When my children were growing up, they were filled with new ideas. I encouraged their creativity as I watched them turn the littlest idea into a whole day of imagination. Like fireworks, their enthusiasm would light up the room and they would be busy for hours putting together costumes for a play, making up songs to dance to and taping video projects. Expressing life in some way filled their days as they developed their passion to touch their inner- most desires. Life was alive in them and it spilled through as natural as the light that fills the darkened room when you ignite the wick of a candle.

We are here to be the candle for humanity. This spark of enthusiasm and presence can be contagious as we live it and then share it. At times the spark within seems pretty dim or even non-existent. That's why we are here on the planet with others. We need to connect more deeply with one another.

I was noticing the other day how people around me were constantly talking on their cell phones while driving or even walking on the beach. I watch my children on the internet chatting to five people at the same time or text messaging as they multi-task. We are constantly craving some form of connection with one another. As we connect, we bring in more energy and light. Think of this for a moment. When you put two candle flames together, don't you get more light? We need to connect. That light is in each and every one of us. It seems that it is dormant unless we have been moved inside ourselves to touch it in some way.

The creative force doesn't seem to be flowing as easily when I am wrapped up in the busy world. When I haven't given myself my own connection, I feel overwhelmed and disconnected to my own light. This is why I make time each day to consciously connect with myself in a quiet, contemplative way through my meditation practice or writing and painting. Another way to uncover and unveil my inner- most secrets is to look at my dreams. The symbols in our dreams are a great way to understand more deeply what is going on unconsciously.

The moment I wake up in the early morning I just connect with my body and receive the dream without trying to figure it out. I become aware of the feelings that begin to rise up through me.

My dreams can be very vivid and bring me to a myriad of feelings.

Sometimes these feelings are so painful and fearful that I want to get up and move around and let myself get distracted. I have decided that this is the time when I most need to connect inward. Life can be such a roller coaster ride and I can feel like a whirling dervish sometimes if I am not fully aware of the moment at hand. To be open to expressing life that seems to be flowing through me can feel down right impossible when I have not allowed myself to feel what needs my attention. Thoughts seem to manipulate my mind, looping around like a buzzing and irritating fly. I want to scream and shut the door to the noise that seems to occupy this space within me. These unexpressed feelings would now over-take my mind with thoughts that creep back in to crowd me once again.

Just days ago the dream that woke me up was not pretty. It was filled with some of the horrors that have unconsciously been haunting me my whole life. But, whatever it is in my life right now that has pushed against me so hard, is helping me to see with more clarity that now I do not have to resist the pain in anyway. This pain can be my own or another’s. The dream has shown me that with my connection to my self and Spirit, I cannot be hurt by this pain. All the years of unveiling my past and exposing my hurt, has given me the safety to be fully cared for in the world and to stay connected. I used to leave my body and live in the mind that seemed to tell me who I was or critically keep me feeling little and small. I was unconsciously making choices and this was my survival. Now, as I look at the symbols in the dream, I see it with different eyes.

I feel good about what I am seeing. Instead of fighting this battle to get to some kind of peace, I began to breathe into the moment. "Okay mind, show me everything that you want me to know."

I begin to have a movie going on in my head. Memories of my past that seem so real. I watch as they bring me feelings. I invite all these feelings into my heart and hold myself as if I were a young child being comforted by my parent. Sadness, anger, shame....you name it, I was feeling it. I was trembling as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I just held myself within. "You are safe to come out now. There is nothing to hide." I want to feel it all.

The feelings rose up in me like a tidal wave. My body was trembling as I stayed with it all. I saw faces and I let it all be shown to me. All this was locked up inside me. I forgot about these experiences. I guess this was the moment I have been waiting for. The fear was so intense. I just held myself now. At this point, I felt that I was connected to all of humanity. It was as if I was joining with the pain of the collective. This awareness brought me into total acceptance of the moment. The pain was softening as the thoughts faded into a quiet where there seemed to be no distractions. I was fully present and the pain moved through. The pain had no attachment to my past.

I was empty now. There was no fighting in my mind. I felt a spacious feeling within my heart that told me I was safe. I felt myself open up more deeply. There was a knowing inside of me that this was how God loved us all. Unconditional love. Accepting all of it was absolute forgiveness. My heart felt compassion for every person that ever hurt me and anyone who I ever hurt. It was like a life review yet at the same time I was not running from the pain of another person. Every cell of my body began to vibrate with energy. I was in a state of pure bliss. I began to move my arms around feeling the freedom within and my mouth was smiling the biggest grin. The feeling felt as expansive as I allowed myself to just be connected to this energy that was expressing through me at the moment. This is what presence is. Peace beyond all understanding. I felt my heart saying, “You can rest now in this love of Self." Now the flood gates opened as the creative force had room to move through now with ease. I was celebrating the goodness that is within. The light could now shine through me with more clarity.

Even though I know that this moment of peace is just temporary until something else begins to ruffle my feathers, I was grateful for my connection to Spirit. I can always remember that I can stay connected. I arrived at a place of acceptance of more of the human experience. I was beginning to understand how the power of control in the world of form is starting to erode away. The people all around me are facing their anxieties about the state of the economy right now. It is bringing up so much fear and insecurity and yet more people are moving inside to embrace these parts of themselves. Everywhere we go; we can connect with another and help them know that they are safe to reveal the past that has been repressed.

WE are here to face our fears. They are coming up in all of us. To be present to the pain means not to repress it. WE can open to it instead of running from it. When we have done this for ourselves then we can hold humanity and be the channel for all of this pain to pass through us. This pain is the collective nature of the ego. WE do not have to be afraid of these times. To take care of our own anxieties and to trust that consciousness is happening through our connection to one another. WE are doing it together. WE can bring the message of peace through our very presence. To be so focused and present can be the doorway to infinite possibilities. Everyone is a part of it.

Embrace these anxieties you have and let it transform you. Your hearts can open more fully to receive the messages from the higher mind. You can choose to be a clear channel for truth to move through and celebrate the light that is here to grace each of us.

Let us join together and be the light unto the world.

I hope you all have a beautiful summer. I will be leaving to go to my home in Ontario, Canada to be with my children and family. I leave Aug.1st and will be back in my office on Aug. 26th.

I will begin the Circle Of Light meditation at the I Am Center on Wed., Sept. 17th at 7:00. I will also be at Elysian Fields on Thursday, Sept. 18th at 6:00 pm. I have decided to stop the Circle at Serenity Gardens in Venice for now and offer evening or weekend workshops instead at my office in Bradenton and various other locations.

Be well and enjoy this beautiful life as you connect with your family and friends.

All my love
Frannie

There are so many people sharing their light through purposeful living. I would invite you to share in the gifts they have to give.

My identical sister, Colleen Hoffman Smith, is reaching out to touch the world with her Inner Workout. She is also an incredible light on this planet and I am so grateful for her commitment to helping people all over the world. Check out her new E-Book called: The Inner Workout- The Bridge to Emotional Freedom. You can find out more about it if you go to her website: http://www.theinnerworkout.com

Colleen is a Life Coach and an excellent speaker who now has a video on You Tube that helps you to understand the Inner Workout that she has created and has been teaching people to use all over the country. It would be great if you could pass it on to others and this would be a way to share this message. The power of sharing is so great and easy on the internet. Please check it out and pass on the light.

Just click on this and sit back and enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T6dR2xmsqY

I would like to introduce you to Rev. James De Maio. He is one of my teachers and a guiding light in my life who has inspired me for the last two decades to transform my own life and ultimately free myself to a be more authentic. I quoted from his book, Helping not Fixing, at the beginning of this newsletter. He is a servant for God as he helps you listen to the Voice for Truth in your own heart. I invite you to go to the website: www.inclusiveness.net or call for more information about his ministry. He is available for private one to one sessions, couple or group counseling and phone sessions.

For more information please call:
Helping Ministries
3505 De Pew Circle
Pt. Charlotte, 33952
Phone# 941-627-2100

The inspiration for this newsletter came when a friend of mine asked me to try these beautiful candles. I love them!!!

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Graphic Designer
941-626-9031