The tool box...

   I was on twitter today discussing a particular topic with someone when the subject of shielding came up. This made me think this is as good a time as any to go ahead and write a blog on the subject sine I have been approached recently about mentoring and tutoring on the subject. Since my schedule doesn't really allow the extra time for too much "one on one" interaction. I thought a blog on it would be helpful to those in need. 

   When I was first learning how to handle the information being thrown at me, I listened to everybody. I tried every way to block/shield that I was told to just to see if it would work. None of it did. The closest way that was described to me was "bricking" myself in. That meant I was to visualize myself literally being surrounded by bricks, one by one, that started at my feet and continued up until they reached the top of my head, leaving only my face uncovered. I think this would have worked, too, if I weren't so claustrophobic. Lol. Needless to say, the thought of being so constricted was too much for me to bear. I tried a multitude of other ways that were less constrictive but these weren't strong enough. That's when I finally realized what the problem was. It wasn't that these ways didn't work, because they worked just fine for other people. The problem was me. I needed to find my own comfort zone. I needed to look deep within myself and find a way that I felt was just for me. 

   I did exactly that in the most surprising way. I took my worst fear...spiders...and used the very thing they produce to be my shield. I imagine myself being encased in a web from toes to head, again, leaving my face uncovered. When i do this it allows me to muffle the information coming in without completely blocking every thing out. I really believe that is another reason I was having such difficulty with shielding in the first place. You see, I don't want to block it all out because I may miss something. Not too mention, I have been down that road before where I have done that and felt like I were dying a slow death. This technique may not be for everybody, but it works for me like gold. For those who would like additional instruction on how to do this, or to figure out a way that would work best for you, hit me up by DM on twitter. I'll help any way I can! 

Blessed Be )()(

Leap of faith....

   Hi everyone!!! I know it's been a cool minute since I've written a blog, but I've been kind of busy. Lol. I decided to do a little something different here and just tell you about myself...kind of a "get to know me" thing. I figured it was way past due since I've been hollering about my books this whole time.

   First, I do write under my real name, which is Vanessa Hogle. I don't have a whole lot of imagination when it comes to things like that. If I were to make one up it would probably sound like a cross between a porn star and a cartoon character from the forties! Lol. So...yeah...just plain old Vanessa.

   I am a single mom of the most fabulous twelve year old son (almost the big 13) that ever lived. He is truly my rock and my reason for doing everything that I do. I am a dental assistant by trade who moonlights as a waitress on the weekends. Not necessarily because I want to work seven days a week, but because that's the only way a single mom can make it in today's world. I want to provide the absolute best for my child, but I fall short daily...although if you said that to him he'd probably punch you. He thinks I'm fabulous. Bless him.

   I like what I do, but I don't LOVE what I do. That's where the books and investigating come in. I absolutely LOVE doing that!! It has cost me in my life, my passion for the paranormal, but not the things that matter most. My son looks up to me and is astounded by all that I have accomplished in the last year. I'm not sure if he thinks it's going to make us rich but he wouldn't care if it didn't. He says I'm happy for the first time in my life. When your child tells you that they can actually see the difference, you listen...and you listen good. He has sacrificed as much as I by not having me around like other moms but I do my best to make every moment we have together special. I do work a lot, but I am never too tired for him. Ever.

   If you had asked me five years ago if I had thought any of this was possible I would have laughed, said no way, and went back to being partially dead inside. That thought frightens me. The fact that I almost gave in to the fear of putting myself out there. Granted...I have made some enemies by doing this. There are those out there who would rather wack me than to look at me, and that's ok. For every one of them there are ten others that they would have to get through to do it. So, yes...there have been some down sides. However...the upsides more than make up for anything negative that I have had to go through. I have met people I would NEVER have known otherwise. People that were brought into my life and are meant to be there till the end. People who truly care about me and the things I've been through and the things we will go through together. Friends who are every bit as much as family to me even though the same blood doesn't run through our veins.

   This is living, people. I was existing before, but now I am LIVING. I took that chance, scary as it was, and jumped off the cliff to see if I could really fly...and you know what? I can.

   And so can you, my lovelies...

*Blessed Be* )()(

 

"Giving up the Ghost"........

   I thought it would be a good idea to give all of ya'll a heads up on the new book coming out. For those who bought my first book, Soulscapes, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart! It was very difficult to do since I had to re-live all of the events I wrote about plus, since it was my first attempt, it may have seemed like a clumsy effort. For those who looked over this, thank you. I love you for it!

   In Giving up the Ghost I was able to let myself be more free with my writing style. I let go of all the negativity that I had surrounded myself with in the first book and just poured my soul into it. It was still painful in parts but I found I was better equipped to deal with it. I no longer felt the pain of certain situations like I did before. What had still burned in me from pervious times is now but a twinge of regret and a lesson learned.  This is very powerful for me. I felt as if I've broken out of a shell I never really knew I was encased in, not really. I had help accomplishing this and those who did this for me have my undying love and gratitude. It's something I can never repay but will spend the rest of my days trying to anyway.

   The reason I decided to write this is that I have a wish. It's a big one, so prepare yourself. Lol. I wish, with all my heart, that those who are out there like me, those who have hidden what they can do and felt ashamed, I want you to speak up. Start talking. I know I've said this many times, but it isn't enough. I'm going to start yelling it, if need be. Be proud of who you are, but not ruled by ego. Learn from others and evolve, but never lose yourself. Understand that the powers that be gave you a gift. A gift that is meant to help, inspire and guide but is to never be abused. This can be taken away as easily as it was given. Read up on your particular gift as much as you can, but find your own way of doing things. Do it how YOU are comfortable. There is no wrong way as long as the heart is in the right place.

   That's what I've always tried to do. Sometimes I have failed and sometimes I have been successful. The important thing is getting back up, dusting yourself off and realizing it is a learning process. You can do this! I have faith in you, I really do. But all that aside, the most important thing is that you have faith in yourself. That's what this book did for me, gave me faith in myself. It allowed me to put it all out there for the world to see and they could like it or lump it. It will never change who I am or the way I see myself. Not anymore.

Much love to you!!!

*Blessed Be* )()(

What would you do?

   What would you do if you knew someone was in trouble? If you saw them heading into oncoming traffic and you knew they would get hit and possibly killed?

   What would you do if you saw a friend get behind the wheel of a car who was really drunk?

   Would you stop a friend, or even a stranger, from drinking poison if you knew it was in the glass instead of water?

   These might seem like silly questions, but I have a reason...I promise. Just bear with me.

   The point I'm making is that any one of these instances COULD lead do danger or death, or they may not. Knowing it could go either way wouldn't stop you from intervening, right? So what is so different about what a sensitive does? Why is it taboo to so many people?

   People like myself can't help but step in when we sense something someone should know. Granted, I know that the examples I gave were pretty extreme, but the nuts and bolts of it remain the same. Is a "sensitive" being responsible or irresponsible if they KNOW a person is in trouble and they choose to remain silent? This is something I really want you to think about. Question others about it as well. Let's open up the door to a candid and honest conversation about the whole darn thing. Look back through all those times in your life where you wished someone had been there to maybe guide you in another direction. Wonder how many people in history sought the advice of a sensitive's, didn't take it, then lived (or didn't) to regret it. Not just sensitive's either. How about just a woman's intuition? I'm pretty sure, as he was being stabbed to death, Julius Caesar was wondering what in the hell he was thinking not listening to his wife begging him to not go to the senate because of her dream the night before.

   Anyway...just food for thought.

   For those who don't believe...good luck to you. For those who do...well...I don't even have to say it, do I? Lol. But I will anyway. On behalf of my brothers and sisters out there who subject themselves to ridicule and persecution for using their gift of insight, you're welcome.

*Blessed Be*
         )()(

And this is why I do it...

   I got a message from someone on twitter asking if I could give them a reading. I don't do this a whole lot because I simply don't have the time but I said ok anyway and we planned for a time a few days later. It was the first full reading I had done in person in a very long time and, if I'm being honest, I was nervous.

   You see...these things can go very good or VERY bad. I didn't have the feeling that it would go bad, but there is always that chance. When I got there I could tell my client was nervous too and that actually put me at ease because I could focus on making them more comfortable. Doing this puts me immediately at ease. I can't explain it, but it does. Maybe it's the mother in me.

   We went through the initial reading using a voodoo spread that does not allow for any manipulation on the readers part. Literally every move is decided by the client...down to which card to pull and in what order they will be flipped over and read. This is my favorite way to read because it really is the most accurate. I learned it from a fine lady in New Orleans.

   I was most pleased with the outcome. I saw what I hoped to see in the clients cards. I saw a very bright future that, with a little dedication and perseverance, the client will see to fruition. I felt a little guilty because it was such a short reading! Not that I wanted to have to tell anything bad, but there are only so many ways you can say someone's future is gonna ROCK if they stay on the right path. LOL.

   We started to talk and the question was asked about family members. As I went through the pictures, telling what I saw and heard, it was being verified by the client and advice on how to handle some of it was given as well. I could tell that I had done some good and that is honestly what makes it all worth it. I did mention that on the way to where we were doing the reading that I couldn't get the image of race cars out of my head and that I kept seeing a Freemason symbol. We couldn't figure out why I was seeing these, as my client had no idea who they could be. I was on my way to leaving, assuming I would never know why I had seen these things, when the roommate came in and we were introduced. My client asked the roommate if they had any idea about the racecars or Freemasons. Apparently, the roomates ex was a Nascar fan and a relative was a Freemason. LOL.

   Just goes to show you...never discount what you see and hear. I made a believer out of the roommate today and made my client happy. That makes me happy!

*Please excuse the generic nature of this post. I promised to keep things as anonymous as possible to my client....and I ALWAYS keep my word!*

Blessed Be)()(

Crazy is a four letter word.....

   Well, I must say, the last 8 months have been kind of a blur. I apologize, for those who read this blog, for slacking off the last month or so. It has been CRAZY! I finally finished my second book, "Giving up the Ghost", and it is due out sometime this month. In fact, that is what this blog is going to be about. Not the book, but the following of dreams.
  
   If you had asked me a year ago if I ever thought I would be a published author I would have said hell no! I would have meant it, too. I never thought I had what it took to go after something I wanted. At least not something like that. It's not that I have low self-esteem. Nothing like that. I just never would have thought anyone would care what I had to say. It took very good friends to make me see that people would. That people could relate to my experiences and maybe even learn from them. They told me I wasn't crazy....unless you mean crazy fabulous! lol. (just kidding)

   What I'm trying to say is that we are all important. We all have a story to tell, paint, sing, write or draw. Whether or not it's paranormal or completely normal, magical or mundane. There's a story.

   I've learned a lot over the past few months, and I'd like to share that with you. What I've learned is that you should always listen to your inner voice. Even when you think it's talking crazy. When you hear it whisper a dream to you, do everything I your power to obtain it. Even if you fail I can promise you that you won't regret it. Regret is for those who aren't willing to fall flat on their face.
  
   Lesson #2...Of course you should listen to the advice of others but, even if they say you're nuts, never forget it's YOUR life to live. At the end of it do you want to say, "Boy....I wish I would have done that..." OR "Holy crap, I'm scraped and a little worse for the wear, but DAMN that was FUN!"

   Lesson #3...I know this goes hand in hand with the other two, but it warrants a mention all on it's own. Stay true to who you are. Don't compromise yourself or try to change. Not for anyone.  When you look in a mirror you want to know the person looking back at you. You want to respect them. You need to know your own value and that you are worth fighting for.

   These are things I never really knew until now. I hope it doesn't take others so long to find out for themselves. (((BIG HUGS)))

*Blessed Be*

In Dreams...

   I'm writing this because I'm curious who else this may be happening to. I've been waking up with fingerprint bruises for the past few days. I haven't hurt myself, of that I'm sure. I sleep alone, as well. I'm wondering if it's connected to the last investigation. It was a domestic case that I felt fairly connected to. I have also been told one of the people most affected has been left alone since the team was there. Any thoughts????