The Seance Newsletter - February 2008

Thoughts From Suzane

Happy month of the heart!

February has now been officially designated the "month of the heart" by Laura Bush. She has spoken out that heart attacks, thought to be more prevalent in men, are now the number one cause of death among women. She has traveled across the country letting women know the signs to be aware of, that are quite different than for men. This is an important historical development! Those who have known me over the years may recall my work at Scripps Integrated Medicine, and particularly with Dr. Mimi Guarneri, author of The Heart Speaks. In her book, Dr. Guarneri, a cardiologist, reveals the secret language of healing after the loss of a loved one. She also reveals that there is often a direct link between losses and heart attacks, and the stress due to these losses.

Does this focus on the month of the heart mean that St. Valentine himself needs to step aside? Well, just for a moment, perhaps. For Valentine's Day is still second only to Christmas in terms of the number of greeting cards sent . . . and February is still the month of romance.

Did you know that the Catholic Church has three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom are martyred? Indeed, there are many different legends and stories associated with St. Valentine - most of them, of course, connected with expressions of the heart. However, we all know that true love goes beyond the notion of legend or sentimental romance.

For me personally, the end of January and beginning of February each year has a very different set of feelings, and I'm quite sure many of you share the same sentiment in one way of another. January 26th was the 4-year anniversary of my beloved nephew's passing. His Birthday is February 13th, the day before Valentine's Day. So, needless to say, each year since his passing, this season has had a very different meaning for me.

Love and matters of the heart really are different for so many people. After all, how many mothers send Valentine cards to their sons and daughters? And how many sons and daughters send cards to their mothers and fathers?

I'm currently reading the book Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog, by Ted Kerasote. It is truly one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever read. A must for all you dog lovers, and no less a love story than any I've ever come across. It is truly perfect for our St. Valentine/month of the heart theme.

I guess you can see where I am coming from - Love and matters of the heart come in many different flavors. Honestly, how many people do you know who have that Hallmark "perfect love" relationship? And who is to say that one love is greater than any other in the grand experience of life? To be sure, love continues even when life leaves the physical body. You've heard me say a thousand times, we don’t stop loving someone who has transitioned into spirit - Nor do they stop loving us.

And many of the love relationships early in our lives set the pattern of how and why we love. I can't count the many daughters and sons who, upon losing a parent while they were young, have had that experience affect them throughout their lives and impact all of their relationships. This is equally true of those who have experienced the loss of a sibling while growing up, or the loss of a grandmother or grandfather who, for whatever reason, took the place of a parent.

Love is, without a doubt, individual to each of us. I know this to be true: LOVE is the most important journey each of us will walk during this life and into the afterlife. Through love, we experience the opening of our hearts and connect to that higher energy of love, or God-consciousness. This is and will remain the place where we connect with our loved ones in spirit and to the source where all life and love comes from.

Happy month - and year - of love to all of you!

Warmly,

Suzane