Willa White's Blog

Yesterday, I had my six month visit to the dentist for my dental checkup.  It seems that most places I go people wish to share their spirit experiences with me and the dentist's office was no exception. While she was cleaning my teeth, the dental hygienist told me about her recent experience of spirit contact with her grandmother.  The hygienist was in the hospital recovering from surgery and her roommate was a consummate complainer. One day while the roommate was complaining, the hygienist felt her grandparents in spirit around her.  Before passing, her grandmother had spent some time in the hospital recovering from a surgery herself.  By all accounts, she was in a great deal of pain, but she was a trooper who had a good sense of humor. "I didn't complain THAT much did I?" her grandmother in spirit joked.  "No, grandma, you didn't," chuckled the hygienist.  It lightened her heart to feel connection with her grandparents again during a time of low

Well, perhaps I should say "Housebuilding".  My little guy likes to build little houses inside our house.  His preferred building material:  throw pillows and cushions.  Like an industrious beaver, he searches the house for pillows, carrying them back to his selected location with glee.  He usually chooses a space that is already somewhat enclosed, such as between two pieces of furniture along a wall.  Then, he uses the pillows to fill in the gaps to make a front barrier, reminiscent of a retaining wall of sandbags set vertically.  Sometimes he props the pillows up to make a roof or lays a blanket on top to create a tent effect. Creating the space and being in the space are so enjoyable to him that he can play for long periods of time.  Sometimes he is an animal in his den and he playacts various scenarios.  It is so cute to overhear his chatter and to see his imagination at work. Invariably, a pillow shifts or falls out of position.  Or the roof caves in.  He does hi

The other night I woke up in the wee small hours of the morning and I couldn't get back to sleep.  I woke up with an intense urge to take a class in a certain subject and had a series of visions regarding it.  This desire came out of blue and I couldn't figure out where the idea came from.  It was so undeniablely intense that I eventually got out of bed, booted up the computer, and researched it.  I hunted up the class info, structure, times offered, and the nearest location that offered the class.  And the whole time, I was puzzled. Why would I want to learn about this and immediately?  I felt obsessive in my need to complete this research task. Satisfied that I had hunted up all the pertinent info regarding a class, I left the info up on the computer screen and returned to bed, tired and very confused. As I crawled back into bed, my husband stirred and I could tell he was half-awake.  Because I was stumped about why I would wake up with this interest and I couldn't

So often throughout the day, I find myself in awe of our son.  At age four, he is an entrancing mixture of creativity and sweetness. And tonight is no exception. In our home, we say table grace at meals. We randomly take turns offering the prayer with no set rotation. And tonight, my son wanted to say it. He offered this beautiful prayer at dinner: "Now I know my soul. When I wake up in the morning, I can't wait to be alive. God bless this food, God bless this family. Amen." After grace, he ate a few bites and said, "I don't know if I will remember the prayer that I just said.  But I hope that I do remember."  Then, he smiled what I call his 'little angel smile' and the joy I had felt during his prayer continued to expand to every part of my being. Often, he is the one who helps us to remember to say grace at meals. I think he enjoys those brief moments of bonding with our family, friends, and the Divine. Along with giving thank

This Sunday, I will be the Featured Speaker and Medium at the Lily Dale Spiritualist Church. Church services are held at the Healing Temple in Lily Dale, NY at 11:00 a.m.   For those of you who are not familiar with a Spiritualist church service at the Lily Dale Spiritualist Church, here is a basic outline of events:   10:30 a.m. (before the official church service) - Healing time - opportunity to receive beautiful, channeled energy from one of the healers 11:00 a.m. - service begins Lecture from the featured speaker (me, this Sunday) Messages from Spirit - demonstrations of mediumship are presented by the medium (me, again!) giving short messages to those in the audience Music - songs with live music accompaniment So there you go - if you are coming to church, you will see me!   For more info, visit http://www.willawhite.com/ and http://www.lilydalespiritualistchurch.com/.

A couple of weeks ago when the effects of Hurricane Sandy were sweeping through the East, we experienced some high winds and rain (very mild compared to other areas).  And it was enough rain to create the most flooding I have ever seen at Lily Dale. During a walk, we were able to see the extent of the flooding.  It was a case of "water water everywhere".  Cassadaga Lake was still high from the summer rains, so with the additional rain the "cup" was brimming over. Lily Dale's beach was under water.  The swans walking on the swimming pier looked like they were walking on water.  The pavilion on the water (commonly referred to as the boat house) was under water too.  It's flooring had become a glassy mirror.  Various boat docks were also hidden under the water.  And a section of floating dock was stuck under the bridge.  Outside of Lily Dale... Schools closed for the day.  In the upper Cassadaga Lake, a boat was floating free and the decking of some docks

Is there anyone in your life who is now dead who attracted you because of their goodness and kindness?  Or who supported you and took a special interest in you and others?   Maybe this person was your aunt, uncle, parent, grandparent, teacher, or friend.  And perhaps you were inspired by their example and wish to also embody similar qualities. Do you ever ask that person for help now that he or she has passed? Do you wish to emulate their warmth, kindness, generosity, and talents? Do you sometimes feel their loving support and presence around you? The loving bonds we establish here on the earth plane carry onto the next space of consciousness because LOVE NEVER DIES.  And we can continue to connect with our loved ones in Spirit because communication between all planes of existence is a reality.  For more info, see Where are they? post.   My clients frequently share stories of their own communication with their friends and family in Spirit.  They feel comforted by the exper

Tis the season for spook and boo. With Halloween right around the corner, folks across America are decorating their homes with scary jack-o-lanterns, scarecrows, the occasional fake cobweb, and monsters galore.  Many are flocking to haunted houses, corn mazes, and stocking up on horror movies and candy.  Because of the intensity on the macabre at this time year, I thought it appropriate to differentiate between "spook and boo" scare tactics and true-blue spirit communication. Several people inappropriately pigeon-hole spirit communication (aka Mediumship) in the "spook and boo" category.  Horror movies and books seem to focus on scary touches, poltergeists, hauntings, ghostly forms that bully, and lots of screaming.  This is what I mean by "spook and boo".  This is NOT mediumship, and this is most definitely not spirit communication as I know it.  Spirit communication via Mediumship is a gentle, wonderful, and sacred process that connects us in bea

This morning, my feet took me into the Leolyn Woods and its' autumn splendor.  Orange and yellow carpeted the ground.  Dark brown, gray, and mossy green surrounded me to the sides and blue sky peeked at me from above.  The crisp leaves crunched underfoot and the morning sun glinted through the trees.  I felt a hush within me and a happy sense of human solitude yet communion with Nature.  In this space, there are no demands.  And I noticed the difference in my own energy.  My aura didn't feel oversensitized by interactions with others and I could feel it clearing and getting bigger in this safe space.  With only the trees as company, I relaxed. Eventually, I arrived at Inspiration Stump and sat down on the front bench.  I looked up at the cathedral of tall trees overhead, remembering their green leaves of summer.  Now, the ancient trees were releasing those leaves.  With the help of the breezy autumn winds, yellow leaves danced downward, spinning and twirling lazily, and

We had a great class on Wednesday night.  The vast majority of the attendees had never been to Lily Dale before and the handful of people who had been before only came in for a reading or a walk around the Dale, so the entire group had never attended a public message service or a healing service before.  I welcomed them to Lily Dale and to the " Lily Dale Experience ".  Then, I proceeded to explain about Spiritualism, Mediumship, Spiritual Healing, and a little of Lily Dale's background, what happens during the Season and the off-Season , and what opportunities are available to them here at Lily Dale. We then attended the Community Healing Service at the Healing Temple here in Lily Dale.  The service consists of a healing portion, a spirit message portion, and some hymns and prayers.  I served as both a healer and a medium that night.  After the service, our class stayed behind for Q&A.  My students were very curious about various aspects of mediumship.  Some s

I just watched a great PBS documentary titled "My Life as a Turkey".  Based on a true story, this hour-long film recounts the experiences of Joe Hutto as he raises a group of wild turkey hatchlings to adulthood.  It was amazing! As a wild turkey "parent", Joe gained special access to a whole world of wildlife interaction and a rare glimpse into the animal kingdom.  Throughout the course of raising the imprinted turkeys, he did not have human contact because he needed to be on hand for his brood.  And he kept a thorough journal of his experiences which was published as the book "Illumination in the Flatwoods" and later recreated in the PBS film "My Life as a Turkey".  I don't want to spoil the movie for you, but I wish to mention some main points of interest for me.  Joe mentions that the wild turkeys chicks "know" what bugs to eat, what predators to stay away from, and what animals are friendly.  I feel that these chicks intui

One night, not long ago, my son (age almost 4) was having trouble going to bed. My husband and I took turns trying to settle him into his bed. That night, our son got not one but TWO books, TWO performances from stuffed animals (complete with voices and laughter), TWO tucking-ins, and eventually TWO parents doing their best to coax him to stay in his room AND SLEEP. "You have to sleep in your own bedroom," my husband said firmly. "I don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to sleep in my room alone. I'm scared! NOOOOOOOO!" This last one was said as he burst into tears, made a mad dash to our bedroom, clamoured up on our bed, and staged a lay-in. "I want to sleep in your bed!" he insisted. He doesn't usually give us this level of difficulty, so we were a bit out of our element. My husband and I looked at each other in frustration. Were we going to have to resort to time-out? I decided to ask our son why he didn't want to see in

Would you like to visit the Lily Dale Assembly, the world‘s largest center for the science, philosophy, and religion of Spiritualism? Now is your opportunity! On Wednesday October 3rd, I will be facilitating the: "Lily Dale Experience" This class is sponsored by the Jamestown Community College Continuing Education Department & the Chautauqua County Visitor's Bureau. Learn about spirit communication, spiritual healing, Spiritualism, Lily Dale, and more. This fun informative class will be followed by the experience of attending a public demonstration of mediumship and spiritual healing, with a brief Q & A afterward. This is an excellent opportunity to explore facets of mediumship and healing and to visit historic Lily Dale, now celebrating its 133rd year. For more detailed class descriptions, see my website's Coming Events page at: http://www.willawhite.com/coming_events.html . I strongly suggest that your REGISTER EARLY for these classes. Call JCC

On Wednesday September 26, I will be teaching "The Power of Embodied Prayer", a non-credit course sponsored by the Jamestown Community College.  I am very excited to be offering this class and hope you will be able to join us that evening! Class description :  Would you like to learn more about how our actions and movements can be expressions of prayer using the spiritual practice of Embodied Prayer? During this uplifting seminar, Embodied Prayer will be defined and explained by spiritual medium and teacher, Willa White. She will share ways to express active recognition of the Presence of God through Embodied Prayer, including some of the techniques she personally uses in her spiritual practice. Join us as we explore the ways our bodies can embody prayer and recognize how our bodies can be places where prayer is actively happening. Register early, call JCC at 716-338-1005

The 133rd Lily Dale summer Season is over.  And there is a hush in Lily Dale. As I walk past the Maplewood Hotel (now closed), I see the empty porch rockers where many a guest has rocked and talked about a plethora of spiritual subjects as they admired the view of beautiful Cassadaga Lake.  The restaurants are closed and I'm already experiencing withdrawal. The benches at Inspiration Stump and Forest Temple are empty except for a random person meditating among the trees.  And the bells announcing the start of workshops, lectures, and services are silent. I see an occasional visitor still strolling the grounds.  Some are staying on in guest houses.  Some are here for the day or for a reading.  And today (the day after Season) we gather as a community for a Labor Day picnic of fellowship and food.  We celebrate the summer and enjoy seeing all of the familiar faces that in the hurry and scurry of the Season we saw only as glimpses during our service to others. For more than tw

On Saturday evening, I will be chairing the Thought Exchange. Thought Exchange meetings are held twice each week and permit a free expression of ideas concerning the many truths that are found in Spiritualism as well as many other interesting subjects under the guidance of the chairperson. Those who attend may submit a question for the group to discuss. The chairperson (me, this Saturday) reads all of the questions aloud.  Then, individuals are invited forward to answer the questions, respectfully offering their opinions about the various topics. All Thought Exchanges are held in the Maplewood Hotel at 7:00 pm. and are free to attend. Come join the discussion!

On Tuesday, I will be the Featured Medium at the afternoon church service in Lily Dale. During the summer season, the afternoon services are held in Lily Dale's historic Auditorium starting at 2:30 p.m. The Auditorium platform has been a place for speakers of spiritual philosophy, social causes, and Spiritualism for 128 years. Several big names have spoken there - Susan B. Anthony, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and more! I have had the honor of speaking on the summer platform for over a decade. For those of you who are not familiar with this service, here is a basic outline for this one hour event: Lecture from the featured speaker - this Tuesday I will share the platform with my father, William White (he is a wonderful father and public speaker). Messages from Spirit - demonstrations of mediumship are presented by the medium (me, this Tuesday).  I will give brief spirit messages to those in attendance.  Music - songs with live music accompaniment (hopefully from our very hi

After a loved one has passed to Spirit, I feel a "Release" at some point.   It can happen immediately after a person's passing - but usually days, weeks, and sometimes years later.  Typically, this Release is a feeling of whooshing energy from my root chakra to my solar plexus in conjunction with the flash of the loved one's face or a sense of their presence in the very same moment. It indicates to me that the loved one has: moved on from certain earthly cares and troubles transcended an important spiritual lesson and/or achieved greater awareness from Life Review The Release is a lovely feeling of completion of a learning cycle and the ending of tension. And it has also happened during readings with clients.  In that case, I get the same whooshing feeling but I know it is for a certain loved one to the client.   And often, it lets me know that Karmic Forgiveness between the client and them has occurred.  When I mention this to the client, they frequ

On Sunday, I will be the Featured Speaker at the afternoon church service in Lily Dale. My topic title is: "Gratefully Beholding the Radiant Life Now (and in the Next Space of Light)". During the summer season, the afternoon services are held in Lily Dale's historic Auditorium starting at 2:30 p.m. The Auditorium platform has been a place for speakers of spiritual philosophy, social causes, and Spiritualism for 128 years. Several big names have spoken there - Susan B. Anthony, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and more! I have had the honor of speaking on the summer platform for over a decade. For those of you who are not familiar with this service, here is a basic outline for this one hour event: Lecture from the featured speaker (me, this Sunday) Messages from Spirit - demonstrations of mediumship are presented by the medium. This Sunday, Joseph Sheil will be the medium. He will give brief spirit messages to those in attendance. Music - songs with live music accompan

Clients will often tell me how they chose me to me their Medium.  I thought I would share the top five ways clients have found their way to me: Referral - this is the #1 way.  Happy clients frequently refer family, friends, & coworkers to me. Witness - They see me work at a public demonstration of Mediumship (such as a Spiritualist church service, Inspiration Stump, Forest Temple, or Monday night circles) and they like my 'style' and 'energy'. Intuition - They go down the list of Registered Mediums at Lily Dale or the list of Mediums that James Van Praagh personally recommends and they feel drawn to me and my name. Rational mind - they review my website at http://www.willawhite.com/ and like what I have to offer and feel comfortable contacting me for a reading. Synchronicity - usually a combination of two or more of the above factors - for example, they may feel drawn to my name on the list, then review my website, then someone shares with them about the

On Thursday, I will be the Featured Speaker at the afternoon church service in Lily Dale. My topic title is: "The Power of Vision". During the summer season, the afternoon services are held in Lily Dale's historic Auditorium starting at 2:30 p.m. The Auditorium platform has been a place for speakers of spiritual philosophy, social causes, and Spiritualism for 128 years. Several big names have spoken there - Susan B. Anthony, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and more! I have had the honor of speaking on the summer platform for over a decade. For those of you who are not familiar with this service, here is a basic outline for this one hour event: Lecture from the featured speaker (me, this Thursday) Messages from Spirit - demonstrations of mediumship are presented by the medium. This Sunday, my mother Bonnie White will be the medium. She will give brief spirit messages to those in attendance. Music - songs with live music accompaniment (hopefully from our very historic

*Updated comments below. This Sunday, I will be the Featured Medium at the Church of the Living Spirit morning church service. Because we are in the midst of the Lily Dale summer season, the service will be held in the Auditorium and it starts at 10:30 a.m. For those of you who are not familiar with a Spiritualist church service, here is a basic outline of events: Lecture from the featured speaker (this Sunday is Emmy Chetkin, president of the Church of the Living Spirit) Healing time - opportunity to receive beautiful, channeled energy from one of the healers Messages from Spirit - demonstrations of mediumship are presented by the medium (me) giving short messages to those in the audience Music - songs with live music accompaniment So there you go! If you are coming to church, you will see me and I will get to personally wish you "Happy Summer!" For more info, visit http://www.willawhite.com/ and http://www.churchofthelivingspiritlilydale.com/ . *Emmy prese

*Updated comments below. This evening is the Church of the Living Spirit's Fun Fest. This is an annual fund-raiser for the church. The festivities begin at 8:00 pm at the Lily Dale Auditorium. Admission is $5.00 and you receive five tickets toward the Basket Auction. Children 16 and under are free. Events include: Mini Readings Healing Historical Presentation Shabby Chic and Book Sale Basket Auction Children Activities Refreshments I will be doing mini-readings for the event.  And it should be a fun night for everyone!  Hope to see you there – and remember it all helps the church! For more info, visit http://www.willawhite.com/  and http://www.churchofthelivingspiritlilydale.com/ *What a great night!  Everyone had loads of fun and the Church raised over $5,000.  I really liked the new setup with the Mediums at one end of the Auditorium and the shabby-chic table in the middle and the Children's Activity tables near the auction table.

On Monday morning, I was in the middle of a mediumship reading when I heard the Tibetan horns and saw the procession of Tibetan monks go past my house.  As part of the closing ceremony for the dismantling of their Tibetan Sand Mandala creation, they were walking down to Cassadaga Lake to disperse the sacred sand into the water and send peace and blessings into the world.  My client and I paused for a moment to watch and enjoy as they walked by. Dressed in ceremonial regala of curved yellow-gold hats and red robes, the monks carried the sand while other monks blew on Tibetan horns that sounded like ancient animals bellowing.  And a host of ceremony participants walked with them.  My client told me that she felt incredibly blessed to have had this experience DURING her reading with me.  It cemented some of the information her loved ones in Spirit has shared with her in the session.  She felt an beautiful and sustaining peace from the reading and the gift of the Tibetan procession. 

After a day of readings with clients and my son's soccer practice tonight, I went to my vegetable garden to water the growing plants.  And on the way, I observed the sights and sounds of Lily Dale preparing. For you see, today marks the DAY BEFORE the start of the Lily Dale summer season . I noticed Lily Dale residents and visitors strolling the quiet streets of Lily Dale and enjoying the cooler evening air.  I heard the hammering and sawing of last minute home renovations.  Then came the joyful excitement of passerbys saying, "One more day 'til Season" and "Are you ready?"  And then the icing on the cake.... I glanced over from watering spray of the garden hose to see some of my neighbors playing basketball and kickball with the visiting Tibetan monks at the Children's Acre (some of the those monks have a great hook shot!). In those hours that merge the " Off-season " with the " Season ", I thought ... only in this special place

Q:  Hi Willa,  I had a wonderful reading from you a few years ago, so thank you again.  My question, which I hope can be answered in your blog is:   Since spirits can create their surroundings with thought, how can they know if their loved ones that they reunite with on the other side are really them and not just a part of their made up new surroundings?   This has been a nagging question I've had for a long time, so I hope to hear from you!  Thanks.  Jeanne A:  Great question!  Yes, spirits create their surroundings with 'thought', however Love and Truth are at the core of the experience. The spiritual plane is not a place of illusions and the process of Enlightenment is not about playing mind games with the individual.  When they reunite with their loved ones on the other side, they truly reunite.  Just as we do!   Each soul has its own energy signature , much like a fingerprint. As my soul interacts with your soul, we are recognizing each others' energy signatu

In the late 1960s, a UCLA physiologist named R. Keith Wallace proved besides its spiritual implications, meditation had profound effects on the body.  He was the first to show through his research that sitting in meditation with the eyes closed induces the nervous system to enter a state of "restful alertness" --- the mind remains awake while the body goes into a deeply relaxed state.  When first discovered, the state of restful alertness became a curiousity in the medical professon because rest and alertness had previously been considered opposites.  [I know many of my students and clients who are not regular meditators may also consider it to be a paradox. *smile*] Wallace found that these opposites were united in meditation. His test subjects went into a state of rest TWICE as deep as deep sleep and yet remained alert enough to push a button every time they felt the experience of 'pure awareness'.  In fact, they did so very quickly, usually within 10 minutes af

You know those days when you're rushing around trying to get from point A to point B as fast as you can?  Today was such a day for me.  I was zooming here, zooming there - it was a case of drop off this person, pick up this from the store, run back for an appointment, hurry hurry, and so on. I was the essence of the White Rabbit in the Alice in Wonderland stories ... "I'm late, I'm late.  For a very important date." Urgently but carefully, I made my way through a string of traffic lights - sailing through the lights that were gloriously green and stymied by the lights that were repressively red.  I was filled with impatience to complete my duties, to meet other peoples' expectations, to get to the next event. At one of the red lights, I was paused next to a church.  It was high noon and the church bells began ringing a beautiful tune.  Traditionally, the noon bell is rung as a call to prayer and to spread good-will to everyone on Earth.  As I sat there

Q:  One of my friends is pregnant and though she would like to have a reading she's concerned about the potential effects on the baby. Could you please share your thoughts on this? Thanks, J.G. A:  For me, spirit communication is a wonderful, gentle, loving, sacred, and sometimes humorous experience.  To date, I have been a full-time professional medium for over 10 years - that is a lot of spirit contact. *smile* My son is now 3 years old. I had a blissful pregnancy (and I did readings the whole time) and he is an incredibly healthy and happy child. Absolutely, positively no ill effects.  In fact, during my pregnancy, several of my clients' loved ones in Spirit would congratulate me and express excitement about the baby (just like they would have done here on the Earth plane).  Those in Spirit were wonderfully supportive and joyful, sometimes reminiscing about their own pregnancies and children (especially the client's birth and childhood).  It was a very sweet time.

Lately, my life has been very "full".  I've decided to use this term in order to refrain from using the following words: busy, hectic, frantic, fast-paced, and overwhelming.  Mainly, I've chosen to do this because I don't like the negative connotation that those words imply. To me, those words seem to express a dissatisfaction with life somehow, as if it's "TOO much of a bad thing." And I don't wish to label my life in that way.  My life has many good things that make my schedule full, my plate full, my cup brimming.  For the most part, happy events occur.  And the times when unhappy events occur, I use them as opportunities to understand my spiritual lessons and give gratitude for the blessings (even the ones in disguise).  In the flutter of life, I am abundantly blessed with family, friends, neighbors, clients, and angels who fill my life to brimming with appointments, projects, daily living, spontaneous moments, and joyful reminders th

Lately, I have been deep in the midst of dust, cobwebs, clutter, and grime - I am spring cleaning.  And it has been a deep clean in many ways: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Systematically, a friend and I have been going through each room: washing curtains cleaning windows cleaning rugs (if you've been in Lily Dale recently, you may have waved at two women beating rugs outside the old-fashioned way, yes that was me in the cloud of dust laughing at our antics) dusting walls, ceilings, and furniture chasing dust bunnies on the floor organizing the clutter getting rid of unnecessary items, sorting them into three piles: broken, donate, and sell It feels good to literally and figuratively "clean house".  What a wonderful time to take stock of current conditions and make improvements.  Hope you are enjoying this amazing time too!

Perhaps you notice in non-lucid moments, that your loved one is “out” of their body a bit. Or perhaps you observe their soul hovering when they are sleeping. The withdrawl of the astral body during unconscious states is normal and especially frequent with those experiencing Alzheimers, dementia, and/or the dying process. There is one wonderful benefit when this happens ...   During unconscious states, you can speak with their soul. Their soul knows the Truth. Remember that communication with the Soul goes beyond memory loss, forgetfulness, cognitive function, and consciousness… this is soul contact.  And soul contact is a valuable tool to maintain a sense of continued connection with loved ones. How do you speak to the Soul? Speak to their Divine Self. Allow your higher self to speak with their higher self. Use gentle, unconditionally-loving words and thoughts. This is also a wonderful way to resolve negative feelings and create/maintain a healthy relationship. This sou

I can hardly believe it's time to do this alreadly, but I am lining up my Autumn 2012 classes.  JCC has contacted me and they want my course descriptions and class dates.  This is where YOU come in... What class or classes would you like me to teach this autumn? I am also curious if you have taken a class with me before.  If so, which one(s)? (For a list, see below.) What day of the week works best for you?  (Typically the class is 2-3 hours on an evening, but I am open to a different format.)  What day(s) are you more likely to attend my class? What kind of spiritual development classes are you interested in taking in the future? You can respond via the Blog by posting a comment below.  Or you can email your suggestions to me at willawhite@hotmail.com .  I need to finalize classes by next week - yikes!  So please offer your input ASAP.  Thanks! *** Over the years, I have offered a variety of spiritual development classes, such as: Meditation Getting Mediumship Resul

On May 3, 2012, I will be teaching "The Spiritual Dimensions of Alzheimers", a non-credit course, sponsored by Jamestown Community College. I am really excited to be offering this ground-breaking class. This seminar is also open to caregivers who work with Alzheimers patients or pallative care patients. Is your family member experiencing Alzheimer's, dementia, or the dying process?  In this class, Willa will provide you with techniques for communicating soul-to-soul with them (especially during unconscious states), being in nostalgic moments together and sifting through memories to find the gems, including instruction on the intuitive use of 'cueing' and how to empathetically deal with their lack of recognition of you, other people, and present day situations.  More importantly, this spiritually uplifting class will offer peace and comfort so that you can enjoy special moments with your loved one and bridge the gap between your reality and theirs. For more in

Just in case you are wondering... I am an active resident of Lily Dale.  Among other things, I am the chairperson of the Lily Dale Children's Committee, and as such I have been in the thick of planning and implementing a playground refurbishment project for the Lily Dale Children's Acre. Along with organizing a successful community work event, pricing and installation of playground-related items have been a main focus of mine lately.  In today's event, we will be removing old woodchips, laying down weedbarrier, and placing new woodchips.  This will be a drastic safety improvement to our playground areas. Thankfully, a handful of student volunteers from Cassadaga Job Corps Academy have committed to work the event as part of "Global Youth Service Days".  And we have some great volunteers from the Lily Dale community that we provide labor, refreshments, and comic relief. This is "National Volunteer Week" so here is a great opportunity to come together

On April 19, 2012, I will be teaching "20 Wishes", a non-credit course, sponsored by Jamestown Community College. There are plenty of ‘shoulds’ in a life, but do you have any wishes? This class will help you recapture your excitement about life and help your heart to let your head know what it wants. You will have the opportunity to bring 20 wishes into being in this special two-part class (part two on May 10). The genie is out of the lamp and waiting to hear your greatest desires. Come wish with us! For more info about the class, visit http://www.willawhite.com/. The course meets from 6-7 p.m. both days at the Jamestown JCC Campus. To register for the class, contact JCC’s Center for Continuing Education at 716-338-1005. Hope to see you at class!

Ah, the adventures of parenthood.... as many of you know, they include watching children's films.  And recently my 3-year-old chose "The Lion King". Or he calls it "King Lion".  As a Spiritual Medium, this film caught my attention for a particular reason as I shall detail below. Briefly, it is a Disney animated film that tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is to take his father Mufasa's place as king. However, after Simba's uncle Scar kills Mufasa, he must stop his uncle from conquering the Pride Lands and avenge his father. With its' biblical and Shakespearian themes, this film offers audiences another take on Hamlet albeit a Disneyfied-one.  The voice cast consists of many top talents, including James Earl Jones' deep and distinctive voice of kingly command.  And Elton John wrote the hit songs.  This blockbuster film franchise became a quick favorite with critics and audiences alike, won many awards, and now has a Broadway version

Incredible. Wonderful. Amazing. Fantastic. Unbelievable. Gorgeous. Unusual. No, I'm not describing the latest celebrity hottie or a new icecream flavor.  I'm talking about the weather.  It's spring! Actually, it's a very summer-like spring.  We've had temperatures in the 70s --- an unheard of joy in this part of the world at this time of year.  Usually we would be experiencing frost, snow, and freezing sleet.  So everybody is deliciously surprised and satisfied by the sunny turn of events.  In fact, I can tell that some people are surprised that they don't have to complain about the weather because they are almost speechless.  And they have beautific and radiant smiles on their faces.  After years about venting about the long horrendous winters and large amounts of snow that we usually experience, the frowns have been turned upside down.  This got me thinking about the lessons of this unusual Spring, so here's a short list of what I'

( continued from Part One ) As the Father forgives us freely—showering us with Grace—so we should forgive others (see the Lord's Prayer, Mt. 6:12). Forgiving others is often the most important thing we can "do unto them," but the least recognized. And this makes sense to me because …. Our souls are utterly devoid of jealousy, hatred, suspicion, and criticism. Retaliation and revenge are no part of the Cosmic Plan and Purpose (which is Love’s Infinite Forgiveness). Our trespasses are forgiven as we forgive those who trespass against us. How can we expect forgiveness while we still hate someone? Forgiveness begins with me, you, us! It is easy to forgive with the lips, but how truly divine to forgive with the whole heart. We have not really forgiven if we still remember the old hurts and still talk about it. Therefore, we know that we have not really forgiven until w have forgotten. We must forgive with such complete abandon that we can never recall the incident

“Forgiveness,” said William Blake, “is the greatest of all the virtues, because it humbly puts up with ALL vices.” Few impulses are higher on the scale of human qualities than forgiveness, and few virtues are more important for us to learn.  “Why, if God can forgive each person his or her nine thousand and ninety-nine sins every minute,” asks the Christian mystic William Law, “can we not forgive other persons just one of theirs?” (That hits home.) And I love the following anecdote because it illustrates this point so beautifully: A certain general once said to the Protestant reformer John Wesley, “Sir, I never forgive.” “Then, I hope, sir,” replied Wesley, “you never do anything wrong.” Many of us aren’t even aware of it, but we live a life of reactions rather than responses. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” Someone gets mad at you and you reply with an intense level of madness. This is called a reaction. In reacting to anger, you are

Via his website, well-known medium James Van Praagh offers teaching seminars via online chats on Tuesdays evenings. During JVP Chat Events , a variety of authors, speakers and practitioners share seminar-type chats on interesting and diverse topics. Chat Events include a text-only seminar from the guest speaker as well as an interactive question and answer session. Over the years, this has been a fun and educational way for student mediums to explore and learn online! Chat events are free and they last about one hour. And next week, I will be returning as the special guest for James' chat seminar to teach and inspire. Tuesday March 13th Special event with Medium Willa White 9:00 pm Eastern Time The chat event will be begin at 9:00 p.m. in the JVP Chat Special Events Room! To join me at the chat event, you must first register as a JVP member ( click the link and follow the instructions), then you will be allowed access to the Chat Room.

Sometimes we cannot avoid being alone; others cannot always be physically at our side. As we make our way through frightening experiences, a meditation that draws on support of others can be helpful.  Prayer that evokes the presence of trusted loved ones can support us even then. Here is a meditation that will help you acknowledge and feel your circle of support: Close your eyes and picture yourself in a calming place. Ask for the highest and the best.  Then invite, one by one, wise people whose love you trust to form a circle around you. These wisdom figures can be living or dead, religious or not. People sometimes choose Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, a favorite saint or spiritual guide, grandparents and parents, friends and mentors. Once you have filled out your circle, simply BE in the encompassing presence and take in anything that comes to you. Sometimes it is merely a sense of love and comfort. At other times there is shared wisdom. Remember that you can return to the meditati

I am the Guest Speaker at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Sunday. My lecture topic is Spiritual Courage: Living in Heaven's Net. The ability to stay calm is always located within. I will be sharing my thoughts on spiritual courage, grace, and the meaning of the words "living in Heaven's Net". For more info, visit http://www.willawhite.com/ .

I am a book worm and I'm usually making my way through three or four books at a time, depending on my family, work, and other commitments.  I love libraries and I especially enjoy old books.  For my lectures and for my own personal illumination, I continue to research various subjects with gusto.  There is so much to learn! Reading is a such big part of my life that I decided it would fun to share with you what I am reading, from time to time.  Perhaps you will have read the same book.  Or perhaps you will be inspired to read something.  Maybe it will be the Spiritual Food you've been looking for.  So feel free to comment below. Book One: I just finished reading... "The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri.  My artist mother recommended the book and it covers a lot of techiques about portrait painting, however Henri also shares at length his observations of life, people, and philosophy.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Robert Henri... he was an American painter

During a walk yesterday, my 3 year old son became interested in a big snow pile left by the snowplow.  The snow mound ranged in height from one foot to 4 1/2 feet at its peak.  He began tapping at it with his boot like some men kick car tires.  Then, he looked at me and said, "I want to be on the snowpile.  Help me up, Mommy."  I looked at the snowpile and realized that, with effort, he would be able to climb it without my help if he chose another spot to begin the ascent.   So I called upon one of the sayings my parents used on me: 'If you can't climb up it on your own, then you aren't ready to climb it.'  This is where some of you may be saying, "mean mommy, just give him a hand up - what's the big deal?"  Well... read on. Initially, my son was not happy with my statement either, then he walked along the mushy exterior of the mound, assessing with a mountain climber's focus the nooks and crannies. Soon he was scaling the snowpile,

"Mommy!  I have a card for you!" my little boy declares.  "Look!"  He smiles his bright grin and offers me his 'card' with a flourish. "Thank you," I say automatically. I look down. The world's smallest greeting card rests like a speck of white on my hand.  It is a homemade card, crafted from a small scrap piece of paper that is only one square inch.  It almost qualifies as confetti.  And he's folded it in half. On it's small surface, he has scratched something illegible in pencil with bold, decisive strokes.  The little kid hieroglyphics are undecipherable to my untrained eyes. He's waiting for me to read it aloud.  He even murmurs an "awwww", like the "awwww" he has heard from me when I get a card from my husband.  He's waiting. "It's wonderful!" I say enthusiastically.  "Thank you!"  I hug him and his little arms encircle my neck.  While he snuggles on my lap, I encour

Sometimes during a mediumship reading, a client's loved one in Spirit will show me a space they are connected with --- such as a special family vacation spot, their home, the client's home, where they passed, or a significant area of the United States (or even other countries) that they are connected with. I may perceive how they feel about the space or the people in it.  For instance, the spirit may describe the house in relation to rest of the property, where certain trees or water sources are located, special improvements to the space that the client or others have done, specific plants in the garden, property lines, how far the next neighbor is, or if they have animals such as horses, cows, etc using the space. This does not happen with every reading.  It happens only occasionally and, when it occurs, it happens spontaneously when I am in discussion with a spirit during a session with a client.  Yesterday, while I was connected with a client's brother in Spirit,

In February, I will be speaking at the UU church and the theme for the month is Courage.  So I thought I would ask you my blogreaders for your personal thoughts and/or experiences with Courage.  Here are a few questions to generate discussion: What constitutes "courage" for you? How do you personally define courage? Are there different kinds of courage? Describe an experience where you have exhibited courage. In what way(s) have you been inspired by another person's courage? How do courageous moments shape us spiritually? How do courageous moments shape us as a society? I realize that these may be intensely personal questions, but I am seeking intensely personal answers.  Please share your thoughts .  I look forward to the discussion that emerges. Update:  I have further defined my title and subject material for this lecture - "Spiritual Courage: Living in Heaven's Net".   I shall focus on spiritual courage, grace, and the meaning of the words &quo

The day after I blogged about the weather , I watched a documentary series about Antarctica titled "Life in the Deep Freeze."  Such is the synchronicity of life - I was presented with an instant gratitude moment!  This series about the coldest place on Earth is hosted by David Attenborough, the same voice behind the Planet Earth seres.  He and his film team spent three years braving mountainous seas and blizzards to capture life at the South Pole. As he describes amazing aspects of Antarctica, we see him among various tribes of penquins, seals, and birds.  What is conveyed most is the absolute miracle of life, death, and birth in freezing temperatures.  Never before have I considered -10°C summer weather, but that is when half the world's population of seals sun themselves on icebergs, when humpback whales feed on krill, and when snow petrels find nesting spots on the rare bits of barren rock on this frozen continent.  Freezing at the South Pole with 100 mph blowi

Most people visit Lily Dale during the summer months and some people visit during spring and autumn, but it is truly a rare person who decides to brave the drive to Lily Dale in the thick of winter.  Why is that?  Well today is your lucky day because, in this blogpost, I intend to give you a real sense of the variety of weather that Lily Dale experiences in the off-season... Yesterday we took a walk - Before we left the house, I recall remarking to my husband to hurry because it was going to rain and he replied that the weather forecast wasn't calling for rain.  As we set out, it was mildly cold with cloudy skies.  Two streets later, the rain came (of medium intensity, not enough to put us off our walk).  Then the rain cleared off and we walked a few more streets without precipitation.  Eventually, we arrived at the pavillion on the lake to watch the swans mingling with a group of visiting geese.  The sun peeked out and a beautiful  rainbow beamed across the lake, one leg of th