Hope

by Cate Cavanagh

Have you lost hope? Of all spiritual states of mind, hope is that quick silver quality that steadies us through the various circumstances of our lives with no discernable guarantee of the outcome we desire. So, what is hope?

We all say things like "I hope my headache goes away, I hope my daughter passes the finals, I hope I get a raise" so "hope" must be important to us all but, how does it operate in our lives?

People pray when they are hoping for something whether minor or important. Sometimes people pray over and over again for a particular thing like a child clutching at its mother's skirt. This is not hope. This is desperation for the energies spent pleading with the universe could be better spent being proactive for what you are hoping for. Hope is developed as a result of seeing positive outcomes. Over time, it fills the void of insecurity that would torment us with doubt, fear and despair. Hope is holding within the soul the belief in possibilities and potential and that anything can be done. Without hope, we might choose not to do anything positive to create change. It would all seem fruitless. I have been where the fear of failure or lack of hope immobilized me. I did not trust in the Divine Plan and much less myself yet, I desperately wanted to hope, to believe that positivity could enter my life. I began each day with a prayer for hope which had become so alien to me. We need hope to have goals but goals do not invent themselves. People invent goals. It is a horrible thing to live in fear and this is the nightmarish outcome of the absence of hope.

Hope is not holding the Divine or yourself to a time frame. It would be great if outcomes were immediate. Instead it is a state of being that is patient and, while we are productive, it also enables us to enjoy the little things that bless our average day. Although I used to be a "Good God, Morning! Ugh!" person who, upon awakening, had to outline reasons for getting up, I am now a person who wants to get up and get the most out of my day. Who knows what blessing I might experience?

If nothing tragic has happened in my personal world since the day before, that is a major blessing. So automatically there is at least one with which to start my day. Remember the popular Rosemary Clooney song "Counting My Blessings" in which she sang of counting blessings when she went to sleep? I count my blessings when I wake up to keep hope going.

Even spiritual people reach crossroads. Whether it is disability, certain health conditions or personal loss spiritual people are not immune to the turmoil these circumstances create. Spiritual people also have personal lives that can become dysfunctional or worrisome. Sometimes our dysfunctional childhood experiences catch up with us leaving to wonder where we are on our path in life. It is at these times that we need hope.

It doesn't matter what we have faith in or believe in, or what name we call our god(s) or deities. Faith is a very important component to recovering from being "lost". Faith is not blind. If you are like me, you have seen miracles. You may have seen only everyday wonders but, these ARE miracles. Recall big and small miracles that have occurred to reaffirm your faith. Meditate, light a candle for you and only you. Listen to calming music and decide to have faith. You have a choice here. You can talk yourself into it or out of it. Having been in both places, I can personally vouch on the side of faith.

We have to work on hope for although it is there for us to hold within, the distractions of life can make it elusive. Hope occurs when we have achieved gratitude for that which we have received. With hope, we can not only see what we have received but we can be open to receiving more and more.

In Her Godmother Allie feels despair over the breakup of her parents. When a parent is an alcoholic a child experiences grief over the loss of normalcy in his or her life. To experience the loss of hope at such a young age is tragic but with help, Allie begins to heal and find hope.

Find out how...



Take a moment to watch the book trailer below which was produce by VALKYRIE PUBLISHING (theresachaze.com)



Available at fine bookstores, including Barnes and Noble, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com and other online stores.

Are You Toxic To Yourself?

By Cate Cavanagh

Yes, I too have bad days. Sometimes, as with most people, you hit a time when the stress and worry about money, health or loved ones build up. Over time, stress racks the nerves and mental constitution of the best of us. A few years back I was in such a cycle. I lost a number of loved one in a brief period of time and was worried about other family members that were in poor health. Forget about waiting "for the other shoe to drop", I was waiting nonstop for the third shoe! Because I was also in grieving I got hit with the anger stage of grief so, you can imagine anger and rage for a multiple of deceased people happening all at the same time and the effect it had on me. Psychics are human too after all and can fall victim to harsh times, grief and anger. The difference can be the power of the mind and how intensely you feel your pain.

As a Taurus, my home is my haven. It is where I want to be and I just love nestling in for quiet times at the end of the day. But, I had reached a point where I was angry in my home and at my home. Despite a reasonable amount of time passing during which I should have managed my grief related anger, my anger kept surfacing over and over again--huge waves of it would engulf me and I was lost.

I so enraged I had a long period of time in which I was in a "duh?" state of mind. One day I woke up with a realization. I realized that I had become toxic to myself. I had experienced such violent grief and anger that I infected my home with emotions so strong, the energy was lingering and reinfecting me! As you can imagine I was stunned for I, of all people, should have picked up on this phenomenon but simply didn't. It was then I realized I had to spiritually cleanse my home of my own negative energies that were so powerful as to cripple me.

Are you or have you gone through a prolonged period of stress, upset and anger? It could be your own emotions, sent out into you home in the form of negative energies, are still lingering in your environment. You could be reinfecting yourself with your own negative emotions. You could be toxic to yourself too!

How do you cleanse your home of malingering negativity? You can "smoke" your house. Tis is done by opening your windows and burning sage, fanning ti with your hand throughout your whole home. You will immediately feel the environment lighten. Another thing to do is to sprinkle salt all over your house, especially the corners where energies get trapped, and leaving it down fo twenty-four hours. It is also good practice to do a home cleansing once a week for maintenance so to speak to prevent you from continuing to reinfect yourself.

See what Allie is learning and watch the trailer.





Produced by VALKYRIE PUBLISHING. Visit theresachaze.com

People Are Talking About Her Godmother!

Average Rating: Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5
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Possibly the best book I've read this year, and I read a lot. Florence Splitt, A reviewer, 08/25/2008: It's rare to be able to say a book about magic is true to life, and even rarer to say that one can inspire you, one that makes you feel you're connected with everything around you when you go for a walk, and see the world in a different light. This book does that, while telling a story that so many can relate to. Many think of witches as either insane, evil, a mix of those two- or one who molds the universe with the flick of her wand and some choice words. Different, interesting, fun most of the time, with moments of seriousness thrown in, mind altering- I highly recommend the read. I've also read 'Gifts of the Spirit' by the same author, completely different kind of book, but she's proving herself to be a quality writer in my opinion.

Also recommended: Gifts of the Spirit, The Tao of Pooh, The Tao of Eqqus, Long Way Down, The Stand 'Exteneded', Sphere, Island, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hamlet, Macbeth, Madness and Civilization, Eyes of the Dragon, Brave New World Revisited, A Child Called It

Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 A reviewer
Flo, A reviewer, 05/22/2008: For anyone who has suffered loss of any kind this book helps us see that healing is all around us. Allie, who is heartbroken about her father's alcoholism goes to stay with her godmother for while and boy, could we all use a godmother like hers! This book is poignant, funny and a wonderful read for juveniles and adults alike.

Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!
Annie, A reviewer, 05/21/2008: Join Allie on her journey to healing. Her Godmother teaches Allie and the reader to discover the magic of every day enchantment. Through Allies eyes I learned how to look at life as a series of wonder.

Customer Rating for this product is 5 out of 5 A reviewer
01/18/2008: This book is sensitively written to help children whose families face challenges to heal. No flying broomstick here just down to earth real magic. In this case it is healing from the heartache of having a parent that is an alcoholic. Don't we all wish we had a godmother to make things right? Allie goes to stay with her godmother and begins to heal and nothing will be the same again!

Also recommended: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings etc.

See what Allie is Learning About!

Take a moment to watch the book trailer produced by Valkyrie Publishing!

HER GODMOTHER BOOK TRAILER, Produced by Valkyrie Publishing, thresachaze.com



Available at fine bookstores, including Barnes and Noble, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com and other online stores.

The Question of Religious Freedom

Author and publisher Theresa Chaze has written a thought provoking article on the subject of religious freedom. This article makes one stop and think about what is religious freedom and the law that separates church from state, especially as it applies to the public school system. Her article can be found here: http://theresachaze.blogspot.com/

My comment on this topic varies from some and it is simply that I do not believe one set of religious principles should be emboldened as primary within any governmentally funded program or institution. I do, however, find nothing wrong with anyplace, including a school giving a few moments for students to commune with their God, Goddess or any other deity for guidance or reflection.

To carry this further I feel very strongly that Pagans, especially students, should be able to wear their pentacle without fear of reprisal which has sadly happened to students in schools in a number of districts. After all, it is no different than a Star of David or a cross from a spiritual point of view. On the other hand I feel Christian students who choose to meet during lunch to do Bible study should be able to do so and that Muslim students should be able to bow to Mecca during school if it is the time to do so. If students during a free period choose to read religious materials or other spiritual literature, they should be able to do so.

Frankly I believe the law of the land is largely influenced by the Ten Commandments and honestly have no objection to it being displayed in a courthouse or any other public building alongside with the Code of Hammurabi which was the very first code of laws from which all others sprang. In other words, there are many inspired sources that have dictated what is just and fair and they too should be acknowledged.

When one group insists that their way is the only way there will always be problems with mutual respect and acceptance. As I see it, the focus of religious freedom has been on how it affects Christians but the truth of the matter it is a matter of religious "expression" concerning all belief systems. There are a diverse number of belief systems in this country and until all of them can become somewhat familiar to all of us, fear will continue to pervade and invade our society.

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I am so please to pass Rose and her website on to you all. These programs are uplifting, enlightened with the gift of offering guidance to everyone.

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The Magic I couldn't Feel today

Today was one of "those" days-still not quite over my bout with bronchitis and the effect of strong antibiotics left me hung over with a blue kind of feeling. The sun was shining, it was a perfect day but the only thing that gave me heart was that I was at least up to my morning cleaning routine which was a major sign that indeed I was getting better!

Still I felt out of sync with myself and my surroundings. I have had some unpleasantness the last several weeks. I am hypoglycemic and on occasion prone to weird acute attacks of low glucose drops that seem incapable of stabilizing. I went through this for several weeks and all my activities simply stopped as I fought waking myself up from horrible stupors and in general feeling dizzy, weak and tired when I was awake. My routines of getting up early, cleaning, romping with the dogs, doing stalls and riding my horse suddenly stopped. Then I contracted bronchitis which sidelined me even longer. Between cabin fever and a sudden decrease in what are usually physically active days frankly just got to me. And today, I felt as if the magic around me was simply gone. I didn't even have the desire to jump start myself.

Usually I ride my mare in the mornings but today at about 2pm I decided that since I was feeling better a nice bareback in the woods might make me feel better. I went out to the field and asked Sassy if she wanted to go out. She lifted her head and perked up her ears. She waited as I approached with her bridle.

Sassy has a story of her own. She is twenty eight and I got her when she was four years old and totally, as we call them, green broke. In other words she was just this side of wild! It took time but ultimately I worked with her and we became great partners and friends. In recent years she had some really serious health problems. She had bouts of pneumonia, went blind in one eye, got Lyme disease which affected her immune system, had become horribly epileptic, foundered (a horrible acute crippling ailment) and was lame from arthritis in her knees. Some years back I called in a vet to put her down and thankfully this old timer said "not today." She began to come back but I retired her.

This last year I decided to begin walking her as she was not really active in the pasture anymore and as we walked, over time, her gait got faster and strong. Out of retirement, I decided and since she had not had a seizure for a long time I decided it was worth the risk of riding her. Of course she cannot trot and run like she used to in her day but to just be able to ride her through the woods, which she always enjoyed is a miracle to me.

Now don't think that because she is a senior citizen with some leg problems that she hasn't given me flack and "argued" with me on the rides at times. I have to admit I just love it when she is cranky enough to speak her mind. So, today, wondering if I were well enough to keep my balance on her bareback I decided we both needed to see the woods. The ride could not have been more perfect. I talked to her and cooed her the whole time and she decided it was nice being out and did not debate what turns to take when as she sometimes does.

After a bit we came back and we both felt happier. My funk of the morning had lifted and I realized that when I decided to ride her today, I touched magic. She was my magic. In everyday life we can never know where the magic comes from....

Of Course Allie learns all about everyday magic in my book, Her Godmother-



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Elysian Fields

Right now I am not quite myself. You see I have bronchitis and am on antibiotics which always throw me off kilter. Being inactive as I must be these days sends my mind wandering to places--some places I do not like and others where flights of fancy occur.

I was talking with a good friend today. Of course very important topics come up in such conversations. For example I simply HAD to talk about the movie, The Age of Innocence with Michelle Pfeiffer and Daniel Day Lewis. Now this movie has got to be the most boring, self important feeling movies next to Dangerous Liaisons. Yet, I was compelled to watch it after only seeing it once several years ago.

The story is very soap opera-ish and Michelle and Daniel painfully walk around being tormented about their privileged although society-controlled lives. I think I just like the movie because it is a beautiful photo essay about that period of time in New York although strictly about the wealthy class.

I pointed out that perhaps I would have liked to have lived during that time although I was sure my life would have been on the under belly of society with a job most probably plucking chickens. So we began to talk about what lives we might have liked to have lived if those lives did not have sorrows. She said she would have loved the 20's-minus the depression. I said I thought I would have loved the Gay Nineties-a backlash to the Victorian Era but my deepest fantasy would be living in old Vienna during the time of great composers draped in a magnificent gown dancing the Viennese Waltz in a marbled palace. In my fantasy, this goes on forever, much like the joys of the Grecian Elysian Fields.

Escapism is part of the human psyche from time to time, especially when one is under the weather and the aimless mind becomes aimless. For example, I had another conversation with my husband today about the meaning of life. Bless his soul he is very optimistic so his interpretation of the question described the purpose of life which to him is to love, be lucky enough to be loved and to help people that need help.

In my antibiotic state I commented what if life has no purpose at all? What if we are reincarnated for different reasons? Reason one could be we chose to come back to master a lesson (which is the usual case). Reason two could be a good life as a reward for good deeds in another life. Of course if suffering, this life could be a punishment for evil deeds of the past. Then again it could simply be that we don't know enough to leave well enough alone and to simply choose to not come back!

An undisciplined day leaves me with an undisciplined and aimless mind-from meanderings about the purpose of life to Elysian Fields. Ah, the antibiotics are making me tired again so perhaps I will withdraw and daydream about Vienna Waltzes. Even good witches have days when they only see the twisters...

HER GODMOTHER BOOK TRAILER



Available at fine bookstores, including Barnes and Noble, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com and other online stores.

What's Your Trigger?
By Cate Cavanagh

Everyone has a sore spot, an Achilles' Heal if you will. Sometimes it's something such as hearing screeching tires that our nerves like chalk squeaking on a blackboard. Sometimes it's Aunt Tilly's gaggling laugh. But when it comes to spiritual balance it is something else altogether.

Many of us have been looking at our self definitions and how we see ourselves. We have been exploring why we have these self definitions and have been working to redefine ourselves truthfully instead of painfully. We have also been working on our self image by dressing nicely even if we don't want to or putting on make up even if we do not like what we see in the mirror. In short, we have working on self transformation. But sometimes, no matter how much hard work we put into transforming ourselves we have a set back. So I will now ask you, what is your trigger? What is it that shakes you to the bottom of your soul to the point of losing ground,losing your inner balance?

For one it could be a birthday. Birthdays signal turning points and it is natural to reflect on our lives. Unfortunately, birthdays make us look at what we may have dreamed and not yet obtained. Another is a major holiday. It is not surprising that major holidays earmark horrible depression and high suicide rates. If divorced going to that cousin's wedding can also be a trigger to any number of issues we have not yet settled within ourselves. If watching our weight (if we have an eating disorder) that one piece of wedding cake could cause us to suddenly binge eat or purge. It is all about painful memories and issues that are triggered by what should be a fun event.

Sometimes, as with my case in particular, it is being around people who are drunk. You see my dad was an alcoholic and being around someone who is drunk brings back a flood of sad, childhood memories. For someone with a physical disability it could be hearing about someone's son making a college team. If you were never able to get a college education, running into a friend who did and who is "successful" can bring about feelings of failure.

All of the above are about "things". That's the bottom line here and these "things" tap into our fears: fear of failing, being too fat or too thin, fear of being continually disabled or of feeling inadequate. Does this all mean our working at self transformation is to no avail? On the contrary! It only means we have triggers reminding us of where we came from, not where we are going! On days were we have a setback we need to remember that is who we were, not who are or who we are becoming. If we can remember this we can ride through the rough spots and see that we are champions over our past.

Of course the best tool is, and it is hard, learning to live in the present. In HER GODMOTHER, Allie learns to be alive in the magical moment of now!

Book trailer:

See what Allie is Learning About!

See the trailer!

The Elements of change

The young character in my book, HER GODMOTHER, is blessed with having the opportunity to begin learning how to think and react in a healthy way with regard to her special challenges. Most of us are not as fortunate and only after years of carrying burdens well into our adulthood do we reach a point of wanting to experience major changes in our lives.

Most of us have heard the old adage of how some people see the cup half full and others, half-empty. I have taken it a step further: some of us have to make our own cup. There is a way to look at life or how life treats you. One person can be an optimist- life has treated them well or at least fairly. Then there are others (pessimists) that life seems to have passed by or worse yet, dumped on. There are some people who, other than the grief from the inevitable loss of a loved one, live uncompromised lives. Yet, we all know people who, no matter how hard they try, have a rough ride just getting through life with their heads held high. For these people, life is difficult indeed.

Some people seem to gain opportunity just by being in the right place at the right time. Others must work hard, plan strategic moves and learn to know when to take that leap, leave the familiar and expand into a new area. The problem is, we often fall short somewhere between planning and knowing when to take that ‘leap’. Most of us prefer the comfortable. The comfortable does not have to be pleasant. It is what is known and familiar. Why else is it so hard for people to decide to move or relocate for a job? It is because change is difficult and frightening.

It is when life holds nothing exciting or enchanting, when we are in a rut we cannot climb out of that it becomes time to make a new cup. Making a new cup is not easy. We only know the cup we had and what was in it. If we truly do not like the old cup or what we were drinking from it, we have to look at ourselves and see how did we brew that drink that made it so bitter? We need to think about the kind of cup do we want now? What kind of new drink could we possibly make and how the heck do we start making a cup? Do we pour out the old drink altogether, do we throw out the cup? They both had their purpose for a long time. Do we want to really part with them?

These may all seem like rhetorical questions but they are not. You see to bring about change takes conscious effort. After all, we lived in our rut, with our rut and perpetuated our rut probably for a long time. We probably had all the reason in world to be in our rut to begin with. Our life path may have been extremely difficult or deprived, giving us every reason to be justified in having the fears we have and remaining with the familiar, even if it is uncomfortable. But, you know what? Changing is even more uncomfortable, especially if you begin from the standing point of no faith or trust. If you are starting at this standing point, you have to decide whether or not you are going to take a "leap" of the faith you do not yet have. You’re not sure what you believe in anymore, you just hope there is something to believe in because you surely do not believe in yourself. You reflect on your life and decide you really cannot stand another year, week or day of the same old routine so, you decide to work on changing. The beauty of this first decision is that you do not have to change anything about your environment. You don’t have to quit your job, you don’t have to relocate. You simply have to begin with your own package. You are the cup that is to be. You are going to fashion it and decide the stuff that will go into this new vessel.

It takes courage to decide to change because when you decide to work on change, you embark on an unsure majickal journey of thought transformation. In order to begin it is important that you do not want to harm anyone as you strive to meet goals. It is also important to accept you are a work in progress and will battle old habits along the way. It doesn't matter how graciously you begin your change. The important thing is a commitment to it for patience and time will bring changes in your life and in all things around you.

Enter basic majickal thought 101 upon which I base my school, Quantum spirituality, The Science of Change. The beauty of this is that you do not have to be a Wiccan or Witch. You can use the thought principles that go into casting spells and apply them to yourself on a very personal level. As you think, see what it is you want, taste what it is you want and wait. Some people sit quietly and imagine VIVIDLY their desire. Others people will write it down and send their dreams into the fire by burning the paper because it is an effective way to send energies into the Universe! But, there’s more. The flame of the match creates energy, the burning of the paper and the subsequent smoke is all energy. This practice is so successful, anonymous groups use this exercise very successfully to purge anger, rage or sorrow. But, you can use this tool to create change by writing down the things you need, want or desire without belonging to a coven or annonymous group. You can use this tool as a solitary worker working on self improvement. Acceptance is very important. We must all be willing to accept that not all difficulties are karmic. It is thinking inside of an empowerment arena within which you envision yourself the winner in your bout with the by nemesis, disenchantment. Since I do believe all things are fixed I see no reason why timetables can't be pushed up either once we decide we need and want change more quickly. Since we do not know, for the most part, what is and is not fixed, should we sit on the sidelines deciding this is karma and that is karma? Too many people fritter precious away contemplating what is karma and forget that can make and even change our karma with the right mind set.

The next time you go to a party and look around. Invariably the person having the most fun will be the person who is dressed neatly, appears to have made an effort in the area of grooming, smiles easily and in general emits an openness to meeting people. Now look for the ‘wallflower’. Wallflowers are not born. They are made. The wallflower will stand to the side and appear as if, not expecting to have a good time, no effort was made into appearance. This goes for men or women. Does a wallflower seem approachable? Probably not. Insecurity is projected as loudly as a scream. So wallflowers in actuality, bring about their own anticipated outcome. When it comes to your life are you still wallowing? Are you the wallflower at the your own party?

Jewish wisdom teaches that each life is a blank slate, that no soul has a recollection of its previous knowledge. I say if we allow ourselves to be touched by our own spirit power that is programmed to get us going rather than rationalizing such effort away. We can gain or regain previous knowledge provided we are open minded enough to watch, listen and feel!

Keep in mind that meeting the challenge of redefining ourselves as wonderful, loving, courageous and deserving of joy, can bring about change. How quickly something is achieved depends on our focusing skills but also on how many years we contributed to the circumstance we wish to change. We may have to unravel our own psychological problems first but we must decide we want to change ourselves. How many times and for how long did we tell ourselves it could not be done, hence closing ourselves off to opportunities by not just being blind to them but actually preventing them from coming our way because we fed our negativity. So the next step is wanting to change. More to the point are you ready to change?

Books that are about magic (CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY and HARRY POTTER) continue to elicit rising interest in the magical genre and this book will have appeal to children and adults alike. Unlike Harry Potter books, Her Godmother is a true depiction of magic as practiced in the magical/Wiccan community. Her Godmother also addresses the disease of alcoholism and shows it is not influenced by income nor ethnicity. The AA program is introduced as are some of the steps as tools for healing the wounds children and adult children of alcoholics carry within. As an adult child of an alcoholic this is a situation I have personally experienced. HER GODMOTHER educates about this disease and provides insight into the healing process while creating an imaginative and enchanting novel.

About the book:

Allie is experiencing a family breakup. Her father is an alcoholic. Her mother decides to have Allie stay with her godmother in upstate rural New York while she makes plans to start life over and relocate so although magic is a large part of this story, HER GODMOTHER is a creative tale of coping and rethinking how to heal by discovering joy in a mundane yet disappointing world.

While upstate Allie learns about the the wonder of wildlife. Adding to the fun mix of delightful events is Jasper, the squirrel that taps on her godmother's window, Sally the rotund cat who is a magical character with a story of her own, the family of skunks that live under the house, the bats that live in the roof and Jupiter the nonmagical, mischievous huge mutt. Allie is having a wonderful time until one night, when awakened by a thunderstorm, she peeks out of her window to see her godmother dancing on the lawn in the rain. Who is this woman her mother sent her to stay with? What Allie is about to discover is that her godmother is rather "colorful" or should we say...

It is important to note that although HER GODMOTHER is mystical no one is changed into cats nor does anyone fly on broomsticks. Readers venture with Allie on the Wiccan path to healing and discover with her that ordinary life is really a series of enchantments that will capture the hearts of both children and adults.

Witches are among us and like Brigid (the godmother) live quietly in every community. HER GODMOTHER dispels erroneous thinking about the gentle, caring belief of Wicca which is authentic on its depiction. As a adult child of an alcoholic, Cate weaves the complexity of tis controversy while fostering a deeper understanding of alcoholism and its impact on families, especially children.

The back drop of this book is Livingston Manor, the town in which Cate lives. As the denizens of this town know the weather is rather quirky. This book is authentic in bringing this town to life so the reader can be entertained with the charm and weather unpredictability of this area in Sullivan County, New York.

HER GODMOTHER has a writing style that is easy for children to read while not "writing down" so that the story and style alike will also attract adult readers. The beauty of this book is that it cannot be put into a box that limits readership. It will be appealing to adults, children, those interested in magic as well as those familiar with the heartache of alcoholism.

About Cate: She is a practicing Witch whose my first book, GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, continues to receive rave reviews. she is also a published poet whose work has appeared in poetry anthologies. I am also a published print columnist, had a political program on WJJ, an NPR affiliate, as well as a podcast political commentator on Internet Radio Voices. Her work has also appeared in Lightsouce, SelfGrowth and Espirit. She is frequent contributor to Witchvox.
She was asked toto write the forward for widely known metaphysician within the spiritual community, Myriam Maytorena. Her book, LIFE WITH MOTHER, is a touching story of care giving for her mother during the end stages of her life.

Combining the elements of magic, the profundity of alcoholism and fun HER GODMOTHER will be the next feel good book of the year.

Popular author Janet Elaine Smith wrote the forward and excerpted part of this forward as an endorsement on the back cover. Known Wiccan author, Theresa Chaze also wrote a review for the back cover as well.

HER GODMOTHER is available through Barnes and noble, other fine bookstores, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

Respectfully,

Cate Cavanagh

A Pocket Full Of Miracles

Are you in a dark place? Are you feeling like a victim to your circumstances? Are you emotionally fumbling? Do you feel your life has nothing miraculous in it? Everyone goes through rough times and everyone has times where they feel abandoned spiritually, losing hope through times of lacking faith. None of us are alone when it comes to experiencing the despair of darkness. Finding hope and faith can be difficult at these times but not impossible to obtain or regain.

I have found counting blessings not at night (as the song goes) but in the morning helps me frame my mental attitude for the day. Another is my mantra "I am blessed." You see over time you will feel blessed. Wish someone a blessed day and you will get a smile. Blessings are easy to give so why not give yourself as many as you can? Before we can see our blessings however, we may have to do some math.

There are 186,000 seconds in a day. This means on a given day if we have food on the table, no matter how meager, we have 186,000 blessings or miracles. Now if you add having a roof over your head your miracles for that day have now doubled to 372,000 miracles. It is all a matter of perspective. If you have active children add 186,000 miracles to each one. Is at least one parent alive? If so add another 186,000 miracles to your day. If you recovering from illness you are fortunate to be around to do so. True there may be really serious problems you are facing but if you are not consumed today by them, you have just found more moments of miracles.

The power to undergo our hardships gracefully is a matter of perspective and having faith and spirituality basically in tact. The next time you feel overwhelmed by your situation stop and do the math. Cate

Please take a moment to watch my book trailer. As Allie begins her journey of healing she encounters miracles of her own...