The Miraculous Medal

Here is the story of the Miraculous Medal. You do not have to be Catholic to pray this. It works for everybody.

The First Apparition 

The story begins on the night of July 18-19, 1830. A child (perhaps her guardian angel) awakened Sister (now Saint) Catherine Labouré, a novice in the community of the Daughters of Charity in Paris, and summoned her to the chapel. There she met with the Virgin Mary and spoke with her for several hours. During the conversation Mary said to her, “My child, I am going to give you a mission.”

The Second Apparition

Mary gave her this mission in a vision during evening meditation on November 27, 1830. She saw Mary standing on what seemed to be half a globe and holding a golden globe in her hands as if offering it to heaven. On the globe was the word “France,” and our Lady explained that the globe represented the whole world, but especially France. The times were difficult in France then, especially for the poor who were unemployed and often refugees from the many wars of the time. France was first to experience many of those troubles which ultimately reached many other parts of the world and are even present today. Streaming from rings on Mary's fingers as she held the globe were many rays of light. Mary explained that the rays symbolize the graces she obtains for those who ask for them. However, some of the gems on the rings were dark, and Mary explained that the rays and graces were available but did not come because no one had asked for them. 

 

The Third Apparition and the Miraculous Medal

The vision then changed to show our Lady standing on a globe with her arms now outstretched and with the dazzling rays of light still streaming from her fingers. Framing the figure was an inscription: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Then Mary spoke to Catherine: “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.” Catherine explained the entire series of apparitions to her confessor, and she worked through him to carry out Mary’s instructions. She did not reveal that she received the Medal until soon before her death 47 years later. 

With approval of the Church, the first Medals were made in 1832 and were distributed in Paris. Almost immediately the blessings that Mary had promised began to shower down on those who wore her Medal. The devotion spread like wildfire. Marvels of grace and health, peace and prosperity, following in its wake. Before long people were calling it the “Miraculous” Medal. And in 1836, a Canonical inquiry undertaken at Paris declared the apparitions to be genuine.

There is no superstition, nothing of magic, connected with the Miraculous Medal. The Miraculous Medal is not a “good-luck charm”. Rather, it is a great testimony to faith and the power of trusting prayer. Its greatest miracles are those of patience, forgiveness, repentance, and faith. God uses a Medal, not as a sacrament, but as an agent, an instrument, in bringing to pass certain marvelous results. “The weak things of this earth hath God chosen to confound the strong.”

When our Blessed Mother gave the design of the medal to Saint Catherine Labouré she said, “Now it must be given to the whole world and to every person.” 

This information comes from the AMM  http://www.amm.org/medal.asp  Here you can obtain your free Medal if you wish.  


Should you be experiencing difficulty in life, ask for Mary and her Miraculous Medals intercession. It will never fail the humble in heart. Mary will never fail you. She is here for us always.

Many people will say that they won't pray to the Blessed Mother because they are not Christian. Remember, the Blessed Mother was not Christian either. I believe she was Jewish. Don't allow religion to keep you from this beautiful intercession with Mary.

Here is also part of a story from Fr. John Hardon


"In the fall of 1948, the year after my ordination, I was in what we call the Tertianship. This is a third year of Novitiate before taking final vows.
In October of that year, a Vincentian priest came to speak to us young Jesuit priests. He encouraged us to obtain faculties, as they are called, to enroll people in the Confraternity of the Miraculous Medal. Among other things, he said, "Fathers, the Miraculous Medal works. Miracles have been performed by Our Lady through the Miraculous Medal."
I was not impressed by what the Vincentian priest was telling. I was not the medal-wearing kind of person and I certainly did not have a Miraculous Medal. But I thought to myself, "It does not cost anything." So I put my name down to get a four page leaflet from the Vincentians, with the then-Latin formula for blessing Miraculous Medals and enrolling people in the Confraternity of the Miraculous Medal. About two weeks later, I got the leaflet for blessing and enrollment, put it into my office book and forgot about it.
In February of the next year, I was sent to assist the chaplain of St. Alexis Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. I was to be there helping the regular chaplain for two weeks.
Each morning I received a list of all the patients admitted into the hospital that day. There were so many Catholics admitted that I could not visit them all as soon as they came.
Among the patients admitted was a boy about nine years old. He had been sled-riding down hill, lost control of the sled and ran into a tree head-on. He fractured his skull and X-rays showed he had suffered severe brain damage.
When I finally got to visit his room at the hospital, he had been in a coma for ten days, no speech, no voluntary movements of the body. His condition was such that the only question was whether he would live. There was no question of recovering from what was diagnosed as permanent and inoperble brain damage.
After blessing the boy and consoling his parents, I was about to leave his hospital room. But then a thought came to me. "That Vincentian priest. He said, 'The Miraculous Medal works.' Now this will be a test of its alleged miraculous powers!"
I didn't have a Miraculous Medal of my own. And everyone I asked at the hospital also did not have one. But I persisted, and finally one of the nursing sisters on night duty found a Miraculous Medal.
What I found out was that you don't just bless the medal, you have to put it around a person's neck on a chain or ribbon. So the sister-nurse found a blue ribbon for the medal, which made me feel silly. What was I doing with medals and blue ribbons.
However, I blessed the medal and had the father hold the leaflet for investing a person in the Confraternity of the Miraculous Medal. I proceeded to recite the words of investiture. No sooner did I finish the prayer of enrolling the boy in the Confraternity than he opened his eyes for the first time in two weeks. He saw his mother and said, "Ma, I want some ice cream." He had been given only intravenous feeding.

This Experience Changed My Life

Then he proceeded to talk to his father and mother. After a few minutes of stunned silence, a doctor was called. The doctor examined the boy and told the parents they could give him something to eat.
The next day began a series of tests on the boy's condition. X-rays showed the brain damage was gone.
Then still more tests. After three days, when all examinations showed there was complete restoration to health, the boy was released from the hospital.
This experience so changed my life that I have not been the same since. My faith in God, faith in His power to work miracles, was strengthened beyond description."
 http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/mirmedal.htm

 

Tuning Inward

"Turning inwards is not a turning at all. Going inwards is not a going at all. Turning inwards simply means that you have been running after this desire and that, and you have been running and running and you have been coming again and again to frustration.That each desire brings misery, that there is no fulfillment through desire. That you never reach anywhere, that contentment is impossible. Seeing this truth, that running after desires takes you nowhere, you stop. Not that you make any effort to stop. If you make any effort to stop it is again running, in a subtle way. You are still desiring--maybe now it is desirelessness that you desire. If you are making an effort to go in, you are still going out. Any effort can only take you out, outwards. All journeys are outward journeys, there is no inward journey. How can you journey inwards? You are already there, there is no point in going. When going stops, journeying disappears; when desiring is no more clouding your mind, you are in. This is called turning in. But it is not a turning at all, it is simply not going out."

Osho This Very Body The Buddha Chapter 9

 

Mirrors of the Soul - The Lover's

I have been receiving many e-mails from clients who are in difficult relationships that are controlling or unfulfilled.

This brings me to the Lover's Tarot Card. The Lover's when appearing usually signifies a relationship. More importantly, it helps to know that every relationship you are in is a direct reflection of your inner state. Many times people complain that others walk all over them. This is a reflection of your inner state. Perhaps you walk all over yourself. You can never change another person. You can only change yourself and thus your vibration. In doing this, the relationship will either follow you, and raise with you, or it may be time for it to dissolve on the physical plane. Whether a relationship changes form or dissolves you can always honor this on the Spiritual plane.

It is important when making a decision in relationships to decide if you want the relationship to change form or release. I have taught this for many years in my Spiritual teachings and was refreshed to read it in Sanaya Roman's Soul Love, a fantastic book, which I highly recommend. In the book Sanaya urge's you to imagine your life, if you had everything you wanted and were satisfied with your life, had good friends, had a good salary, good job. Would you still want to relationship to end? If the answer is no. Then perhaps it wasn't the relationship you were dissatisfied with, but your own life.

When the Lover's card pops up in a tarot reading I urge you to look to the relationship you have with yourself. Do you honor it? The outer relationships you have with others reflect this inner state of being.

Image from the Osho Zen Tarot deck. 

Awakening your Cards

Many tarot readers will know exactly what I am talking about when I say my cards seems tired, our not responsive, or muddled. Now there can be another cause for this brain drain, which is fatigue, dehydration and emotional upset. But if you are sure, you are attuned and ready to read and your cards are sluggish, I created a special ritual to wake them  up. Take your cards and put them  back in order again, in the order in which they came. For most decks, including the Rider-Waite Smith Deck, you will put them In order with The Magician first then all the majors and stop at the Fool. Then the rest of the suits will be Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles. Aces first through ten, then courts up to King.

That is the order in which they come and Arthur E. Waite lists them.

Then, put them either in a windowsill or outside under a Full Moon's Light. In the morning remove them , so they had a little sun too.

And your cards will be dancing. I also place a crystal on top usually a quartz, while they moon bathe under the magical light of Luna.

I have used smudging and every other cleaning technique and not to say they don't work, this method just works best for me. Try it. Leave a comment and let me know how yours feel.

I swear the next day, not only were the cards alive with energy, and details, the colors even seemed alive.

Tea & Tarot

It is very rare I allow someone to read cards for me. However yesterday I had an enchanting afternoon with Barb from the Mystic Review. As she read me, she confirmed my thoughts and referred many great books. Whenever we get together, it is like Fate takes a break to have Tea with us, as goosebumps come at the eerie accuracy and synchronicity soars. I love our talks.

Barb has wonderful energy and gives advice as a friend should. She steers me from pitfalls and brings me down to earth from my latest follies. Perhaps going to Africa to become a Root Doctor wasn't the best decision for me. So, I appreciate her. :)

A good reader and friend knows when to give good advice in a gentle way. And a professional reader always gives advice and spiritual material to read as Barb always suggests great books.She has a great taste in reading and I am always shocked by her accuracy in picking the right books.

Our afternoon tea's & tarot are awe inspiring in Barb's two story 100 year old home which I rent..

It is so good to have a friend to exchange readings with. That I wouldn't change for the world, or even for a nice trip to Africa.

Tarot Journeys- Lesson 1- The Fool

In the Tarot there are five suits, similar to the playing cards, but with an additional suit called the Major Arcana or Trumps. Although opinions vastly vary on this topic, I will give my two cents as this is my blog. I believe in Free Will, 100%. I also believe in Karma as being certain energies that we are meant to experience due to learning or past life issues. I do believe that we have total free will in how we respond or act. When a major Arcana card pops up, I know that there energies at work behind the scenes. If it is a relationship question, or money question I know that it is more than just the question being asked, that there is more going on that the querent may not be aware of at force.

That takes us to The Fool, our first Major card who holds the #0. There are different schools of learning on the Fool, some believe it is the first of the majors, followed by the Magician #1, and some put it at the end of the deck and begin with the Magician #1 as the first card of suit. I have a totally different take on this.

I take the fool like a joker, or a wild card in the deck.

The Fool is Free Will in motion, it is the person's choice in the matter. The Fool is Free Will experienced in the cards. The Major Arcana are the Life Lessons, The Minor Arcana are the smaller things we experience in life, and the Fool ,is its own. At times, I separate the Fool onto its own.

So, when The Fool appears in a Tarot reading,  I predict that the outcome of the question lies within the person's ability to exercise their own free will.


I always believe in a Free Will. I do not believe that life is preordained. People may ask, "Then how do you predict the future?"

My answer to them is, that people are existing on vibrations. And as much as they may will something, if it isn't in their higher good or they are reaching for it in the wrong manner, the cards will show blockages, etc.

As long as people have free will, the cards will always be up in the air.

I read for one of my best friend's yesterday. Her name is Barb at the Mystic Review blog, when I did her reading, I saw that she was put here to write, healing books and to channel. She confirmed this is what she wanted and has been working on. Can I say 100% she will continue on to write and publish. No. That is within the realm of her Free Will. Do I think she will, yes. Why, because there was so much energy she was vibrating at that was headed in that direction.

It is almost like shooting an arrow. Once you get the arrow, load it, pull back and let go. It is gone into the air. Sometimes you put so much energy into something, creative energy and will, that you create something.

It is like a pregnancy. A doctor can read all the signs and tell you as long as nothing bad happens, as long as there are no health issues or unforeseen accidents this fetus will turn into a human being. Not a fish, not a hang glider but a human. Certain things can be predicted because the energy generated created a seed,a living energy. And that can manifest into something. Many times my predictions for people come true, in fact most times, 100% on target. People will say, then some of it has to be predestined. Not necessarily.

I will give two examples of this.

A few months ago a woman came to me and asked if she would ever have a baby because she tried for years with failure. Her cards to my surprise said yes. She later found out that she actually was pregnant already at the time of the tarot session and didn't even know it.

I read for a client yesterday as a matter of fact. She is trying to sell her home. I told her I saw in the cards a darker complexioned woman (queen of pentacles) would come with a spouse (lovers) and another female who was dominating. The client said, that is remarkable, I have a showing for the house this coming weekend it is an Indian woman, her husband and her mother. She asked how it would go, I pulled the 5 of swords ( aggravation) and the three of swords (heartbreak). I felt these people wouldn't be the ones to buy it with the heartache as the outcome card. She said that the wife's mother is coming with them because she has a real estate license and it is well known she can be a real pain in the rear and dominant.

She e-mailed today, and said the people had canceled and are not coming to see it after all.

Were the cards wrong? Not at all. They described people coming to look at her home, their physical characteristics and disappointment in the end.

Nothing is set in stone. Things are apt to change. Why, simply because there is Free Will, and with the Fool, we can ride it out or deny that it exits instead waiting for our dreams to come true. Me? I would rather be the Fool and travel through this short game of life, weightless with my dreams and wishes in my little bag, waiting for my next journey.

Preparation for Tarot Reading

Many people ask how I prepare for my readings, and the answer is simple. An old Spanish Gypsy method is to clean your space/or the room in which you divine, before the session. This is not feasible by today's standards, but I think the point was much deeper. By cleaning the room, we not only concentrate and clear our heads, but too, focus on cleaning ourselves. Whenever we do a motion, there is an energy on the spirit realm which equals that. If we find the need to eat, for example, we want our spirit's nourished. If we clean, we too clean our spirit.

Before a Tarot session, I pray, clear my mind of all thoughts, in Buddhism it is called the no-mind. If you are having problems that day, when you read for someone, you may actually begin to see your problems mirrored in the cards. You owe it to yourself or one you read for, to be of complete meditation. I noticed that yoga and breathing exercises help to ground my restless Piscean nature. I have also noticed that drinking water during my sessions, helps to keep me awakened, and at times I drink green tea.

I used to burn a lot of incense during my readings and it seemed to distract me. Now, I have an oil burner, with a tea light under it, and I burn floral oils, I hear the Angels love that. I don't usually burn synthetic oils I make my own, or put in an essential oil. Sometimes, I even put water, a little essential oil, & some dried flowers or herbs it boils it like a little witch's cauldron or Shuvani (witch is Romanes -Gypsy language).

I used to switch from deck to deck, and realized I like to stick to one deck now. Although I do like to collect decks now and again. Magical colors for candles especially in Romani-Gypsy culture are purple and blue and frankincense or cedar scent. The cedar clears the mind, coming back to the no-mind. The most important lesson I have learned over the past 23 years of Tarot reading, that I wished I knew then, was that you are the most important part. I practiced hundreds of different methods, bought different cards, read tomes of books, and none made me happy. It was only when I threw everything out of my room, and put a blue cloth upon my table, and nothing, nothing but my cards, did I find myself again. And it took me back to when I was nine, and I found my first love, not walking along the halls of school, but sitting on top of my grandmother's old oak table, waiting to be shuffled...A love affair that will never end.