November 2018 Specials

Happy Halloween! Happy Samhain and Happy Celtic New Year! Today’s the last day for October 2018 Specials — including “Boo, Gothca!” and the year-long Wheel of the Year Special — which you can find by clicking here. With All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day and Veterans Day in November, it seems like a good time to focus on the soul’s challenges, gifts and goals. With changing weather and the approaching holiday season, it also feels wise to offer extra medical intuitive support. As always, I design each month’s specials based on needs I sense.

NOVEMBER 2018 SPECIALS 

Ace in the Soul

When soul meets body at birth, soul leaves a record of its intentions, goals, wounds and gifts.

Your natal chart (also called your birth chart) reveals the hand you’re dealt. Or, rather: the hand you’ve dealt yourself. This month’s Ace in the Soul special helps you play those cards to the best of your ability. In this 40-minute astrology reading, we can cover basics like your Sun, Moon and Rising sign, but I really love figuring out what game your soul came here to play. Knowing your soul’s unique playbook gives you a much better chance of winning your game of life. I decode areas less covered by most astrologers. Together, we’ll explore your soul’s “rules,” vulnerabilities, and especially your hidden aces.

(This special can also provide valuable insight for parents looking to understand and support their young ones.)

You’ll get the most comprehensive reading if you know the exact birth time, date and place; however, I can still tell a lot from birth date and location. $122 for 40 minutes if prepaid on or before 11/30/18. (Save $55 off the usual astrology rate). Please contact me here to sign up.

40-Minute Medical Intuitive Special

Save 25% ($44) off the usual rate for a 40-Minute Medical Intuitive Reading.

Medical Intuition is the ability to access information about physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through “reading” the energy field around the body. A Medical Intuitive session decodes the message(s) from soul to body into language your conscious mind can understand and begin to address. It is not meant to replace traditional medical or psychological treatment, and it is not any form of medical or psychological treatment.

Instead, Medical Intuitive readings look for the root cause of continuing symptoms or conditions. Without addressing the root cause, even the “right” treatments or treatment providers fail to find a cure … or … a person continues to experience one new issue after another. By locating the root cause, a Medical Intuitive reading allows the individual to understand what the soul wants, so that healing can move through all the levels, including physical.

$133 (instead of the usual $177) for 40 minutes, if purchased on or before 11/30/18. Please contact me to sign up.

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/31/november-2018-specials/

Traverse City Weekend Getaway

David and I took a well-earned mini-vacation this weekend, driving three hours north to Traverse City, Michigan. I’ve had Traverse City on my radar for awhile, because per capita it seems to have the largest number of Reiki Master Teachers in Michigan. This is anecdotal, but I consider clusters of RMT’s, vegan and gluten-free food options, metaphysical shops, and art galleries as kind of energetic signature that sparks my interest. We chose this weekend hoping to find peak fall colors, and wow, did we ever! The golds lit up the grey mist, as did friendly locals and cozy food.

I thought I’d share some photos and expriences here since I have a lot of vegan and/or gluten-free readers. Traveling can pose challenges for special diets unless you find yourself in a major city or along the East or West Coast. With all my (43) moves, I’m hard pressed to list another small location other than Sedona or Tahoe with this many vegan and gluten-free choices.

We first stopped in Oryana, a real community co-op that reminded me of the food co-op in Ashland, Oregon. You could tell this was much more than a store. It felt like a community gathering place, and Oryana Cafe is amazing! We got a fresh juice on Saturday, and yesterday I got an almond milk matcha latte. We split their Vegan Reuben and their Grilled Veggie sandwiches:

Those weren’t gluten-free, but they were 100% delicious. So delicious, in fact, that we got one quart each of gf-vegan curried cauliflower soup and lentil soup, along with some perfectly marinated beets. They also had a hot bar with many gluten-free and/or vegan items, plus four vegan hot soups, including an award winning chili. Next time we go to Traverse City, we’ll eat there for at least one meal a day. Even with all the other dining options, the freshness and quality of these ingredients just popped.

For dinner on Saturday, we ate at Red Mesa Grill, a Mexican restaurant that also caters to various dietary preferences and needs. Our waitress recommended we split the Wild Mushroom Fajitas, and even sharing our entree, we were stuffed. Their homemade salsa was the best I’ve had since leaving the Southwest, so good that I liked it even better than the guacamole. This never happens, LOL! I love guac. The salsa was just that good. We found our waitress so helpful in navigating what we could or couldn’t eat on the menu. She offered changes, omissions and personal feedback as a vegetarian herself. They have, on request, gluten-free tortillas, as well as three types of gluten-free beer. We didn’t get that, but they offer it.

We enjoyed talking with locals, like Sue Ann Round, owner of Michigan Artists Gallery. As we entered, we saw a huge painted door, which reminded David and me of my own painted portal doors. This hare, in turn, reminded me of Tania Marie:

This gallery features artists from all over Michigan, but it’s not just a local art gallery. Sue Ann is one high vibe woman! Synchronicities kept arising, and we found her as delightful as all the art.

I’m not going in chronological order, because Traverse City felt like we entered a time warp. We spent hours at Higher Shelf Bookstore and Horizon Books, getting holiday gifts for some friends.

We also found some new crystal friends for ourselves:

We took these home from Nawbin, which from the outside looks just like a bead and knick-knack shop. We had never seen such lively labradorite, and David’s piece on the left is almost nine inches tall! We usually find much smaller pieces or pendants. Nawbin’s selection was exceptional. Labradorite strengthens intuition, will power, goals, and connects the mental and emotional bodies. Plus, it just looks pretty — like water in the sunlight.

We walked through Traverse City and State parks. The weather felt very Pacific Northwest. Although the fall colors popped, the low light conditions didn’t allow David’s phone to capture things as bright as they appeared. Here are some shots from in town and in nearby Peninsula Township:

Giant pumpkins and owls! What’s not to love?!

For reference, the 45th parallel also runs through Yellowstone and Northern Italy. David wanted to document me standing half way between the North Pole and the Equator. After our drive to the tip of Peninsula Township, we hiked around in the rain and then drank in the views the entire way back to Traverse City. Not only did photos fail to capture the sheer magnificence of gold, but a half hour of jiggling with photos and WordPress won’t allow me to share any of the scenic overlooks. You’ll just have to take my word for it or go see for yourself. Gold and green everywhere with little strokes of red. Nature creates the best art of all.

We worked up quite an appetite in the chilly wind and mist, so we stopped for some Himalayan Street Food on our way out of town. Also known as “Nepalese Have Another,” this food truck made us nostalgic for one of our favorite restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin, Himul Chuli. This hot pink food truck in Traverse City, photos of which my laptop likewise refuses to load, was a welcome sight on a grey afternoon. We split the root vegetable curry with a side of dahl, and our tummies went to heaven.

Based on conversations with locals, our whirlwind but extra relaxed trip didn’t even begin to explore what Traverse City and the surrounding areas have to offer. We look forward to future jaunts exploring Michigan’s famous M-22 scenic drive, as well as making our way through the many restaurants and side adventures in different seasons. Our day and a half getaway felt like a full week of rest and rejuvenation.

As usual, though, we felt so good returning to our Dra’Faven in Kalamazoo. Normally, I love living right by a large body of water, but for some reason, wherever we go, no matter how much we love our time there, we always enjoy coming home. To me, that’s worth the vacation, too: huge gratitude and joy in our everyday.

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/29/traverse-city-weekend-getaway/

Peace Mantra

I’ve received some texts and emails to the effect of “What the heck is happening out there?” Remember: peace in, peace out. Tend to your inner world first, and then you become the one who radiates peace into your outer world. For anyone feeling stressed, tense, or who simply wants to enhance a sense of calm, peace, clarity, and focus, here’s an hour of peace mantras:

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/peace-mantra/

Medical Intuitive FAQ: Can I Have a Session for Someone Else?

This wants to go up again, especially as the gulf continues to grow between people who are now reaping the benefits from years of inner processing and shadow work and some loved ones for whom the consequence tab has now come due. Sometimes it feels hard to claim your own hard earned joy and liberation, and you just want to “make” other people see how different life could be. Force is not a recipe for enlightenment and self-responsibility, though. This post shares my own ethics for supporting relationships while honoring individual choice and timing. Much love to all, wherever you find yourself on this spiral journey!

Laura Bruno's Blog

Well meaning friends and family members often ask me questions about other people in their lives who would not themselves be inclined to schedule their own Medical Intuitive or Soul Reading; however, I’ve noticed a major uptick in this trend during the past 24 hours. Because I know this issue comes up during sessions and emailed inquiries, I thought I’d post my general policy here.

My parameters for doing a session for a person through someone else include at least one of the following:

a) Expressed permission from that family member or friend to discuss whatever comes up.

b) That person would need to be a child or otherwise unable to express themselves or participate in a session (i.e. in a coma, autistic, no use of vocal cords, etc.).

c) I can do a session for you, but we would focus primarily on helping to support you in dealing…

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source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/medical-intuitive-faq-can-i-have-a-session-for-someone-else-2/

October 2018 Specials

Two weeks left for these specials. October seems surreal — both speeding by and in frame by frame slow motion.

Laura Bruno's Blog

OCTOBER 2018 SPECIALS

“Boo, Gotcha!” Big Picture Reboot

The title of this new special references that haunted house scare from someone or something jumping out when least expected. Some shocks are easier to laugh off than others; some of life’s “boo, gotcha!” moments can haunt us for years or even decades. This 30-minute session brings clarity and bigger picture context to the ghosts of your past. Whether from last week or eons ago, soul shocks finally begin to heal when we recognize and honor their role in the soul’s larger journey.

This session will help anyone with unexplained attachments, difficult breakups, sudden “accidents,” unexplained phobias, or feelings you just can’t shake. It can also provide clarity on recurring dreams, “blessings in disguise” where you can’t find the blessing, as well as “what are the odds?!” freakish experiences. A half-hour for $88 if prepaid on or by October 31, 2018. (Save…

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source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/17/october-2018-specials-2/

Lyme Book, Gardening and Other Updates

First, a Writing Update

I haven’t given a progress update in awhile, so I thought I’d share some recent developments with my Lyme books. Yes, that’s books, plural!

The Metaphysics of Lyme Disease has over 102,000 words and counting, written primarily by me, but also including wisdom, examples and inspiration from many Lyme savvy colleagues and survivors. I’m so grateful for their contributions, and I cannot believe how much I have grown along with the book. When I couldn’t find an astrologer to write the most important patterns I see again and again in the charts of Lyme clients, I formalized 12 years of armchair astrology, under the perfect-for-me mentorship of my dear friend Ann Kreilkamp.

Now I find another need to branch out, as I would love to offer one, primary, hands-on resource for guided journaling, self-assessment, and timeline shifts related to Lyme disease. I currently have about 30 additional books people would need to read and then discern which aspects and and how to tweak them for healing Lyme. If I add all those exercises and questions into The Metaphysics of Lyme Disease, then the flow stops and starts, switching gears and losing the important sense of a larger, interconnected picture. Plus, it would become an even longer book and require major editing to create a cohesive text with all the contributors, my explanations and much more hands-on guidance. I originally wanted to release my Lyme book by the end of 2018, but the project has grown — and deepened — so much that trying to rush for an arbitrary deadline feels wrong.

But I do feel led to release a Lyme book this year!

Last Friday, inspiration struck. As in permaculture, I reminded myself, “The problem is the solution.” I realized I not only could, but should release two Lyme books. They will be standalone books; however, they’ll work well together. Without giving away too much of the surprise, the first, which I do believe I can release in 2018, will bring some fun and creativity into the mix, for me, as well as readers. It will be much more interactive, a kind of step-by-step guide. The second book (The Metaphysics of Lyme Disease) will explain the overarching patterns, the more general “why” of Lyme, as well as give larger context for a highly personal disease. Since Lyme is so individual, complex, and tricky to treat, both books can benefit anyone interested in spiritual initiation, soul blueprints, medical intuition, astrology, and the nexus of mind-body-emotions-spirit. Both books will deepen and inform the other.

This new book will challenge me in several ways, including the need to learn new software. I’m still researching if it can do everything I think it will allow me to do. If so, then this hands-on book will also include some original artwork by me. If not, it will still serve like a pocket “me” coaching people through the Lyme journey in ways I’ve not seen or heard elsewhere. I feel great relief and excitement with this development. It also makes use of a fiction project I started but decided to table last October. In this new form, the fiction will work and play well. I’ll keep you posted as I get closer to completion and release. This shift will likely speed along the metaphysics book, as it becomes easier to organize and unify.

Thank you for your continued interest and encouragement.

Garden Updates:

As we anticipate our late first frost this coming Wednesday, I spent yesterday afternoon cleaning up the garden, harvesting herbs, and planting 62 spring bulbs. I still have 51 to go. David helped me dig 6″ deep holes for 12 giant hyacinths visible from our front window, and I planted 50 light blue early snow glories to naturalize in our front yard. I still have 50 to go, plus a Madonna lily that hasn’t yet told me her preferred location.

Meanwhile, pineapple sage puts on a magnificent display:

I also hope that the cleared space will give this slow developer collard enough light to get growing!

In garden related news, although these are not our cucumbers, we’ve got some new pickling accoutrements called Pickle Pipes and Easy Weight lids. These both turn any sized wide mouth Mason jar into one of the easiest fermenting vessels we’ve found. We have tried many, from large Amish crocks to the Perfect Pickler. This combo is the simplest yet:

Other Updates:

We continue to enjoy our Instant Pot, but I broke out my homemade Wonder Oven last Wednesday to keep a huge pot of soup warm for our out of town dinner guests. That remains one of my favorite off-grid cooking and temperature controlling methods. On tonight’s menu, Sweet Potato Spinach Lasagna with a cauliflower-based bechamel sauce, recipes from the Forks Over Knives cookbook. Cooler weather has us back in the creative vegan cooking swing of things, and we’re really enjoying the variety afforded by library books and some new vegan air fryer and Instant Pot cookbooks. Although we’re not 100% vegan anymore, we still prefer vegan food most of the time.

Back in Goshen, we had very few dining options, and so we perfected from scratch vegan comfort food that we grew, prepared and served ourselves and dozens of dinner guests over the course of 5 years. We took a well earned break after moving to Kalamazoo in June 2017, but it feels good and nurturing to return to much more DIY meals again.

In keeping with this hands-on nurturing, I’ve also been spending more time on hair, body care, and creative outfits. It might seem silly, but I find the variety and creativity both grounding and joyful. The Freckled Fox is my new favorite hair inspiration. I don’t have her super long locks, but I’ve tried some hairstyles just for the fun of it. The fishtail braid (left) and combo Dutch braid/rope braid (right) take me back to long ago waitress days when I enjoyed creating funky hairstyles to keep my hair from getting in everybody’s food! The center was my first attempt with a curling iron since I was about 12 years old. LOL, it went crazy wild, but the curls then waves lasted for days.

I debated including this last part, but I think it’s important to remind people that little things can add life and fun, especially when you’re working hard on other things. Reinventing yourself for an afternoon can shift stuck projects and open new ways of seeing “ordinary” life. Allowing yourself some creative nurturing also tells your body, face and hair, “You matter. You’re important to me.” With all my airy Gemini and Aquarius placements, I’m trying to do more to honor my Taurus Midheaven, Virgo Rising and Capricorn North Node.

Oddly enough, this hair and body care has both of my deceased grandmothers much more around! My Capricorn Grandma Van always joked, “Your grandfather used to call me Multiplicity.” That was her way of explaining so many different coats, shoes, dolls and more. Now granted, Grandma Van overdid the Capricorn a bit, but her stubborn grit took her to a joyful 101 years old reading romance novels and eating sweets until one week before she passed. I consider Grandma Van my direct ancestor for animal communication. She could call wild birds to land on her finger. My Gramma Irene couldn’t call songbirds to her, but she sang like one. She was also a beautiful woman who aged well. Born on the cusp of Aquarius, I know she must have had a lot of Capricorn in her chart, because she, too, had a goat-like determination, iron will and love of sweets. Both grandmothers loved their desserts!

I had planned to include this photo anyway, but I just noticed the crazy hairdos, compliments of Gramma Irene. Above you can see from left to right: me, Gramma Irene, my brother Craig, Grandma Van, and sister Erica. I don’t know what happened to my little Indian girl dark skin and brown hair! When I moved to Monterey, CA in 2007, my skin went pale and my hair turned red. In any case, I find it fascinating that as I embrace my Capricorn North Node in a variety of ways, both grandmothers seem tangibly present and supportive. Everything interconnects, and I feel grateful for support from all quarters.

How has everyday magic infused your own life? Has the changing light of this season changed your focus?

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/lyme-book-gardening-and-other-updates/

Fox and Owl

I promised to share some of the ongoing fox synchronicities related to my Tahoe trip, our workshop, and continuing upon return to Kalamazoo. On the Sunday after our workshop, I took a shopping detour with some friends to get food for my return trip. We also stopped in TJ Maxx in South Lake Tahoe, where I happened upon a white pillow with a huge red fox painted on it. Wherever I walked in the store, I kept “landing” right beside the fox pillow. If I had any space to spare in my suitcase, I would have bought it.

The sync winks became more obvious the next day when Tania and I sat in her magickal office, hanging out with Queen Astrid.

All of a sudden, Tania noticed a movement in the mirror behind Astrid — a reflection from across the street. We ran outside just in time to see some sort of canine wandering through her neighbors’ fenced in yard.

“They don’t have a dog,” Tania said.

“That’s not a dog,” I said.

We looked at each other, then looked back at the visitor: “It’s a fox! A red fox!”

I had wondered if we’d see a fox, because I’ve been rather obsessed with foxes since their arrival in our own neighborhood after many months of me sending out a call to foxes. They take over groundhog dens, and our neighborhood has quite the issue with groundhogs. Our next door neighbor humanely trapped and released two of them, but others met with less compassionate fates. One got hit by a car, another was poisoned, a third poisoned by eating the remains of the other one, and apparently, two more got what another neighbor winked and called, “lead poisoning.”

About a week before I flew out to Tahoe, our nextdoor neighbor told me he saw a red fox walk right down our shared property line. I think I squealed, and he said, “I thought you had something to do with that. I’ve lived here for over 20 years. I ain’t never seen a fox. I seen deer, ‘coons, possums, rabbits, squirrels, GROUNDhogs, we got all kinds of animals. A buck looked right in my window two winters ago. We were eye to eye. They got big eyes up that close! But I never seen a fox until this week.”

I ran inside and texted way too many people, “I did it! A fox arrived. The fox heard my call. We have a fox.” I think Tania and I may even have referenced the fox that morning before she saw the movement in the mirror.

Meanwhile, we received emails from students in our class sharing stories about recent encounters with gray foxes. Everyone associated the foxes with our workshop, and some stories even involved husbands who felt compelled to share a magical fox interlude with their wives.

The next day, Tania and I joined her partner Dave for a walk through the forest and meadow, down to the shores of Lake Tahoe — a five mile round trip hike.

On our way down and then back, Tania found what appeared to be owl feathers, and I confirmed they were. Dave wondered how we could feel so certain, and I commented that I was wearing an owl T-shirt, which exponentially increased the likelihood of those being owl feathers. After a few moments, I could feel Dave trying to suppress a chuckle, so I told him about the fox pillow sighting followed by our fox encounter the next morning.

“Plus,” I said, “I have loads of synchronous encounters with owls. Owls and synchronicity go hand in hand. Just because it’s a-logical doesn’t mean it’s illogical. We’re operating on a whole ‘nother plane of existence with its own rules of logic.”

“Fair enough,” he said and smiled.

We continued walking back to their house, washed the sand and sap off our feet and went inside. When I checked my phone, I found the following photos and text, sent exactly when Dave, Tania and I were talking about the owl and fox synchronicities. From my David, back in Kalamazoo: “Upon arrival home tonight — confirmed fox sightings across the street”

I shared the text and photos with Tania and Dave. “Well, this just seals the deal!” I said, “Those were owl feathers. Synchronicity says.” The next morning we heard from another student with a gray fox story.

Since I returned home, I’ve found fox scat in the backyard, which made me happy he’s found his way beyond our fence. Our nextdoor neighbor showed me two night photos he caught of the fox, very up close, but hard to see due to the dark. “He came right up to me at 2 in the morning. I couldn’t sleep. I was hopin’ he’d get that possum!”

“I’m sure he’s hoping he does, too.”

Yesterday, another neighbor told me, “You’re gonna love this. There’s been more fox sightings in the neigbhorhood. There’s at least two, maybe three. The neighbors are so excited on Facebook. We’ve never had a fox in this neighborhood in the entire history of the neighborhood. There’s people who lived here for 40+ years and never saw a fox. Now we’ve got a couple.”

Again, me, squealing … and my (different) neighbor: “I’ve been reading their comments and thinking to myself, ‘Laura did this.’ I know you called that fox, and let me tell you, the neighbors are excited. We might have fox babies next spring.”

Given that the neighborhood Facebook group has been primarily occupied all summer with grumblings about the Township Board and their obsession with sidewalks, these foxes have brought a welcome joy and levity back to the group. We heard back yesterday from the Assistant Director of Public Works that things look optimistic with the Road Commission approving the plan we’ve fought so hard to get approved by the Township and implemented by the Road Commission. Fingers, toes and wings crossed, we continue to make progress….

In any case, the fox sightings and excitement continue, and we have owls here, too. Those arrived a few months after David and I moved here — also called, also first time sightings for long term residents. I do love nature, even the pesky, destructive, hilarious groundhogs. It feels nice to have a little more balance of power, though. Plus, fox kits! I cannot wait to see them. Oh, my goodness!!!!

source https://laurabruno.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/fox-and-owl/