Free but not cheap

In January of 2007, I got a tarot reading from Lon Duquette, a highly respected leader in the esoteric community. He told me he wanted to take a snapshot of the card spread because he had never seen one so wildly full of success! He said, "if anyone ever asks me what success should look like, this is it!"

That same month, I watched a personally inspiring movie, then went for a walk to think it all through, and to talk with the Universe. As I was taking that walk, a nearly audible voice said to me, "If you want all that success that Duquette promised you, you're going to have to give up "x." I was horrified! Not that of all things! No, no, no. I just couldn't do it.

So, I didn't. Not too surprisingly, success didn't come. In fact, that entire year, circumstance after circumstance arose -- offers of business loans, offers of business partnerships, wild and wonderful offers, but consistently, one-by-one, everything fell through.

I just avoided the thought all together. It was not lost on me (after a year) what was keeping me from success. But I still couldn't look at it. No more did I say, "Oh, please, don't ask me that," but neither did I offer to do anything about it. This feeble little voice down inside me repeated daily, "Do all as unto the Beloved." That was all the courage I could muster.

But it was apparently enough -- enough to do for me what I couldn't do for myself. But, just like any hard-head that has to be hit upside the head with a 2x4, it was a lot harder on me than if I had taken care of it myself. Sixteen months after the reading, "x" was extracted from my life. Then ensued a year of stormy chaos (my reaction to the extraction).

The storm abated as suddenly as it had come. Suddenly it was quiet..stilled.. hushed, and the green buds began. More buds came, were tended, grew into glorious spring, and blossomed. This past year has been a breath of fresh air -- verdant and fecund -- long cherished dreams coming true. The magick continues. Success burgeons.

Whether one calls it karma, or *ghosti, or just plain consequence -- the secret is not a magic wand or cosmic Santa Claus raining gifts; to put the law of attraction into action requires heightened attention, harmonious intention, agreement with the Universe, and letting go.

The reading predicted the success, but was followed by a caveat: never underestimate messages from the Universe -- they may be free, but they're definitely not cheap.