Showing posts sorted by date for query Avril. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query Avril. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Friday, August 30, 2024

Through the Looking Glass - 15 Years of Magick and Mystery

Fifteen years ago, I discovered my first intuition book. I started reading it the exact month of my Saturn Return, at 25 Virgo 😅 For any astrology buffs, that return is when your soul makes sure you find your path. Saturn has now made it’s way to Pisces, the halfway point around the Zodiac, bringing all of this into focus. My astrology chart indicates a life of exploring and teaching. 

So I thought it would be fun to make a list of all the classes I’ve taken the past 15 years, ever since this adventure started. Here is a recap with links to some of my blog posts. 

Instead of going in order, thought I'd start with the six areas of study that have been the cornerstone of my healing practice:

  • BA in Philosophy from Tufts, 2002. Obviously my love of learning and writing is largely influenced by my time at Tufts. This undergrad degree gives me lots of structure, too. 
  • Psychic Development at The College of Psychic Studies. I signed up for weekly classes in May 2010 and stayed until January 2014. Those are the psychic, spirit guides and angels classes listed below. The College offers certificates in several topics; I did not go down that route, instead taking all of the classes that interested me. Details below! 💜
  • Energy Healing Course at the School of Intuition & Healing, UK. Looking back, I still can't believe I completed this training. We had 18 full-day workshops over a two year period, with several assignments and 85 client sessions to graduate. Here is a write up from a client session. September 2010 - May 2012.
  • Usui Tibetan Reiki: When I finished energy healing school, I wanted to volunteer at a cancer center but the hospital only allowed Reiki. So I signed up for a workshop and it blew my mind! Reiki is easy to channel; it can be used for hands on healing and also to activate our intuition and ask for guidance. Six days of class in 2012 and 2013, becoming a Reiki Master in May of 2013. We learned a lot more than I bargained for: giving and teaching Reiki, automatic and distant healing, space clearing, clearing and programming crystals for healing, reiki homeopathy, etc. 
  • Practical Kabbalah with a fantastic teacher in Mexico. This helped me grow as a person, a healer and a teacher. I had already been into Kabbalah for about 7 years before meeting Dalia but her classes made a huge difference. My 1st class with Dalia was in October 2016 and I took her weekly class for 2.5 years.

 
Ready to dive in? Find my books below:

In chronological order, here are the rest of the classes. Looking back, I’ve applied most of these themes, and not just taken lessons.

Most of the workshops lasted a full day - enough for beginners to open up and get messages. With the 10 week classes, we'd meet for two hours a week to flex our intuition. The most important thing is that we are consistent, and that we have fun. 

  • Creative Writing in February 2009. One of these stories is mentioned in my book, Chakra Healing & Magick. I won’t say more so as not to spoil the surprise 🫶🏻 on Amazon Here 🔮
  • Kabbalah 1 & 2 at the Kabbalah Centre UK (Summer & Fall 09)
  • Cord Cutting Workshop with Sue Allen at CPS. December 2009
  • My 1st Psychic Abilities Workshop, two days in January 2010 
  • Could I be a Healer with Natasha Wojnow at CPS (Feb 2010)
  • Angels & Ascended Masters Workshop at CPS. May 2010
  • Weekly Spirit Guides class with Michelle Hawcroft (May-Nov 2010)
  • This blog was born: Diary of a Psychic Healer, September 2010
  • Spirit Guides & Psychic Development at CPS. Winter Term 2011
  • Weekly Angel Intuition with Amanda Roberts at CPS from May 2011 - March 2013. This class was lovely; we connected primarily with the archangels and after a few terms, goddess energies. I skipped a one term in 2012 when the energy healing accreditation was too much. 
  • Self Love and Manifesting Workshop with Cate MacKenzie at CPS - I still have a gold heart memento from class 🤍
  • Medical Intuition Workshop at the School of Intuition & Healing. 2011
  • Kabbalah Level 3 at the Kabbalah Centre UK - Fall  2012 
  • Listening & Responding (Counseling Skills ) at a cancer center May 2013. 
  • Cancer Treatments & Complementary Therapies at a cancer hospital, 2013. 
    • Remote Viewing with Debby Kay Edwards at CPS. Two terms 2013.
    • Channeling: 8 Weeks at the School of Intuition Healing - Sept 2013. 
    • Zohar Class at the Kabbalah Centre in London, most of 2013. This was my favorite from the K Center - it looks at the weekly astrology vibes and a mystical interpretation of the Torah 🫶🏻

    In January, 2014 I left London and moved to Mexico City where I've lived ever since. In the summer of 2015, I went back to London for a term to complete the last level of angels, and I dove into astrology: 

    Mexico has a lot to offer too. This was when I began teaching. I was lucky to come across a wonderful holistic centre where I taught angels, tarot, astrology, and reiki for four years. I also had a radio show for a while (transcripts here) ✨✨✨

                 
    • A Lucid Dreaming and Astral Travel Workshop in 2014 where I failed spectacularly. Two days of trying to fall asleep and not fall asleep 🕯️
    • Weekend workshop on channeling and psychic abilities with the friends who set up the spiritual circle mentioned below. This was in 2014.
      • Awakening the Illuminated Heart Workshop in Mexico City - four days of meditation and manifesting in March of 2015. I am not into some of the New Age concepts in this class, but the manifesting meditation is great and I took it again in 2019.

      • Tarot & Angel Card Reader Class with Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine in 2015. It was a Christmas gift.
      • Failed attempt at A Course in Miracles: November 2015 to early 2016. This class is great, well worth it, but it’s just not for me. I quit this quickly, but made good friends. 
      • December 2015: Intro workshop on quartz crystals at Anahd Centro Holístico. It was taught by a fellow healer, Claudia Lechuga. This was a halfday workshop - Anahd is where I taught intuition and energy healing for several years, until the pandemic. 
      • Predictive Astrology online class with a fellow astrologer and blogosphere friend, Nic (2016). The following year I became a guest blogger her website, focusing on healing with astrology and magick. 
          • Spring 2016-2018: A weekly circle with a group of healers and psychics. We all took turns presenting different topics: astrology, crystals, tarot, meditation, Kabbalah. The highlight may have been 6 months on the 13 Clan Mothers and the Moon, based on Jamie Sams book of Spiritual Psychology. Amazing. 


          • Spiritual Psychology 2017: One of my college friends is a spiritual psychologist - she set up a 12 week class where we learned to work through our own baggage. It was geared towards inner work; I am not a trained psychologist or counselor. 
          • Planets & Numerology - Feb 2017. Six weeks on numerology, also at Anahd - it was a theoretical class that looked at lots of topics. Mainly, how to integrate planetary energies - I went back for the next round of class✨
          • Theta Healing Basic DNA: three-day workshop on energy healing that I absolutely loved. It's very similar to my energy healing school so I didn't continue with their classes, but I read a lot of their books and they are really fantastic. August 2017. 
          • Usui Holy Fire®  and Karuna Reiki® - February 2019. I loved this class and recommend it highly. The curriculum includes Usui Reiki and theories on the soul & spirit. It empowers us to release conditioning and be our most authentic selves. 
          • Crystal Healing at Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy in 2020 ✨ The certification lasted 8 weeks and I signed up for the weekly livestreams for two years during the pandemic. It kept me sane and happy. The school has since closed; it was a good one. 
          • Three weeks on Environmental Psychology at Pacifica Graduate School. Took this out of curiosity during the pandemic. Loved it. 
          • Time Travelers Guide to the Universe + Intro to Quantum Physics with Denise Linn and her brother (a university physics professor). I had a lot of fun with this class. Lots of aha moments around energy healing, Kabbalah and quantum physics. 
          • Working with the Spirit Doctors - online class at The College of Psychic Studies with Susan Gash. This is one of four classes that I took during the pandemic and I loved it. I took the short courses that last 6 weeks.  
          • The College of Psychic Studies went online during the pandemic and I signed up for a few classes out of nostalgia. More magick 💙

          I think that is everything. That and lots of books and self-study. There was one astrological wizard class that I left on standby and I might go back to finish it - took me about a year to get through the first six modules. But it’s time to focus on teaching and writing. You'll find my books on Amazon. Chakra Healing & Magick has the basics - how to channel energy healing! 


          #FunnyFact: The name Hermione comes from Hermes, the ancient messenger-god, who rules my natal chart because of my Gemini Rising and three big planets in Virgo. Born on a Wednesday too 📝


          Reiki hugs, 



          ***


          Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuitsRead her books to heal yourself. Find her on Instagram.com/reginachouza or on Facebook, as DiaryofaPsychicHealer.

          * Holy Fire ® and Karuna Reiki ® are registered trademarks of the International Center for Reiki Training. 


          Image: canva .com 



          Also Posted HERE




          Thursday, April 18, 2024

          Rewrite Your Life Story with Tarot & Energy Healing

          If you are lucky enough to find a tarot coloring book you will have struck a gold mine, as the symbolism in tarot speaks to our subconscious in ways that a pop culture or movie-themed coloring book never will” ~  Chakra Healing & Magick, by yours truly…



          Energy Healing and Tarot

          One of the key themes in my book is how we would all benefit from engaging with our creativity as part of the energy healing process - whether we turn to music, art, theatre or automatic writing. Writing and drawing are two of my favorite techniques, especially when I combine them with crystals or tarot. Tarot speaks to the unconscious in a way that is profound, and as discussed in Chapter 7, it also helps us focus our energy healing sessions. 

          The idea is to heal the mental, emotional and spiritual weight of past experiences - tarot brings these to life in a way that is accessible to everyone. We can then combine those insights with energy healing to heal the past, rewriting our story so that we become catalysts for growth, as opposed to victims of circumstance. I offer energy healing sessions that are based on tarot, and this overall approach can be combined with Jungian counseling. Let’s go deeper by clarifying and reframing the personal narratives that hold us back. 

          Color Your Unconscious 💜

          Today I’m excited to share that one of my tutors from The College of Psychic Studies is releasing a tarot coloring book later this year - can’t wait to see it! Avril Price is a fantastic teacher, with 20 plus years of teaching and tarot reading experience. I signed up for a workshop with her last month, on my London holiday. Out this November, the book is sure to be a gold mine. It’s called The Watkins Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Coloring Book. It can be ordered on Barnes & Noble.

          Avril’s new coloring book focuses on the original Rider Waite Smith deck, upon which most modern decks have been designed. It is a good place to start because once we learn the symbolism of RWS, we can read dozens of other decks without having to make a huge effort at memorization. But as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, what matters most to me is that I am drawn to the images, both intuitively and artistically. 


          With this in mind, I’ve added snapshots of some of my favorite tarot decks to my latest Instagram post. They are all fab and easy for beginners. In full transparency, I haven’t seen Avril’s book yet but based on my experience with her in class, I’m sure it will be great. If you do buy another deck, having both visuals will come in handy. 

          If you’re new to Diary of a Psychic Healer, the blog posts on this link are from my student days with Avril Price. Please have a look at the blog on your laptop and search for the topic of your choice. Many years and 550+ posts since this adventure began. 

          Reiki hugs, 

          Regina 



          Ps … Book a reading with Avril on Instagram.com/avrilpricetarot


          ***


          Regina Chouza is an Energy Healer, Angel Medium and author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. She was a continuing student at The College of Psychic Studies for three years, and qualified as a healer at the School of Intuition & Healing UK. Her passion is bringing the qualities of self-love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuitsRead her books to heal yourself.  




          Image: canva com

          Wednesday, July 29, 2015

          The Major Arcana in Movies

          The past two months I have been taking tarot lessons with the incredibly talented Avril Price, at The College of Psychic Studies. After five years of self-study, it’s been loads of fun interacting with other students and learning from Avril. Class ends next week and our end of term assignment is due. As you may already know, the tarot is divided into the Major Arcana which looks at a Fool's journey through life, and the archetypal life stages he travels through time and time again. The Minor Arcana which looks at struggles and joys of daily life in the suit of fire (creativity), cups (emotion), air (thought) and earth (stability). 


          The Minor Arcana are easier to grasp and more common in our lives. Our homework is to bring the more elusive Major Arcana to life with a creative project. I opted for movie metaphors, looking at films or characters that match up to the cards. I'm still on the fence with a few of them, so please comment below with your suggestions. In some cases I couldn't think of a single movie or character to match the card, and I have turned to astrology for inspiration instead. Each of the Major Arcana has its own sign or planet and in theory the essence should be the same, but it did give me more leeway. Here we go! 


          The Fool's Journey Begins!




          0) The Fool: This is where the journey begins. We take our first steps into the unknown with out knowing what type of challenges we will face. On some level the Fool succeeds because he is unaware of perceived challenges and his fears don't get in the way. This one reminds me of Forrest Gump because he accomplishes so much, in large part through the absence of self-doubt. The quote about the chocolate box in particular is a "Fools Journey" sentiment.

          I had a "Fool's Luck" moment years ago when I decided to apply to business school the week of the admission deadline. The school had me come in for an exam, failing to mention that it was a Spanish translation of the GMAT. Had I known, I would have been nervous and might have failed. Instead, I passed (just barely!) and it ushered in a learning adventure that lasted two years and many more in marketing. The Fool indicates a new phase in life. 

          Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. 



          1) The Magician: Here we are forced to test our skills in the real world, and what we lack in experience we make up for in ingenuity. It reminds me of The Hobbit, where Bilbo is plucked from his comfortable life and thrown into the adventure of his life (by a magician, no less). Bilbo forges ahead despite his apparent lack of adventuresomeness and comes out on top. This is based on the book. 






          2) The High Priestess is about listening to your intuition and developing a personal connection with the divine. I'm going to cheat here and reference a short story that I wrote five or six years ago, when I was barely starting to think about psychic abilities, intuition and magical happenings. The main character is a young witch in training and you could say her mom was the High Priestess (and her dad the High Priest). 

          The funny thing is I had never given any thought to energy healing until one of the characters spontaneously healed another after an unexpected car accident. You could say my intuition opened doors for me with this piece of creative writing. I am kind of embarrassed to share it, but you can read it here... 

          3) The Empress. This card is about fertility, beauty, abundance and Mother Nature. It's linked with the planet Venus, also love and beauty. The only movie character that comes to mind is Commodus' sister in Gladiator, based on how she behaves throughout and the fact that she will rule after her brother dies ... 





          4) The Emperor is about logic, foresight, discipline and drive. It's also linked with the Zodiac sign of Aries, which is about pure action, a natural born leader. The movie that springs to mind is The Aviator, starring DiCaprio. It's about the life of Howard Hughes, an empire builder who followed his passion for aviation. 






          5) The Hierophant could be about tradition as it's linked with the sign of Taurus. I am going out on a limb here by connecting it with the classic holiday movie, A Christmas Story. The Hierophant can be keen to respect and maintain religious or social institutions, he can also abandon them if they no longer work. Having grown up in the United States, the film certainly feels like a holiday tradition. I also enjoy the leg lamp scene where the mother pretends the lamp isn't there (visualising a new reality) and then breaks an tosses it. On some level, this could represent doing away with old power structures. 


          Leg Lamp Scene 




          6) The Lovers is about making choices based on love, trust and passion instead of fear. It can also be about soulmates, marriage and union. Its about knowing what's real and lasting, and what's not. I couldn't help thinking of What Dreams May Come. If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it. Let's just say it's about recognising the people in our lives for who they are and what they mean to us.





          7) The Chariot is about making tough choices and pursuing our objectives. This often requires a good deal of discipline, drive and self-control. It's a mental challenge too, like a marathon. I went with the movie Troy because of the effort that goes into storming a fortress, and the Achilles heel could be the mind. 






          8) Strength is about having a good deal of inner strength, even if we choose to show it in a gentle way. We're able to stand the test of time, meet our challenges and get through it without breaking (bending is OK). I went to an extreme here with a character that can't control his strength: The Hulk. This particular scene actually from The Avengers, one of the best laughs in the film.




          9) The Hermit is a person who leaves civilisation temporarily to find their own truth, understand who they are and come out a new person. They can also seek knowledge that they will eventually share with others. To me, the Hermit's path is a spiritual rabbit hole, we don't know where it goes or when it ends. 






          10) Wheel of Fortune: What goes around comes around; what goes up must come down. This card can be about karma, changes of fortune, or even cycles of life where we reap what we sow. A bible story came to mind with this one, when Joseph was sold into slavery because his brothers are frightened by a dream where he ruled over them. Joseph somehow managed to become a free man, a successful merchant and eventually triumphed over his brothers. 


          A Clip from the Musical 






          11) The Justice card is not surprisingly linked with the sign of Libra. Its about fairness, people getting what they deserve and also our responsibility to look after people who have been wronged or could be seen as underdogs. The movie that springs to mind is Erin Brockovich, fighting to make sure justice is done. 










          12) The Hanged Man is about taking a time out, looking at things from a different perspective and it can also be about sacrificing yourself for the greater good (or to make a point that you think is for the greater good?). At least one of these themes plays a part in The Life of David Gale, starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet. I won't say any more so as not to ruin the ending, it's worth watching. 







          13) The Death Card is about cycles in our life coming to an end, whether it's  graduating from college, leaving home, leaving a job or getting divorced. Its about a big change to the status quo and having to come to terms with it, even when the change is something we would very much welcome. The movie I chose instead reflects a literal interpretation of a big ending: The Departed. Great film!





          14) The Temperance Card is about patience, timing, being balanced and healing by integrating different aspects of your personality in an intuitive way. The image on the Rider Waite deck shows a woman pouring water from one cup to another, with a rainbow around her. She seems to be quite peaceful, in her own world. The movie character that comes to mind is Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series, who always seems to be in the same fuzzy state no matter what is going on at Hogwarts or in the world. 




          15) The Devil is about attachments to material things like cars, toys, big houses and the silly or fearful things we sometimes to do get them. It can also be about putting ourselves ahead of others and asking our angels (or devils) to fulfil desires that aren't necessarily in anyone's best interests. From a Kabbalistic perspective, the ego (inner devil) is a healthy opponent that tests our resolve and shapes our character, with the best intentions even if it doesn't appear to be the case. For this reason I went with Bedazzled, another favourite of mine!. 






          16) The Tower is about life crumbling under our feet (or so it seems). It can be very unsettling when our foundations are shaken to their very core, but it also gives us a chance to face our fears and start from scratch with a healthier and more productive environment. I am not sure why I went with The Little Mermaid on this one, I think the King's life crumbled when Ariel was taken from him and he had to face his fears (Ursula) and give in to the little mermaid's wishes. It must have felt like his world was falling apart, and the scene is scary enough... 




          17) The Star Card is about trusting that things will be alright, and that events in our life are guided by a higher plan. It can also be about following our guiding star out of the darkness. It's also linked with the energy of Aquarius, a forward thinking sign that has our collective evolution on its mind. I went with a song from Jesus Christ Superstar called Everything's Alright. This is one of my faves!





          18) The Moon is about our Intuition and psychic insights revealing what is hidden from the conscious mind or from our five senses. Things we feel, even if we can't see them with our eyes or with gadgets. There is a great movie starring Matt Damon called Hereafter, which follows the lives of a psychic medium as he struggles to come to grips with his gift, and a young woman who is touched by a near death experience. Also happens to be directed by Clint Eastwood. 



          19) The Sun is a welcome message that hard times are over, and the Sun will shine down on our lives. Everything the sun touches grows, and when we are touched by the warm light of the sun we thrive. Initially I was going to go with Little Miss Sunshine but I felt like Annie was a better fit, especially the song Tomorrow. 




          20) The Judgement Card is about listening to our calling and serving humanity, or just doing what is right even if it's hard. I see this as the clash between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson's characters in A Few Good Men. It is related to the energy of Pluto; the planet of power struggles. Won’t say more- love the film.






          21) The World is about completion and coming full circle in our lives, although it can also be about coming face to face with our limitations as it is linked with the planet Saturn. If you believe your limitless, the world is your oyster. I don't have a good metaphor for this one so I'll go with the Jamaican Bobsled team that competed in the winter Olympics despite being unfamiliar with snow.




          So that is my end of term project on the Major Arcana! I hope you enjoyed it, and please feel free to comment below with any movie suggestions. This is meant to be a working document even if it has been handed in. Thanks in advance for your suggestions 💞💞💞

          Reiki hugs, 

          Regina 



          >> 2020 Update! Read: Shine a Light on Your Life with Tarot and learn to read the cards. 




          ***


          Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to unlock your intuition. 






          Hollywood Image: Canva. com (2025) 


          )

          Monday, July 13, 2015

          Tarot, Astrology and Birthdates (A Case Study)

          I love connecting the dots and if there is one area where this OCD habit of mine comes in handy, it's Astrology and Tarot. There are Major Arcana cards for each of the signs and planets.  So for example, my Sun in Aquarius is represented by the Star in tarot; a card about listening to divine guidance and trusting that everything will be OK. 

          My moon in Capricorn is represented by The Devil, an energy that makes you feel like you're chained to the material world, responsibility and work. The Sun sign represents your soul's essence and journey whereas the Moon Sign represents your emotional reactions or programming; how you're wired to react. I have always felt a certain repulsion to The Devil, but I have no problem with the Star card. I actually bought a book called Tarot & Astrology by Corrine Kenner because the cover image grabbed my attention, only to discover that it corresponded to the Star card in her Wizards Tarot deck. The book is fantastic and even though it may take a while for all of the information to sink in, it will add depth to your readings. 

          There's one more sign that is relevant in all of our birth charts: the Ascendant. This placement refers to how we interact with the world, our user interface. I'm a Gemini Rising, so that makes me chatty and quick to jump from one place to the next (a trait that came in handy during High School; I went to four schools in three countries). The Gemini card is said to be the Lovers, about making choices and listening to that inner voice even though if I'm honest, I don't see the connection. 

          I mention this now because we explored birthdates in my Tarot class  (taught by Avril Price), and would you believe these cards came up again! We each have a pair of Major Arcana cards that correspond to our date of birth. So for example, if you take January 18 1978, the digits add up up to Eight (1+1+9+1+9+7+8=8), which is the Justice card. My birthday adds up to Six: The Lovers. Avril then had us pair this image up with the other Major Arcana card that would have the pair add up to twenty-one (As an aside, there are twenty-two Major Arcana cards but the Fool begins the journey at Zero, and we count to twenty-one). My birthday cards are The Lovers (6) and The Devil (15). The image is striking, like two sides of the same coin. 


          So how does this relate to my life? Sometimes it feels like I'm torn between hope and fear, reaching for the stars or throwing in the towel. Ultimately the cards are about choices and the emotions or reasons on which we base those choices. Our tutor implied that this could be a significant incarnation for me. There are so many ways to interpret this combination. I wonder if it is choosing one or the other, or trying to listen to both and not getting lost in either of the cards. If I add my Aquarian Star Card back into the mix, it makes me feel a lot better. 

          There is something about that Moon in Capricorn that still doesn't click. Maybe it's the anchor that brings me back to Earth (Capricorn is an earthy, work sign). I'm also taking a great Psychic Astrology class this term where we explore our charts intuitively every week. I'm up to my neck in stars and cards, lol, it's a lot of fun actually. Our tutor is Demian Allan, the only astrologer I've come across who teaches both the intuitive and technical sides (makes it easier when you're stepping into the signs). The Moon in Capricorn is my awkward point, something to look at. If I weren't going back to Mexico I'd sign up for Part 2. It’s like getting life coaching from someone who already knows a lot about you, to the point and very accurate.    


          My Angel and My Devil ...


           

          ***


          Regina Chouza is an energy healer, angel medium and the author of A Personal Guide to Self-Healing, Cancer & Love and Chakra Healing & Magick. Blogging at Diary of a Psychic Healer since 2010, her passion is bringing the qualities of love, joy and empowerment to healing pursuits. Read her books to unlock your intuition. 




          Image Sources:  Tarot & Astrology by Corrine Kenner (1) /  Rider Waite Tarot (2)