mind through meditation, physical exercise, relaxation, contemplation, and breath. By regaining the control and clarity of the mind, your Spirit will soar to new heights of freedom and restoration.”

Angel Blessings!
Ellen Valladares
Angel Therapy Practitioner^TM

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For more details or information about any of the classes, please see my website – www.connectingwithlight.com (classes and workshops) or email me at ellenwv@aol.com. Please call the shops ahead to register and confirm as schedules sometimes do change.

June 2005

Angelic Greetings,

Happy summer everyone! I realize it’s not officially summer but here in Florida, the rain, heat, and humidity have already set in and the kids are out of school. So that’s official enough for me. I love that I have young kids in school because I get to feel and experience the wonders of “summer vacation” again. I have a lot of wonderful memories about summers. Looking back, they were always times when I got to spread my wings a bit and test my independence. I definitely did some growing up during those times, whether it was a summer camp experience (not my favorite) or spending the summer with relatives in the suburbs of Chicago, traveling with my brother in Canada, or taking on my first summer jobs. I have to say one of my all-time favorite summer memories was exactly 20 years ago when I got to travel to Europe and ended up meeting the love of my life (my wonderful husband!).

Today, I look forward to the relaxed schedule and family fun that summer brings. The rules relax, too. The other night, the kids were outside playing until 8:30 p.m. (a big stretch from their usual 5:30 curfew). And on Sunday, we made our own ice cream sundaes – right at dinner time – oh my!

Even if you don’t have children, I’m sure you can still appreciate the slower pace that comes in the summer time (especially here in Florida). It’s the perfect time to slow down a bit and have some fun. And just think, when it’s over, you won’t even have to turn in a paper about “How I Spent my Summer Vacation.” Just enjoy!

Silence, Breath, and Nature

When I was sitting outside the other day, I got this message that I wanted to pass on to you. The angels and fairies said that people could feel so much better if they would put three simple things into their lives every day: Silence, Breath, and Nature.

The great thing about this is that it is so easy to put these things into your life. Everyone can find at least five minutes for each of these in their day. And the benefits are enormous where your peace of mind is concerned.

Silence may be the most challenging. We bombard ourselves with all kinds of chatter and noise constantly throughout our day. We awake to the radio, turn on the television, listen to the radio in the car, go to the computer, and so on. All that noise keeps you tuned in externally, whereas a moment of silence will help you tune in internally and make that ever-so-important mind-body-spirit connection. You can take a few moments of silence while you are driving, or when you awake, or before you go to sleep. Remember that silence means allowing your mind chatter to be quiet as well. An easy way to quiet your mind is to breathe in and out slowly while counting to 10 again and again. Or choose a word to repeat.

Breath is an easy one and can (and should) be done anywhere and everywhere. Sometimes when we are busy and stressed, we breathe shallowly. We just need to be conscious of that and take some deeper, full breaths, circulating our life force energy throughout our whole body.

Nature is pretty easy too. I know it’s been raining a lot but there have been some moments in between. I know because my kids have found them. Just a few minutes spent in nature breathing in the fresh air and taking in the natural light will leave you feeling refreshed and re-energized. At the very least, you will relax for a moment and that is so important to your well-being.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by trying to devote hours of your schedule to meditation and exercise, this is a wonderful place to start. As you work with Silence, Breath, and Nature, a more balanced lifestyle will naturally emerge and ultimately bring you to where you want to be.

Archangel of the Month: Jeremiel

Card: Overcoming Difficulties
Message on Card: “The worst is now behind you and you’re surmounting any previous challenges.”

About Archangel Jeremiel (taken from Doreen Virtue’s “Archangel Oracle Cards booklet): His name means “Mercy of God” and when you call upon him he delivers mercy to you and to everyone involved. One of Jeremiel’s purposes is to help newly crossed-over souls review their lives. He also helps those who are still living to make life reviews. Take time to be alone and ask Jeremiel to help you review where you’ve been, what you’ve learned, what patterns you are ready to release, and what things you are grateful for in your life. His aura is a deep purple, eggplant color and he is associated with the amethyst crystal.

Message from Jeremiel on June 8, 2005:

“I am here to reassure all that all is well and there has been a purpose to the ‘rainy season’ that souls have been experiencing. Many have felt challenged, stuck and indecisive lately. They have seen and felt obstacles in their paths. Have faith, dear ones. Your perseverance is soon to be rewarded. If you have used this time to learn and to let go of old patterns that no longer reflect who you are, then there is cause for celebration.

“To some, I am known as the Angel of Death; to some, the Angel of Mercy. It is all the same for as you allow death to come to any part of yourself, you allow for healing and transformation and this is Mercy to your Spirit. This is freedom. So many fear death and what they perceive as finality. But death is a gift of transformation, not to be feared, but to be celebrated and honored. When you learn to die these ‘small’ deaths, letting go of personality flaws, ego-driven motivations, or just unforgiveness and pain from past memories, then you learn to accept death with grace.

“If you are having difficulty seeing or feeling the grace of any particular moment, please call upon me. I will help you to see the larger picture and the grand purpose. Then you will truly know and feel, as we angels do, that in every moment, all is well.”

Angel Blessings!

Ellen Valladares,
Angel Therapy PractitionerTM
www.connectingwithlight.com
ellenwv@aol.com

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Upcoming Workshops

A Fun Afternoon of Comedy and Mediumship
With Connie and Martin Jordan

I wanted to let to you know about an exciting evening coming up at New Age Emporium on Sunday, July 10. A fellow Angel Therapy Practitioner^TM , Connie Jordan, who lives in Sarasota and who I’ve known since my ATP training, will be making a special appearance to share her unique metaphysical comedy routine. Yes, metaphysical comedy. The angels love it when we laugh, you know. And Connie has a special gift for bringing about that laughter. She’s appeared in comedy clubs around the U.S. but her favorite thing is to do her unique brand of metaphysical comedy for spiritual people (like us) who “get it.” To add to this great night, her husband Martin, an acclaimed medium, will be giving mediumship readings to the audience. I love their flyer which says their show is like “Comedy Central meets Crossing Over.”  I can’t wait to see them in action. Hope you can come and meet this wonderful couple – you’ll love them. Here are the details:

Sunday, July 10th
4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

New Age Emporium,
3508 S. University Drive
Davie, FL
The cost is $15.
Call to register at 954-370-9851.
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For more details or information about any of the following classes, please see my website www.connectingwithlight.com  (classes and workshops) or email me at ellenwv@aol.com. Please call the shops ahead to register and confirm as schedules sometimes do change.

Classes at Angel Haven
1318 East Las Olas Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale
Call to Register: 954-522-4720

Thursday, June 9, 7:15 p.m. – Angel Medicine (Learn healing techniques and experience a powerful healing meditation. Bring your cards and something comfortable to lie on.)

Wednesday, June 22, 7:15 p.m. – Full Moon Release with the Angels (We’ll take advantage of the full moon to release some of the thoughts, beliefs, patterns, etc., we no longer need.)


Classes at Crystal Vision
3160 Stirling Road, Hollywood
Call to Register: 954-981-4992

Tuesday, June 14, 7:15 p.m. – Angel Medicine (Learn healing techniques and experience a powerful healing meditation. Bring your cards and something comfortable to lie on.)