Maria Lacey

Apr 29

Coffee and Cheesecake

Have you ever had someone say something to you and you thought, how did they know that about me?

On this occasion, I was attending a weekend conference and one of the attendees who I’d only just met stated as I was leaving.

“Make sure you go and have a coffee and cheesecake this week Maria.”

My head turned sharply towards him, I was a little taken back and nervously laughed because cheesecake was actually my favourite dessert and how did this almost stranger know.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because you work hard and you deserve it!”

I remembered smiling curiously at him, then saying goodbye as I made my way to the carpark.

It was Monday and I’d finished my morning seeing clients and that afternoon I’d planned to write my newsletter and do some well overdue book work but for some reason I kept hearing his voice in my head. Make sure you go and have a coffee and cheesecake this week Maria.

I’d tried to shrug it off but the voice only became louder. It happened to be a beautiful sunny Autumn day so rather than keep to my schedule I decided to listen and head up into the mountains.

I travelled through Silvan a well-known farming district and picked some brightly coloured fresh flowers from the growers, then drove into Monbulk a delightful country suburb thinking I’d catch up with friends and then we could walk to a local café and enjoy a coffee and you know it, cheesecake.

I drove down the main street in Monbulk and it was really busy and no available car parks. That seemed so odd as it was only Monday, not normal for this quiet country suburb of Melbourne. So, I continued and cut across the mountain.

I drove into Olinda a quaint little place and immediately found a park. Hooray! This was meant to be. I parked, jumped out of my car and strolled along the main street casually popping into stores and browsing. I stopped in front of a wine bar and thought maybe they would have coffee but then decided they probably wouldn’t have any cheesecake. So, turned around and decided to go to a café across the road.

I was about to step off the path onto the road and felt a warm breeze past my left shoulder and turned to my left to see what it was. My eyes were drawn to a sign saying The Pie STOP. I stood at the curb then thought, maybe they will have coffee and cheesecake.

I walked along the street and up the stairs and through the doorway to see on my right a beautiful cabinet with a big delicious cheesecake inside. Smiling to myself I walked towards it and a friendly mature aged woman served me as I ordered, yep you’re onto it, coffee and cheesecake.

I sat at a quiet table nearby and waited, then wondered.

Really Maria you don’t even feel like cheesecake right now. Coffee oh yeah, but not cheesecake.

While my thoughts were doing their thing, you know having a private conversation. I looked up to see someone that I loved very much and had been apart from for some time. My daughter came walking down the stairs. She immediately noticed me and to both of our surprise we came together in a loving hug.

It still brings tears to my eyes recalling that day, and of course the beautiful stranger at the conference who was the messenger. Did he know? I have no idea, but I’m incredibly grateful I chose not to ignore his message nor the signs along the way that gently nudged me to that very moment.

Looking back, I see how easily it could have been to guilt myself into doing my bookwork and writing my newsletter. I could also have persisted in finding a carpark in Monbulk and never ventured onto Olinda.

I’m grateful I chose to not think too much and flow with the energy of that day, which seemed to show me the way.

I mean really, coffee and cheesecake bought me together with my estranged daughter, and you know what? Maybe, I had been working hard and did deserve it.

Dec 28

Bye Bye 2016 and Welcome 2017

bye-bye-2016a Yes the countdown has begun!

I can’t tell you how wonderfully excited and blessed I’ve felt with what I’ve achieved in 2016. Gratis it was a difficult personal year but WHAT A YEAR!

I remembered last year in my blog at this time I wrote:

For 2016 my word is TRUTH – Seeing the truth in my actions, thoughts and feelings. And with loving intention I will speak my truth with authenticity.

When we put an intention out into the Universe, it will collaborate, and create many experiences to bring forth that intention. I’m deeply thankful many opportunities were presented to me this year to heal, learn and grow.

It is said that 2016 was a nine year. A year of endings and a year of finding our voice.

Sadly, many beautiful souls also left our planet. I’d like to think they will play a special part in the greater plan to support us and our evolution.

As we grow in consciousness to SELF heal and SELF love, our relationship with ourself and others will organically shift.

Some will move out of alignment and others will move into alignment to where we are now. This is a normal and natural part of life.

When we act from a more conscious state, we become aware of our subconscious wounds, old patterns and beliefs that sabotage our actions. Having this awareness gives us a choice to change. Acting upon that change, then creates a vibrational shift not only within us, but within our world.

I wrote this prayer to encourage you to own, celebrate, release and accept your growth and the changes that have occurred. And especially be thankful to those relationships, including the subconscious behaviours, which may have caused discomfort and pushed you to a greater self awareness.

Divinity Prayer – Author Maria Lacey

Thank you for journeying with me on my path.

Thank you for the reflections, the lessons, the understandings, and the revelations.

We met for a reason, to learn and evolve.

Each of us played an important role.

Everything living moves and changes, we are no different.

Together let’s celebrate our changes,

And move beyond the past into the here and now.

I release our karmic ties with love,

Go with peace.

As I set you free I also set free ME.

2017 is a number one year, a year of new beginnings, new projects and new energy.

I’ve thought a lot about it, and my word for 2017 is:

SIMPLICITY – to have clear boundaries that serve, love and support me, and to think, speak and act from my heart. To laugh and play a lot, and not take things too seriously.

What is your word for 2017?

May you enjoy the remainder of 2016, set your intentions for 2017, and may the Universe supply you with an abundance of love to support you in creating all that you desire.

With love and a generous hug,

Aug 21

2 Comments

The Dengue Experience

Hello beautiful souls,

Life has a way of growing us … An experience will enter our life to give us an opportunity to become more conscious and evolve.

The many who have been following me on Facebook will know I contracted a severe case of Dengue Fever and nearly died in Bali. I’m pleased to say, four months on, I’m well on the road to recovery and now back working part-time. Laughing, having had five near death experiences in this life time, I’m beginning to feel as blessed as my feline friends.

At one time whilst unwell in Bali, I slipped into the depths of darkness, my spirit although weak, recited continuously. “How may I serve, how may I serve.” As my spirit reunited with my physical body I felt an ember ignite within my heart, and a movement of a gentle breath, then a sense of comfort filled me.

There had been a profound shift. I had emerged through the darkness into the light.

Sometime later when I was back home in Australia, and began processing this event. I realised the fearful inner child would have said, ‘why is this happening to me?’ She would have been terrified, yet she surrendered, and I remembered that moment so distinctly.

In my heart I know an aspect of her has healed. I have noticed her nurturing me. Wonder, playfulness, creativity and curiosity have returned, and a new freedom is being felt. Inside I feel more peaceful and gentler than ever before, and I have a greater awareness of my every thought and action.

Through this awareness I am more accepting, compassionate and understanding of me, although the reality of our world sometimes feels crushing, I am consciously pausing and healing from the inside out.

As the DOING and busyness spurred on by fear and strong belief systems is fading into the background, and as I surrender to BEING. I feel a gentle quietness and ease within myself and my world. Life becomes more simplified, and movement flows within a loving and synchronistic stream.

The inner conflict begins to fade and I breathe in love, and breathe out gratitude.

There are many of us experiencing difficult moments filled with uncertainty, confusion, fear and loss. It seems to be a Universal theme at this time.

The Guardians of the Light share…

“WHAT WAS, IS NO MORE … It is time to move within the Universal stream of light and surrender to your soul’s yearning. Hear the voice of your soul and allow the brilliance of your light to shine. It is time to shed the old and step into the new … for you are all Children of Light do not be afraid of the power within …

Know your heart will guide you.”

Putting ourselves as a priority and loving and healing ourselves is not selfish, nor withholding from others. It is necessary!

Remember the chrysalis cycle of the butterfly.

Until next time, with love and hugs,

Mar 23

2 Comments

Full Moon Rituals for health & well-being

Emotional Healing – Moon Water

Many years ago during my sleeping hours and at a time of intense personal and emotional turmoil my Guidance shared with me the below information to assist me in my hour of need. I have over the years shared this with many and now offer it to you.

They called it ‘Moon Water’

Fill a glass bottle with water or many if you choose and place these bottles outside under the light of the moon on the night of the full moon.
Leave overnight and in the morning bring them inside.

I don’t refrigerate the bottles as I believe in drinking my water at room temperature so therefore I would drink these bottles and share them with others over the next 3 to 7 days.

A very simple task to do and from personal experience drinking the moon water has certainly assisted with my emotional healing process.

There have been many people over the years you have said the water feels like velvet on their tongue and in their mouth, and tastes different, and have shared many stories as to their own personal healing experiences. Now I am neither a doctor/scientist nor a naturopath/homeopath, but I choose to offer this information because:

We are a community and its free, and ..
I believe that nature is the most wonderful healer of all and in the spirit of love I share this gift from my guidance to you.

Many years ago we would naturally drink and bathe from our rivers gaining the nourishment we required to feed and cleanse our bodies, fully empowered by the natural cycles of the moon. Unfortunately today, all of our water is filled with chemicals and pushed underground to our homes and businesses. Thus the natural source of Mother Nature’s healing is not able to be accessed organically due to the pollution and containment that has been created by us.

You may also notice emotionally, physically and spiritually it can be difficult and uncomfortable when the seasons change. Many years ago we would be prepared through our diet due to certain fruits and vegetables coming into and out of season, which I believe assisted us naturally to adjust to the seasonal changes making it normal for things to come and go in our lives. Today we have access to all food year round, and we live in our homes and offices with the temperature set to whatever season we choose it to be! Something to think about 🙂

Full Moon Ritual – Letting go

The night of the Full Moon is an opportunity for you to release and let go of what no longer serves you. Remember that the moon represents ‘feminine’ energy which is very nurturing, loving and strong. Please find below an example of what I do each Full Moon.

Required: paper, pen, lighter, stone bowl or safe container to burn in.

Sit quietly and write down on a piece of paper all that you choose to let go of, keep it simple and be clear. This can be personal behaviours and attitudes, relationships, health issues, situations that are out of your control and it is time to ‘let go and let God/Angels/Universe’ (whatever your belief system is) take care of.
Remember that if you cannot be clear when writing your intent, then you are possibly not ready to release. Be kind, loving and compassionate to yourself.
Once finished roll the paper into a scroll then go outside taking with you a lighter and safe container. (Be careful on a windy day and ensure that it is safe for you and your neighbours)
Take a breath and give thanks to the Moon Goddess, the Universe/Source and any other benevolent being or deity you choose.
Light your piece of paper and place in the container.
As the paper burns, hold your hands out with palms up and say;

“Through the light and strength of the Moon, may the angels carry my heartfelt intentions to be healed and blessed for the greater good of myself/all.”

Hold that energy for a moment. Breathe
Then place your hands in prayer position and say;

“I thank you with gratitude in my heart for listening and supporting me at this time, and I release all expectations, and trust that all shall be for my highest good.”

Do not hold onto or think about what you had chosen in that moment to release.

Imagine holding a helium balloon with a string. Inside the balloon is what you chose to let go of. Now, if you do not release the string, how can the Moon Goddess/Universe do what you have asked? By being mindful of this, you may in that moment realise as I have done over the years. At times, I have said, I’m ready to let go, yet I still thought about it and carried it on the perimeter of my being, and often within my emotions and body.

Due to this I have not been truly committed to letting go, and realised maybe I wasn’t quite ready, yet when the time was right, it fell away with ease.

Trust that you find these helpful and look forward to you sharing your thoughts.

Until next time,

Feb 12

1 Comment

Soul to Soul

SilenceMariaLacey2011

We have wisdom within, and it is waiting for us to sit within the silence and open to the stirrings of our heart.

I sat within the silence and this is what I wrote ….

Picture drawn by Maria Lacey 2011

I want to step through a doorway without having to open the door.

I want to move with ease, not clouded by self-doubt, limiting beliefs and fear.

I want to recognise you, feel the purity of our souls connecting as we dance within a stream of love. Every smile, every touch, illuminating our light that shines brilliantly in appreciation with, and for, our connection.

I want to be in harmony and balance and let the laughter of my soul breathe light into the sacredness of this moment.

I want to ingest the beauty of our planet and all sentient beings. Walk with grace and appreciation upon this our Mother Earth.

I want my spirit to feel at ease within this flesh, so I may appreciate it, and treat it with respect as the body temple that it is.

I want to take responsibility for my actions, and be kind, compassionate, and forgiving of myself when my conscious and unconscious beliefs and conditioning move me to act from a fearful place.

I want to learn, and recognise the wisdom within each moment, even those that are uncomfortable.

I want to feel the richness of gratitude with every breath and movement of my body.

I want to be ONE and walk within the I AM Presence … an omniscient being connected to source.

From my soul to yours,

Dec 31

2 Comments

Bye bye 2015 and welcome 2016

Well what a year 2015 has been ….

Filled to the brim with many meaningful as well as challenging moments. Each moment, breath and experience being interwoven into the tapestry of our life. Laughing, I’m certain that mine would look quite abstract, but then again I love abstract.

Imagine, splashes of colour, some intense, others pale, some vibrant, others dull. As we stand back to observe, every weave of colour was our energy, an investment of living our life to the greatest ability of who we were in that moment. On reflection, we may see patterns in the weave, these are seen to gain understanding and knowledge.

The end of the year is a wonderful time to reflect and be kind to ourselves, and to look upon our creation with compassionate eyes.

We are evolving, sometimes we feel regressing, yet when we really connect to our inner knowing, there is no regression. If you could take the time, you will be able to source the pearls of wisdom, for there are many.

Through reflection, do we continue with our old story, hold onto our baggage and struggle?

Or do we take the opportunity of a New Year and connect to the eternal stream of love and stand empowered with humility and vulnerability, and with courage choose to step up and into the potential of the enlightened beautiful soul that we are.

2016 my word is TRUTH – Seeing the truth in my actions, thoughts and feelings. And with loving intention I will speak my truth with authenticity.

I wonder if you had to choose a word for 2016, what would it be and why? If you wanted to post yours, I’d love to read it 🙂

Well, I must be going as I’m running late for a NYE beach party. Smiling, for the past decade or more, on NYE I have chosen to stay home and meditate on the cusp of midnight. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved doing it and gained much from it.

But times are changing, and I’m creating a new stream of energy to flow into the New Year and I’m pretty excited.

To you the person reading this, I’m sending you much love and may 2016 be filled with good health, happiness, and an abundance of everything to support you and those you love.

Live, laugh, feel the passion and create an awesome tapestry for 2016.

Until next year

Dec 16

4 Comments

Whoa! It’s Christmas

Whoa

This time of year can catch up on us very quickly to find that we have less patience, feel fragmented, physically as well as emotionally stressed, and most importantly of all, we can be stretched for time. Our environment at work and at home can seem chaotic and the people around us may appear unsupportive and insensitive to our needs.

Even if you absolutely love Christmas or don’t celebrate it at all – it’s hard not to be affected … or dare I say infected.

For some, there will be times that you could pull your hair out and scream, as the relationships and planning towards a happy family Christmas start to break down causing you distress. For others who have lost loved ones, loved ones are unwell, or you are spending Christmas on your own, you may be struggling with feelings of fatigue, grief, loss and isolation.

As you struggle, there may seem to be a loose wire that disconnects you from your inner self. That balanced and knowing part of you that knows love, compassion, generosity, celebration and happiness. You know of it, yet you just can’t seem to reconnect to it!

Your body, mind and spirit is aching for you to STOP and BREATHE and fix that loose wire, with the intent, that loving energy will flow with ease once again.

So why do we put so much pressure on ourselves whether that be emotional, physical or financial? Why can some of us feel so lost, isolated and experience so much sadness and frustration? How can we reconnect to the spirit of Christmas or even the spirit of love, our connection to Source/God?

Below I share some strategies that may support and ignite the light within, hopefully assisting you to feel lighter, happier and at peace:

Breathe out and let the stress fall away. Sit down with a pen and paper and empty your thoughts and feelings onto the page. Or sit with a trusted friend, or professional counsellor, and be heard. Sometimes when we open to communicate we take the pressure off the mind and body, empowering us to see and feel with clarity and gain perspective.
Look after yourself and take time out whether that be a walk in the park, a yoga class, or receive a massage, Reiki, or some other form of nurturing. Whilst in this experience be mindful of your breath, be present, and let go of the concerns around you, giving yourself permission to just BE.
Think positive thoughts – Remind yourself that your thoughts create your world. If you have thoughts that are not loving or supportive of you, say, “CANCEL, CANCEL, CANCEL”. You do know, its okay to be happy.
There is great comfort in remembering those awesome moments and experiences that made your heart sing. Those memories will help to raise your vibration.
Meditate daily – only ten minutes per day will have a positive effect.
Know that when you feel reconnected, anchored and in your centre, the very things that upset you may seem less of an obstruction. You’re likely to feel more energised and happy, which could create a positive ripple effect especially to those close to you as they will experience the brightness of your spirit.
Each day ensure that you check-in with your body and mind, and recharge and rebalance yourself regularly.

The loss of a loved one …

This time of year can be very difficult. You and your family may choose to write individually on a piece of paper one of your happiest memories with that person, describing it in detail and then placing it in a beautiful gift box. Then at your family Christmas get-together, you could place your gift boxes in a basket under the Christmas tree, and during the day sit around together and one by one place your hand in the basket, pull out a gift box, and read what has been written to the rest of your family. There you can share your happy memories and tears in honour of your loved one whilst supporting each other.
Lighting a candle for those that you have lost and talking to them can also bring great comfort.

Alone at Christmas …

If you are alone at Christmas, you could do what I have done for many years and that is say yes to invites from friends, or you could instead treat yourself to some good food, a fun video and sit and enjoy your own time in your sanctuary, reminding yourself that it is only one day. This is a great time for meditation, contemplation and tuning out if you like. Can you tell I’m an introvert? lol.
I do know of many others that have chosen to create their own special ritual at this time of year. Such as; creating an event for an orphans Christmas where you invite families or singles that may be alone and away from extended family at this time of year. Arrange to meet at a public park and set the intent that each person bring along a fun activity and food to share. I have organised one of these and it was one of my most memorable Christmas days.

Remember, that you are never alone … if you believe in angels, guides, God and many other benevolent beings, know that they are always with you. Take the time, and openly share with them. Ask them to support you.

They may send you little signs such as; yours or a loved one who has passed favourite song may play on the radio, white feathers may appear along your path, a gentle warm or cool breeze flowing past you. Your attention may be drawn to a particular book, or photograph, you may even sense a familiar smell that makes you feel comforted.

Most of all, if you do feel in crisis and are unable to speak with those around you. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).

A Christmas Candle … Poem by Maria Lacey

A Christmas candle I light today,
May it bring an abundance of love your way.
Those in our hearts, no longer here.
May you feel their love,
So true, so dear.
Today, I remember those here and there,
And count my blessings for the love we share.
You are the light and love within me,
Fond memories are stored for eternity.

Merry Christmas and may 2016 be filled to the brim with happiness, love, peace and prosperity.

With love and blessings,

Coffee and Cheesecake

Bye Bye 2016 and Welcome 2017

The Dengue Experience

Full Moon Rituals for health & well-being

Soul to Soul

Bye bye 2015 and welcome 2016

Whoa! It’s Christmas

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