Healing Spirit with Love

Healing Spirit with Love

Dreams

Sleep Paralysis: Scientific Phenomenon or Supernatural Fright?

by Leave a Comment

Sleeping

Have you ever woken up unable to move, feeling as if something was pressing you down into the bed? This alarming experience is called sleep paralysis. It is a condition in which you feel mentally awake, but unable to physically move your body. The feeling may last for a few seconds or up to a few minutes. It often occurs upon wakening; however, it is also known to occur when one is in the process of falling asleep. It can be accompanied with the physical feeling of pressure on the throat or chest and an inability to vocally express oneself. Some people report feeling or seeing a presence in the room, which many perceive to be otherworldly and ominous in nature.

Unusual Occurrences

According to medical experts at WebMD (2014), when we are sleeping our body shuts down in order to prevent us from physically acting out our dreams. At times when we are awakened during the dream cycles of our sleep, the physical body remains in shut down mode which creates the frightening sleep paralysis conditions. Essentially, it signals an issue with our bodies being slightly out of sync with our sleep cycles. During the Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M.) cycle, which is when dreams occur, the body is placed in a relaxed mode that allows you to rest and prevents you from fully acting out your dreams. If you become conscious within the R.E.M. cycle, your body may remain in an immobilized state and your perceptions of reality can be peppered with altered-state illusions making it seem as though there is an ominous presence in the room. This is especially the case when we are in a state of extreme fright about not being able to move our bodies or vocally express our fear. It is not a being holding us down, but our own bodies preventing us from acting out our dreams. Sleep paralysis experiences usually only last a few seconds to a few minutes; however, it can feel as though it is much longer than that when you are in the midst of this type of episode.

Personal Experience

When I was in my teens, I recall experiencing this type of paralysis. It was extremely frightening to be incapable of moving my body or making a sound. I remember lying there, not knowing what was happening, just praying for it to pass. As panic bubbled up within, I attempted to calm my racing heart by slowing down my breathing and telling myself this would pass. My personal experience, while terrifying, only occurred once in my life, and it did not involve a perception of an ominous presence in the room.

During my experience with sleep paralysis, I did not sense a being in the room and I was able to talk myself through the experience until the sensors in my brain alerted my physical body to remove itself from dream mode. It is very frightening to experience sleep paralysis; however, I am glad to say it is an infrequent occurrence which may only occur once in someone’s lifetime, if at all. When it happens, though, it is an unforgettable experience.

Timing and Reasons

According to WebMD (2014), the most frequent occurrences are reported in the teen years; however, sleep paralysis can happen to people of all ages and it can occur with more frequency. There are many underlying reasons why it occurs, some of which may include sleeping on one’s back, stress, sleep schedule changes, and lack of sleep. If sleep paralysis is a habitual problem, I recommend talking with your doctor about your sleep patterns and conditions, as well as the stress levels in your life. There are many factors that affect our sleep, and if you are experiencing problems, it is best to speak to a specialist who can help you correct the issues.

Nothing to Fear

All in all, sleep paralysis has a scientific reason for occurring based on the natural functions of the human body. It is not an ominous being taking control over you. The fear factor runs high when this occurs, and in a dream-like state, this experience can quickly turn into a sort of waking nightmare in which the mind creates all kinds of scary reasons for its occurrence. For those who have experienced sleep paralysis, there are ways of minimizing the effects when you are in the midst of an episode. Knowledge is power in this case as it can help you to recognize the condition for what it is and ease the effects. For example, when you know this is a condition in which the mind awakens to consciousness before the body, you can work on calming yourself down through deep breaths and repeating to yourself, “Everything is alright, this will pass.”

Blessings to you and sweet dreams!

Namaste!

With much love and many blessings for all,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, Spiritual Artist, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Karen T. Hluchan is a spirit medium, motivational speaker, Reiki master, spiritual artist, and author of How Have You Loved? Through her mediumship practice, Healing Spirit with Love, she devotes her time to the healing of spirit on earth through her connection with heaven. Her passion for her calling is shared through the spirit readings, demonstrations, and workshops she provides, as well as through her writing, Reiki, and fine art spiritual paintings. All of her work is inspired by the divine light that is within us all. She has a great love of nature, people, and the planet, and she enjoys her connection in spirit, both here and in heaven.
 
Click here to learn more about Karen’s upcoming events.

Sources Cited

Robinson, MD, J. (2014, October 14). Sleep Paralysis. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis#1

How Soon After Passing Can a Loved One Communicate?

by 206 Comments

19006270When our physical body expires on earth, our spirits, also referred to as our souls, continue to exist, as does the bond that connects us with one another. As a professional spirit medium, I experience firsthand knowledge from loved ones in spirit every day. The transfer of information is much more complicated than a fireside chat. It is a form of communication that utilizes all of my senses to share information between dimensions. It requires great attentiveness and energy to be open and receptive to the content sent through images, sounds, feelings, tastes, and smells. Moreover, the symbols our guys and gals in heaven use to convey their messages needs to be pieced together for the recipient in order to form a coherent message.

When Can Divine Communication Take Place?

Many people ask me how soon a loved one in spirit can communicate once they have crossed over. The answer is right away. I have experienced immediate communications from both animals and people. I would like to note that while communication is possible, not every being in spirit is skilled at communicating as soon as they cross over. Some are better at it than others. This is because they are older souls that have this knowledge stored within the memory banks of their spirit. I would also like to add that it is important to give your deceased loved ones time to adjust to their new reality. It is equally important to allow yourself time to grieve and adjust to the changes in your life caused by the loss of a loved one. People who are in the depths of strong grief need time to heal, and when they reach out to a spirit medium too soon, they may not be open and receptive to what their loved ones in spirit want to share. Grief and deep sadness have a tendency to block spiritual communications because a person’s main focus is on painful emotions and situations. Often, they only want to hear what they want to hear. Think of it this way: when you experience sharp physical pain, it tends to take over your mind and temporarily halt all other thoughts. In fact, all you can think about is how to rid yourself of the physical pain. It is similar with emotional pain that accompanies strong grief in which the hurt of loss blocks out all other thoughts other than how to relieve the heartache.

Healing and the Grief Process

The time it takes for each person to process grief and work through the healing process is unique to each individual. There are many factors that contribute to the effects of grief including, but not limited to, the way someone passed, the depth of the relationship shared, and personal beliefs about what happens to us when we pass. While it is healthy to mourn the passing of a loved one, it is not emotionally healthy to dwell in grief for extended periods of time. Choosing to remain in a state of perpetual sadness not only blocks you from living the life you are meant to live, but also prevents you from recognizing the signs and messages that loved ones may be sending from the Other Side. In addition, it does not change the fact that a loved one is no longer sharing an earthly experience with us. It is important to understand that our loved ones in spirit want us to go on with our lives and to try to experience as much joy as possible for the time we have on earth. If you need help in getting to this place, there are many resources available, such as grief counselors, life coaches, spirit mediums, friends, family, and more. Often, learning how to manage grief is one of the lessons to be learned for our souls in this lifetime. It is equally as important to understand that the bonds that we have with our loved ones and the love we share cannot be broken by the expiration of our physical bodies. Therefore, we are never truly separated from one another in spirit.

Guidance from the Other Side

Our guys and gals in heaven work from a place of light, love, and expanded knowledge. Their purpose for communicating with you, directly or through a spirit medium, is to bring healing and guidance to your life. A person who has reached a state of acceptance regarding a person’s passing is much more likely to get the most out of their reading with a spirit medium. This is because grief is no longer clouding his or her ability to be receptive to the information being shared. This does not mean that you do not miss your loved ones, it means that you have accepted that he or she has transitioned to heaven, and have made the conscious choice to continue your personal journey on this earth. When it is your time to cross over into heaven, you will be reunited with your loved ones in spirit, including any pets and animals that have made a significant impact on your life or you on theirs. In the meantime, your loved ones in spirit will continue to watch over you, as well as send you messages and signs letting you know that they are around.

They Communicate with You, Too!

Your loved ones in spirit use your senses, too, to let you know that they are around.* For example, they may place visual images in front of you that remind you of them. My father often uses signs related to firefighters and trains to let me know he is around. In addition, loved ones in spirit may play music in your head to give you answers to your prayers or that reminds you of them. You may also feel their presence, smell their perfume, or have strong taste cravings for the food they used to cook. They orchestrate these wondrous occurrences for you in ways that are challenging for the human mind to comprehend. Unfortunately, some people dismiss these occurrences and try to explain them away as coincidences. Nothing in this world is a coincidence, and it would truly amaze you to be able to comprehend the ways in which spiritual beings on the Other Side facilitate events on earth. They do so with our best interests at heart, and to help us navigate our journeys. Remember, they use a myriad of ways to get our attention, including our dreams.* When you see them there, it is your loved ones in spirit trying to help you to overcome your fears, to provide messages of comfort, and to help you to work through issues you face on a daily basis.

Namaste!

*Note: My book, How Have You Loved?, contains a lot of in-depth information about how your loved ones in spirit communicate with you, including how to interpret your dreams, why we are really here on earth, what we are to accomplish in our lifetimes, and how we can achieve our soul objectives.

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, & Author of How Have You Loved?

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Karen T. Hluchan is a spirit medium, motivational speaker, Reiki master, and author of How Have You Loved? Through her mediumship practice, Healing Spirit with Love, she devotes her time to the healing of spirit on earth through her connection with heaven. Her passion for her calling is shared through the spirit readings, demonstrations, and workshops she provides, as well as through her writing and Reiki. All of her work is inspired by the divine light that is within us all. She has a great love of nature, people, and the planet, and she enjoys her connection in spirit, both here and in heaven.
To learn more about Karen, who is based in Horsham, Pennsylvania, and her book, How Have You Loved?, visit her website at www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com.

How to Interpret Your Dreams – Part Two

by Leave a Comment

Dream InterpretationLast week, in “How to Interpret Your Dreams – Part One,” I talked about working on remembering your dreams and recording the ones you have. This week, I will share with you a method for deciphering the messages within your dreams.

Are you ready to interpret your dream? If so, grab a pen and paper. Look at the symbols and objects in your dream. Take it one section at a time. For instance, say you are driving a car down the highway. Without thinking about it too much, write down the first thing you think of when you think of a car…for me, I think of a mode of transportation or something that gets me from A to B. Highway = the open road, or road trip for me. For you, a car or the highway may mean something completely different. There is no right or wrong answer. Just remember to use the word association exercise and try not to think too much about your answer. Whatever you think of first is what that symbol or object means to you. Do that for all objects within your dream, as well as all actions. For instance, were you driving toward a particular destination or person? Away from somewhere, someone or something?  Joy riding? Were you being chased? All of these factors are important.

Once you have compiled all of your associated words, take an overview of them. You should see a theme emerging that correlates to a situation that is currently occurring in your life. For instance, with the car dream, I may have a strong desire to free myself from responsibilities and obligations in order to travel on a new path…to hit the open road and experience a feeling of being free and looking forward to new adventures.

Keep an open mind. You may not be able to see the theme right away. However, it will come to you. It is important not to stress about it. It may even come to you in the form of an epiphany later in the day. Remember, practice will help you to develop your dream interpretation skills.

On a side note, whenever you see your deceased loved ones in your dreams, it is really them. Dreams give them a chance to let you know that they are around you because your daytime defenses are down. When you encounter a deceased loved one in your dreams, feel free to say hello. Just know, though, that you might wake yourself up in the process because you are interrupting the natural dream cycle. I did that so many times when I saw my Dad in my dreams and was so disappointed when I accidentally woke myself up. As with anything else, practice makes perfect. Dreams are tricky; too much interruption in the message and you wake yourself up.

Most of all, I hope you enjoy your journey into the world of your dreams. The messages are there for you and you can interpret them with an open mind and practice.

Namaste!

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium & Reiki Master
www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

How to Interpret Your Dreams – Part One

by 1 Comment

DreamingThere are many books out there about dream interpretation, such as dream dictionaries, that try to help you to determine what your dreams are about. The problem with those dictionaries is that the definitions for the symbols and objects within the book may not ring true for you. The most effective way to interpret your dreams is to do it yourself, because only you know what the symbols mean to you.

There are many theories about what dreams really are…such as random images brought forth from our subconscious, etc. To me, dreams are an interesting phenomenon brought forth from our higher self, as well as from your Heavenly support team of deceased loved ones, the Angels, God, etc. Dreams utilize the myriad of images, feelings, and thoughts within our databank of memories to create story lines that are played out while we sleep. These seemingly random visions can be interpreted with an open mind and lots of practice, practice, practice.

Some of you may be thinking, “but I don’t dream.” Science has proven that we all dream several times per sleep session during the R.E.M cycle (see https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/what-are-dreams.htm for the scientific take on dreams). The reason we don’t remember them may have to do with when we wake up in our sleep cycles (see the previous link for information about dream cycles). However, I have found that if I make a conscious effort to remember them, I do remember at least one upon waking. In doing so, I am telling my body to wake up during the R.E.M. cycle. Before I go to sleep, I tell myself that I would like to remember my dreams upon waking. Don’t worry if it doesn’t happen right away, keep trying and you will succeed. You can also ask your Angels for help. They would be glad to assist you.

In preparation for my dream remembrance, I keep a notebook and a pen, my iPad or a voice recorder by my bedside. Having a readily available source for recording your dreams is important. Once you get up and start your day, the details of your dream may begin to fade fast. If you record it as soon as you wake up, you will be able to capture more detail.

When recording your dream, especially when you are writing it down, do not worry about grammar or spelling, just write down everything you can recall as quickly as possible. Think of it like James Joyce’s stream of consciousness…write it down however it comes to you with as much detail as possible.

The next action you take is to set it aside. Do not try to interpret your dream right away! Set it aside and forget all about it for a few hours or a day. When you are ready to pick it up again for interpretation, it is important for you to have an open mind because you are going to use word association to decipher your message.

Throughout this week, work on actively trying to remember your dreams. When you do, record them. Next week, I will be sharing with you methods for deciphering the messages that your dreams are conveying. Until then, happy dreaming!

Namaste!

With Light and Love, Karen T. Hluchan

Spirit Medium & Reiki Master

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

Our Thoughts Determine Our Destinies

by Leave a Comment

Lotus_White_300x200We have all heard about the power of positive thinking and how our thoughts determine our destiny; however, how many of us truly believe that and actually live that?

There are some wonderful dreams that I would like to see manifested in my life, as I am sure you have in yours. I have made a definitive decision to actively send out positive thoughts toward my true heart’s desires and have asked the Angels to help me to achieve them. I let go of trying to make these dreams manifest on my own because I know my vision here on Earth is limited. The Angels see more than we do and can help guide us on the right path. I know that I must open myself up to the guidance that they give me and to always keep my thoughts positive about my dreams. I do this by infusing a bright light around my dreams and visualizing them in their wholeness as already completed.

The message that the Angels want me to share with you is to open your mind and imagination. Visualize your deepest desires and dreams coming true. See yourself basking in the happiness that is truly yours to live. Your dreams are meant to come true, regardless of the circumstances around us. If we can dream it, we can live it. All we have to do is truly believe with all of our hearts that we not only deserve this happiness, but also can experience the materialization of our dreams in our lifetimes here on Earth, not just in Heaven.

Keep in mind that the way our dreams will manifest may involve circumstances that appear negative on the surface. Let go of momentary disappointment in the small twists and turns that our lives take as these seemingly negative circumstances or events may be necessary to clear out obstacles that were impeding our progress. Be open to change, take it all in stride, and take time each day to acknowledge with gratitude the positive events and circumstances in your life every day. Keep visualizing your actualized dream. The Angels, who assist the Creator in manifesting our happiness, will help you. All you have to do is ask for their help and truly believe that they are assisting you.

I am interested in hearing about your dreams and what you are doing to make them a reality. Please feel free to share in the comments section below.

With Light and Love,
Karen T. Hluchan

www.HealingSpiritWithLove.com

MENU