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Personal Stories: Overcoming Arthritis Challenges

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A few months ago I recorded videos with obvious sore, arthritic thumbs. I had just been diagnosed with severe arthritis in the basal thumb metacarpal joints, most likely due to a decades-long career as a writer.

It’s been a journey trying out non orthodox treatments to avoid surgery (though if I need surgery in the future, I am open to that…). After mentioning it on my video to address the elephant in the room – why was I wearing thumb braces – I received many emails and comments of assistance.

I then had an offer from a kind viewer to gather them up into a document that I could share. These comments are detailed below, however firstly I will say that neither myself, nor my viewers are medical doctors and these comments should not be construed as medical advice. I have found that a medical diagnosis is always the first step and then the decisions are then up to you in consultation with your healthcare providers.

Back to my thumbs though for a brief moment…I found all the comments helpful and one in particular from a Doctor of Osteopathy. She reminded me that osteopathy can be helpful and of the connection between the hands, the arms, the shoulders and neck. I have a very good local osteopath and after several visits, the grinding pain in my thumb eased.

No matter what the issue, the journey is always one of discovery of what works and what does not…and time…to heal and learn to manage setbacks.

Thank you to all those who reached out to me with suggestions. It was not in vain and to the generous viewer who gathered the comments up from YouTube. In the spirit of passing it forward, here are the suggestions which are useful not just for thumb arthritis but also any arthritis pain in the body:

I had platelet IV therapy a week and a half ago for chronic Lyme disease. I feel fantastic! Evidently one needs to do it four times a year and then may be a maintenance level of once a year after that. All of my pain is gone and my mood in my energy are so much better. I hope it works for you too!

My partner has bone on bone knee pain. He’s been getting platelet therapy for 4 years. This has worked so well for him. He’s back playing golf. It’s worth a try for sure. Good luck. Love your show. This community knows how authentic you are and we value you as an asset to America.

Maryann, I’m so sorry you’re going through this, I feel your pain. Platelet replacement was the best thing I did for arthritis in my fingers. It lasted about 6-7 month and pain was very tolerable for a few months thereafter. I do recommend them. Good luck!
I recognize that thumb brace! I am having basal joint osteoarthritis surgery on April 24 where the joint between my right thumb & wrist will be rebuilt. I’ve already had the surgery on my left hand, which was successful. Cortisone shots are helping me until the surgery. I’m a painter (artist) so I didn’t want to lose the use of my dominant hand. And yes, I already had carpal tunnel surgery both hands. I hope your holistic treatments make the pain tolerable, Maryanne! But don’t let it go…my mom had advanced carpal tunnel & other arthritic issues in her hands, had no feeling and lost the use of her hands.

Had both knees replaced. 3 yrs apart. Was physically unfit for 1st one. After the operation found a senior Center with free yoga and exercise classes. Became overall fit after 2 yrs and it helped the ‘new replaced’ left knee as well which was done first. Being fit made a BIG difference after the operation for me. Less pain after the operation. Healing better and faster. Helps with the physical therapy. And physical therapy is shorter too. My knee cartilage was gone and the pain was bad. There are shots to lubricator the joints but it only goes so far. Once the cartilage is gone, shots no longer help. You don’t want to walk. You don’t want to drive-knee hurts in braking. You just want to not move. I was very frightened to have the 1st operation but I had no choice. By the way you can go home same day as the operation but need someone for a few hours at home per the doctor. Or the whole night per the hospital. Can’t figure out why the difference. Having the operation, going home same day, being physical fit once again, and having an easy time afterwards was wonderful. Don’t know if it would be different in Australia. Each country might have a diff outlook on same medical issues. I say go for it. The relief is great. I take walks with my dogs. I can drive without pain. I enjoy life again. Am in my high 60’s. A lot of other remedies are outright scams or just plain worthless. Some have the placebo affect. You want to believe so it works. At least for a short time. So beware. Do the research first. If it looks too good to be true, then… If the joint has no cartilage to separate the bones, it ain’t going to grow back. I did look into some and laughed myself silly. Use common sense. Please. Snake oil shows in 1800’s in USA were full of dangerous illegal deathly concoctions being sold by con artist off the back of a wagon. They cured nothing. You lost money and maybe your life or eyesight or…. Hope this helps.

I have recently received stem cell therapy, PRP therapy and physical therapy on a bone on bone worn out shoulder. I am 78 years old and pretty dedicated to letting my body heal itself. I am very happy to report that within about 3 months time, my shoulder is very very good . Not quite 100%, but wonderfully functioning. Good luck and just keep knowing the healing is possible!

I too have osteoarthritis and afraid I done have any manic cures for you. I have 3 joint replacements, knees and one hip. Fingers are dislocating too and now my spine. To say I feel your pain is an understatement. You bring me joy and wish you the best. If you find a miracle let me know .

Thank you for the always great and pertinent readings. Here is my 2 cents about dealing with arthritis. In my 30’s I developed arthritis in my hands, had difficulty even writing a check. I called my sister-in-law in Nova Scotia, who’s mom had very bad arthritis and I knew she had gotten significantly better. It was mostly about diet. I tried it myself and I also got much better. First I cut out beef, then pork and chicken. It was gradual but worked for me. Whenever I would go back and indulge in some sort of meat my hands would let me know. I am now in my 70’s and the only thing I eat with eyes is fish and potatoes. 🙂 Plus, I cut back on nightshade foods. As a professional artist I am so grateful to not have pain in my hands anymore. Best wishes on your recovery.

Hey Maryann, physical therapist here. I will comment that my joint replacement patients who had PRP as part of the surgical process progressed at a phenomenal rate and had very little pain after surgery. I can’t speak for the success of this treatment in lieu of joint replacement. that it will work well for you!

I’ve had a PRP (platelet rich plasma) injection for a torn tendon …. A miracle for me! Go for it Maryanne!

My husband had platelet infusions many times. He did fine. It didn’t make him feel crappy at all. There is a pill that can be taken daily to help raise platelets. I’m sending much love, light and healing energy.

PRP has given 2 of my friends their life back. 5 weeks ago I had PRP along with Stem Cell Injections in my knee. It’s been life changing already. The Stem cell were taken from my fat in the stomach because they’ve found that as we age stem cells in the bones degrade whereas stem cells in fat are plentiful and do not degrade with age. I never heard of any of this until 5 months ago on a Pam Gregory video. I decided when mine got worse I would go to the UK and have it done. Then I found out that there was a place 50 miles away from me in Central Minnesota USA….Long story…short answer…go for it…if in the future I have another body part that needs it I will do it again…….And thank you for all you do to help heal our world with your gifts.

My thumbs got to the point of not even being able to hold a pen. I did have surgery on both of them. And I’m so glad! It wasn’t a joint replacement, it was putting some sort of cushioning in between where the joints were rubbing. I understand and I feel your pain! I can just tell you I am SO glad I had the surgery!

I had a plasma injection in my shoulder. I tore something which they usually do surgery on. It healed it, took all the pain away almost immediately. So they took my blood plasma and added something, so glad I did it. Good luck I hope it works for you Maryann

I had a severe shoulder injury on top of arthritis in both shoulders. I wasn’t able to do my own hair or get dressed without help. One treatment with platelet rich plasma followed by a couple of hyaluronic acid injections and I am able to do anything ! I will be starting to lift weights next week. Amazing difference. Good luck!

You’re on the right track with the PRP (platelet-rich plasma) my husband had stage 3 vascular necrosis in his hip 15 years ago we had it done twice 45 days apart and he still hasn’t had hip replacement surgery. You will have quicker recovery and no real downtime like you would if you had surgery. My husband was very happy with his decision to do that. Take care and the best of luck with your treatment.

I had PRP Injections in my knee this past summer. Best decision I ever made!!! I won’t be having knee replacement surgery, now!!!

My mother had bad arthritis in her hands and had surgery to try to reduce the pain. It reduced the pain some but also left them very weak. She loved to read the newspaper but could barely hold it up to read. I hope one of the alternative things you try help because I wouldn’t want anyone to go thru what she did.

I watch you every chance I get. Today I can help you. Get the surgery one hand at a time. I am getting my right side done this year. Could not use my opposing thumb at all without pain. Get the surgery sooner than later, and you will not regret it.

I just had the CMC— joint— surgery in December. My cartilage was gone, bone on bone, and my thumb was dislocated. Hanging halfway out of the joint. I did cortisone shots for a few years and wore thumb braces. But eventually, the pain was more than the injections could handle and the worst part was losing an opposing thumb.. I couldn’t open, hold, or grip anything. You don’t realize how important your opposing thumb is until you lose it. The surgery removed a bone. They pinned my thumb for six weeks in a cast. Then removed the pins. Now I’m in the physical therapy phase. I can hold a cup again and open bottles again. The scar tissue is my new joint. No more bone on bone pain, no more dislocation. It’s been 3 months. I’m working on stretching & strengthening still. It hurt super bad for a week or two post surgery. The 2nd or 3rd day after surgery was the worst pain day because the arm nerve block wore off. I packed it in ice and took pain pills and I had less pain as the days passed. 3 months later, I’m thrilled and thankful to have an opposing thumb back and a lot less pain. I think the pain will eventually disappear if I keep up with my stretching and strengthening exercises.

For arthritis or other inflammatory conditions, lots of people report improvement with strict ketogenic diets.

I had PRP in my back joints and facets. It helped me eventually in the arthritic facets. It was painful to receive. And, it took a long time to feel results. But, it worked. I wish you all the best. I hate pain!

I have had both of my thumbs done with that same procedures. I had a wonderful doctor. I’m not in pain anymore. It’s been four or five years and I feel like I have my life back. Only downside is I ended up getting tendinitis and my wrists, which is a 50-50 Chance that I wasn’t aware of when I had it done but six months apart being without one hand is eye-opening I didn’t know there was that other option that you mentioned, but don’t be afraid of the operation if that doesn’t work.

I lost the use of both thumbs back in the mid ninety’s related to repetitive motion injury. One doctor called it gamekeeper’s thumb. A historical injury caused from too much wringing of the necks of fowl. I pictured following the lord of the manor on hunts and finishing off his victims because he was a crappy marksman. I wore braces, used ergonomic keyboards on computer, got massages and physical therapy. I was able to resume most normal daily activities eventually. Picking up coins is a bother and sewing is dangerous. I’m in my late 70’s and occasionally still use braces when on computer or phone. We adapt.

Dearest Maryann- I had PRP IN RIGHT hip with great results. I don’t know how or if it would work when there’s Trapezium dislocation. After many cortisone injections and gel in right thumb- I had the CMC ARTHROPLASTY- Great result. Check out tendon suspension surgery- NOT tendon harvesting surgery. After 10 weeks, I drove again. Strength returns quickly as well as dexterity. I had stage four arthritis in right thumb with bone displacement as you have. I am surgery adverse as well, but this was one I simply had to have for quality of life. I’m 74. Good luck!

Maryann, if you already haven’t, please try PRP, which is platelet rich plasma injections for your thumb. I have had these done for several years to prevent my knee from degrading and preventing major surgery. this treatment really works. I wish the medical establishment would be open to this technique and use it before having people go right into major surgery.

I had PRP. Stem cell from my own body. This was for my very damaged hip. It was not covered by insurance and over time it cost about $30,000. Like you I did not want hip surgery. It prolonged my hip replacement but my problem was too advanced to avoid the surgery. Yes it can help. It is better if you catch to problem sooner rather then later. But it did relieve pain. Good luck to you and I hope your insurance covers it. Keep us posted

I’ve had both PRP and Hyaluronic Acid injections in my knees for arthritis. Both were helpful and it really depends on the person. I found hyaluronic acid to be longer lasting and more effective, but it’s different for everyone. I take calcium, glucosamine chondroitin, and vitamin C throughout the day. Best of luck, Marianne!

On a side note Maryann I have been having issues with my joints (upper and lower) for over 10 years (I’m 60 now) but I’m heavily into crystals for most of my life so I’ve been wearing amethyst and amber silver bracelets on my left arm and none of my joints play up. They do if I take them off for a few days so I generally leave them on 24/7. Moonstone is pretty good as a pain reliever too. The trick is finding what’s right for you and not taking them off. I made a few dietary changes as well that helped. Sending much love, light, strength and prayers to you and everyone else

Many years ago, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I did not like taking the medications western medicine provides, so I started taking acupuncture treatments. It took a few years, but it was successful, completely successful. However, Unlike you, it had not progressed to the stage where I had joint damage. I wish you all the best!

I have had stem cell therapy in my hips and my shoulders for osteoarthritis and have had wonderful results. There is a lot of stem cell therapy being used for a variety of regenerative medicine. Not everyone gets great results but I believe most people experience some improvement. I believe the meditations I do help my body as well. I hope you find a treatment that is regenerative for you.

Maryann, please try to send messages to your cells to heal your arthritis, they are able to set your body back to earlier, well working stages if your message is clear and precise to your cells. Also love them. Wishing you good health!

Re: your hands. Try Cayenne Pepper, both as a supplement (if your digestion can tolerate it) and as a poultice. Stinging nettles can also help, but you must tolerate the initial pain of the nettle . . . the relief comes a few minutes after and can last hours. Herbal medicine that I learned from my great-grandmother who struggled with rheumatoid arthritis when there weren’t fancy medical treatments for it. BTW I just finished your book! 🙂

Sorry to hear about the pain in your hands. You can try aloe leaf gel. From a large aloe leaf, cut a piece about four inches. Cut off the two rough edges. Peel the skin on one side (the underside is better) to expose the gel. If you peel both sides, it will be difficult to work with since it’s slippery. Place the gel side against the skin of your joint and bandage. By leaving the skin on one side that touches the bandage, you will prevent the gel from ‘escaping’. Leave it on all day. If it still has gel, leave it on for the night. If it feels kind of fibrous, replace it with a fresh piece of aloe leaf. Your skin absorbs the gel and eases / even takes away the pain. It will also make your joint more flexible. Do this for several (maybe four) consecutive days. This is what some native Indians use for joint pains. Good luck!
I just had the procedure done on my shoulder today. My doctor calls it stem cell injections. I have high hopes. Another person I know of had it done in her back and neck a couple of weeks ago and says that it’s already feeling somewhat better (50%) so that sounds good. Good luck with your outcome. Mine was done by taking bone marrow from my hips and concentrating the stem cells, then injecting them into my shoulder and shoulder joint. It was mildly painful but not like surgery. I am not in pain right now. It’s been 5 hours.

I have arthritis in my hands too. I use Boswellia quite successfully, it has a cumulative effect. Take care!

I used to limp , now I can run. Curcumin, glucosamine, fish oil, cold pressed collagen. Then -o zone (even if there is just a little bit of the cushioning left between the bones) -PRP (platelet rich plasma)

Thank you for your insights Maryann! It is tense times here in the USA. About your hands, I am sensing that reaching overhead, lifting your entire shoulder girdle to reestablish balance might be helpful for your hands. Take care.

Boron is very helpful with my joints! I wish you rapid success in finding relief and healing.

Thank you Maryann. I have arthritis in my knee and I am also not wanting to do knee replacement surgery. Hand joints are something different though but I can tell you I have been doing all the physical therapy I can to keep the muscles strong. I include yoga and Pilates in that. Swimming helps a lot. I have had cortisone and hyaluronic acid shots and they help too. They recommend an anti inflammatory diet (hard for me with the sweet tooth I have acquired), I have also cut WAY back on alcohol due to its inflammatory effects. CBD is supposedly good as well but I can’t say for sure that it helps. Best of luck to you & thank you for all that you do. I usually avoid this kind of thing (tarot cards etc.) but I find your insight which is based on a very good knowledge of history and current events to be very helpful and useful in dealing with the current situation in the USA.

Try things to lower your inflammation. Not everything works for everybody. Surgery may end up being your last eventual solution. Thank you for a great reading. Best wishes for your health.

I am currently taking gel shots for my arthritic knee. They’re not a cure, but they do ease the pain. Wishing you the best!

I, too, have joint deterioration in both thumbs along with arthritis in my hands and carpel tunnel in both wrists. Unfortunately, I live in Florida, where the health care is horrible! Not to mention, my co-pay is 20%, which is more than I can afford. I noticed ur braces and will be purchasing a pair for myself. I have full hand & wrist braces, but they’re cumbersome. Other than not using my hands and using Advil and CBD cream, nothing seems to help. Thank u for sharing ur personal health issues, I’m very curious about ur journey to healing. Even when the reading isn’t always uplifting, I always find comfort in the sound of ur voice. Sending you healing thoughts

Nerve blocks for me are wonderful for my arthritis

My father had platelet transfusion when he had cancer. It gave him so much more energy, and ability to sleep. Anyway, I think it may help with the inflammatory pain. It’s not like it will hurt anything. I see your wrists moving, and your forearms and fingers not feeling the shooting pain. I hope that makes sense

Another suggestion for your hands is to massage them with a small magnetic hematite sphere-can be amazing. Thank you for your amazing balanced readings

Have you tried aloe vera for your hands, it needs to be taken internally as well as externally.

I have had both PRP (hips) and hyaluronic acid injections (knees) and found both helpful. PRP was particularly helpful. I find exercise and weight training the best remedy for osteoarthritis. I have problems developing in my thumb joints and when I do exercise that challenge and stretch those joints, my pain diminishes. Also staying away from sugar and processed foods – I have found this brings down the inflammation in a dramatic way.

PRP and stem cells are both excellent choices compared to surgery ! Also look into Glutathione IV which can further strengthen the cartilage . Niacinamide and curcumin can have a miraculous effect on decreasing inflammation. Also, I would recommend OT vs PT. Lots of OTs are hand specialists. You can do gentle strengthening of your hand and wrist muscles inside a fluidotherapy ( heated sand) unit which makes it much easier and painless .Take care
Hi Maryann, you probably already know this but have you tried a hand physio, they are very good and are specific to hands, they make you hand braces while you are there out of moulded material to fit yr hand, very good, very much worth a look. Also I find tomato is very inflammatory and causes flair ups for me, cherry juice or cherries also helps a lot. Very best wishes I see a hand physiology in Canberra.

Sorry to hear that you’re suffering with arthritis. My knees were so bad I could hardly walk. I discovered magnesium oil and now it’s hardly an issue. My hips hurt so much too and I’ve discovered the healing quality of amethyst. I don’t have pain in my hips anymore but it has taken over a year to work. Hope it helps!

I was becoming almost crippled. I started putting collagen in my coffee daily and I’m so much better. It’s the same as drinking bone broth, gelatin. They call it collagen now. I know back in my grandparents’ day they boiled the bones and cooked in that bone broth. People no longer do this so we need to get it in other ways. I hope if you try it, it helps you. What I use is called Vital Proteins.

I had PRP in my left thumb at the end of 2021. The injection is quite painful and you will be required to rest your joint and then get PT for a few weeks. I am so happy I did it. The results are quite remarkable. My pain level plummeted and strength returned. Is it perfect? No, but it is almost as good as new and that is fine with me. People seem to get very mixed results from surgery and it will sideline you for weeks. I definitely endorse PRP.

When I stop eating all grains the inflammation in my thumb joints goes away.

Yes regenerative treatments can work. I have had my shoulders treated with stem cells. 3 orthopedic surgeons were ready to replace my shoulder when I decided to try stem cells

Acupuncture for arthritis works..will need it weekly for a while which can get expensive but it works…good luck and thanks for the readings

Maryann, Prolotherapy for the dislocation. I don’t know if you have it in Oz, but I have similar problems to yours and the prolo keeps my joints stable. It’s a harmless sugar solution with lidocaine that gets injected around the affected joints and over a number of treatments forms a stabilizing matrix. It is also anti-inflammatory. Another helpful strategy is chiropractic extremity release, which creates needed space between the joints again. All of those have been helpful to me and I have had at least 10-15 Prolotherapy treatments in various joints. They stabilized them and I got better. I cannot take meds either and it is a beautiful and harmless treatment option. Hugs from Canada. Thank you for your reassurance about Carney. I have bad PTSD and my cortisol levels are through the roof right now. Lots of Magnesium!!!

Thank you Maryann!! Please look into full spectrum CBD oil for your joints! I’m a cannabis educator and arthritis can absolutely get some help from any cannabis you can have access to.

I have some trouble with my hands, too. Have you tried acupuncture? I got my knees fixed (years ago now!) with that and some heat therapy. I, too, was not going to go through knee replacement and the acupuncture did the trick. I was able to run again! One thing that has helped my arthritis in my hands and thumbs is Boron. I started at a low dose (2 per day), then have gradually increased to 4 or 6 per day (2 at a time). For me, that has helped a lot and I am now back to crocheting again and can go all day! My wrists no longer hurt at all, which was a big problem. Can’t hurt, might help. (I will be 80 in May, so much older than you.). Good luck and prayers for you also. I so love all your videos. They have kept me sane through all this turmoil that we are going through in the US at the moment

Maryann I have severe osteoarthritis in my hip. I’ve noticed a significant difference in pain when I decreased the amount of omega 6. I started taking MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, and Berberine. The most significant decrease in pain was after I eliminated sugar and started eating lower carbohydrates. I hope this helps you.

Castor oil, garlic compress w multiple layers, oil inside. Natural is best, wear on painful area w compress

Hello Maryann. Isn’t aging a curious thing. I deal with the same issue & yes, those thumbs get wicked sore, feeling broken at times. I think so, anyway, as I have not had a broken bone (nor want to…touch wood. ) It does seem that supporting & resting them helps ease that. I also have a “hand bath” paraffin & mineral oil. That helps as well. But I agree with you, do not want surgery or replacements, no Bueno. Take good care & thank you for sharing as you do.

I have joint issues with pain from surgeries in both hands and find that red infrared light treatment’s very effective. I have dupuytrens contracture as well as osteoarthritis

Hi Maryann. Thank you for the readings you do! I have arthritis in my carpometacarpal joints. Four years ago I had stem cells injected into the joint of my right hand in Mexico with very good success. The other hand was not as bad at the time. Recently I tried PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injected into the joint, but it didn’t help really at all. Good luck with your search for the best treatment!

I’ve had both platelets and ozone shots, both work but it’s a continuing process!

I had PRP for my knee until it was bone on bone… my knee replacement went well.. but try also frankenscience oil… also red light therapy might take awhile, but it works on the mitochondria of the cell

I love the reading as I do all of your readings…as for the arthritis in your thumbs and hands try cutting back or abolishing eating beef.when I lived in Australia I lived with a homeopathic physician in brisbane. she has since passed away. but that worked for me cutting out beef. eating much more fish and occasional chicken if I can get it organic.good luck in my prayers are with you. Myself and many thousands others love you.

Platelet injections (I’m assuming autologous) is nowhere near as effective as human derived stem cell (adipose derived or bone marrow (ouch!) derived, even Wharton’s jelly (umbilical). I’ve personally had good results in my back, a surgeon friend trying to avoid surgery on their shoulder and knee has had good results and I can go on. Platelet derived SCGFs are basically the 911 call but stem cell growth factors are the first responder- if that makes sense. Anyway, I hope you get the relief you deserve!! You are a hero to this American right now. A source of strength and comfort.

Acupuncture is the solution for your problem!Find a good doctor though for this! My husband’s cousin has been saved from the surgery and the pain! (another advice is to pay attention on what your hands are telling you! He told me for my knee that it tells me to stop doing something that exhausts me physically and emotionally) Thank you for the reading
SUGGESTION FOR YOUR ARTHRITIS : Hi Maryann, I asked a psychic friend of mine about your arthritis and she said you’d be cured by cutting out all refined sugar from your diet. Then I googled refined sugar’s link to arthritis and this is what I read: “Refined sugars, found in processed foods and sugary drinks, can trigger the release of pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines, which can worsen joint pain, stiffness, and swelling in people with arthritis.” “Studies show that consuming excess sugar can produce more inflammator proteins called cytokines. If you have arthritis, you already have high levels of cytokines, so producing more of these proteins can worsen your symptoms.” She also said that unrefined sugars (such as panela, maple syrup, agave syrup, etc) would be a safe replacement for you. I don’t know how reliable is her psychic info but, if it doesn’t help, it certainly can’t hurt

Wow, that’s a lot you are doing for your arthritis, I drink pineapple juice every morning, I know it sounds too simple. But it works for me!

Maryanne I take arnica and use norstar magnets for inflammation, they have helped me a lot. Take care

I have the same issues with regard to my thumbs. What’s helped me are braces (I’ve used all the types I’ve seen you using), boswelia for pain, turmeric/curcumin and stinging nettles for inflammation, THC transdermal ointments (legal where I am—does not get you high). I am currently working on growing some nettles to sting my wrist directly, but have not put that into practice yet. I also make my own wild lettuce tincture that helps when the pain is really bad. Best from a worn-out-thumbs sister in solidarity hoping you find some things that help your hands

First off I love following you. Regarding your thumbs I am going to try the Softwave machine on mine. I’ve been going to have my shoulder muscle tears in my shoulder and it’s working. Going to try on the thumbs too. The gentleman that has opened this facility was going to have his foot removed due to neuropathy and diabetes. He’s walking around with both feet and has his diabetes under control. It’s worth looking into

Maryann… have you tried acupuncture for your hand and joint issues… it promotes energy flow, decreases inflammation, and focuses on balancing overall energy and wellness. I’ve been in acupuncture for 30 years for autoimmunity, tendon/ joint issues, fatigue etc… only thing that has kept me active . (Now I’m 70!)

Good luck with your therapies! I tried platelet injections that were so painful when overfilled. I eventually had surgery on my thumb but the grip is not normal. The joint drops when pressure is applied.

Hi there really enjoying your insights. Look into Gerson therapy, it is not just for cancer patients really helpful but also for arthritis. Even if it seems a bit radical at first, it seems to work and you get into it more and more. I started slow and without pressing myself. Much love and healing from Switzerland

Gluten free and turmeric supplements may help a lot

Yep, Maryann, these times are definitely challenging. And for myself (and you), we are battling a few bodily demons. I am not entirely sure yet, but I went to my arthritis Dr., had x-rays today, and am struggling with tremendous pain at present in my arms, especially my left (which is my dominant one). I did fall on my knee a week ago and probably landed on my left hand as well (though it happened so fast I couldn’t be sure at the time). Now I will wait to find out the results of the x-rays much to my chagrin. The pain feels so intense, I fear damage to my arm above my elbow. (I already have a titanium rod in that arm from a long ago infection from surgery, so who knows what occurred–but it REALLY smarts.) Ah, yes, we humans could use some E.T. tech. I’m sorry to here about your hands. It’s a no win place to have such pains. Have you tried Epsom salt baths or soaking your hands in a basin? Just listened to a podcast last night about how helpful Epsom is with its magnesium and its sulfate. Soaking for 15-20 minutes in it with water obviously, does wonders and over time it helps even more, they say. It also does wonders for our skin. They recommended mixing it with your cleanser and gently exfoliating. It can also be mixed instead with olive oil &/or honey. It’s great to to do before a shower or bath too. The site said this: Epsom brings remarkable relief because it releases tight muscles and decreases pain triggering chemicals in the body. It decreases inflammation while the sulfates support the proteins in joint cartilage (both via skin absorption). Helps circulation too. Thank you my friend for your honest, straight-forward, no games tarot. You’re the best.

Hi Maryann. I also have thumb arthritis and today I had a steroid injection, hoping it works! Last year I had a plasma injection into my hip. Had suffered for 2 yrs and I haven’t felt any pain since. I tore my tendon in the hip area and the xray showed calcium build-up that looked like teeth or spurs. I live on the Sunshine Coast and if this needle doesn’t work, I plan to try a plasma needle into my thumb. I watch all your shows. Let us know if it works, please.

Have you ditched tomatoes Maryann? I have arthritis and they are the worst inflammatory. I eat an anti inflammatory diet. Have you tried Hirudoid or Traumeel? They are made in Germany. It’s a must for me. Healing vibes your way

Turmeric, ginger, castor oil poultice will help your arthritis.

I haven’t had experience with platelet injections for anything but my fiance’s mom had it for her foot and it really did help. The other thing is what about Voltarien cream/gel? It’s for arthritis, not sure if you can get it where you are. I have been prescribed it for bone pain, just have to go and get it from the pharmacy. thank you

Black Cherry Tart Supplement works

Thank you. I’m beginning to understand your readings. Still learning. About your thumbs and hands; I’ve got silversplints and they give my hands some kind of rest. They work, and as my orthopaedic doctor said, 74% benefits from silversplints, if they’re provided by a medical specialist, not storebought. I hope it’s an idea for you. Greetings from the Netherlands!

Maryann, I am sorry that you are feeling any pain in your hands. Have you tried/explored infrared light therapy? There are two types of red light therapy, one infrared (warm) and the other red light therapy is via led’s (cool) that don’t emit heat. The one to explore is the infrared therapy (heat coming from the lamp). There are processes to follow, the amount of inches one is from the lamp, also the directive to not look at the bulb directly and the length of time in exposure. It’s a fascinating topic to research. My thought is that if you “warmed up” your hands before your readings, it could help a lot with pain/inflammation as the therapy increases circulation. Also, the ancient Egyptians would expose an injured area to the natural sunlight for healing. So, even if you don’t want the rest of your body in the hot sun, you could sit in the shade and allow your hands only to be exposed for say ten minutes a day (alternate palms up and then palms down). Also Chi Gong simple movements can increase the chi in your body promoting healing thru out. And perhaps acupuncture. Healing can and will occur. May each and every day may you feel better and stronger

Comfrey oil Maryann? I soak my own in oil for 2 months and apply heated to my joints.

Maryann, for arthritis, I use Tumeric Force. It is herbal med. One capsule a day, helps me. I too have joint disease and arthritis.

Have you tried acid hyaluronic injection? I have arthritis and because of a fall dr told me that I need a knee replacement. However several people I know had it and they are worse than before the surgery. I decided against it and went with the injection. Apparently the hyaluronic acid goes in liquid and then turns into a jelly like cartilage. So far so good.

Hope you find something that helps your hands! Hugs. I’ve found that Apha Lipoic Acid (R type is more bioavailable) has really helped pain in my ankle joints.

Interesting about your thumbs. My mother had arthritis in only her thumbs. The doctor told her that condition is a genetic condition passed down only through the maternal line, not affecting males. She chose surgery. I am now having issues. I have found a salve made from comfrey helps and Kinesiology Tape works better than my thumb braces. MSM supplements are excellent for arthritis.
Try Methylene Blue. Appears to be a magic bullet.

Forget the supplements try Qigong…..it’s weird but it works!

Try copper peptide therapy.

Hua Tuo medicated plasters.

Morning Maryann, i just woke up, you were on my mind. Two things I use for arthritis , RA pain. First off you know there is no cure. Your description of your hand sounds awful, I’m sorry. If your country has it: I get prescription for Lidocaine Patch 5% or RX they come in a box of 30. Can use as the whole patch or cut. I cut in half put on top of my hand then put gloves on like yours. Last 12 hrs. You may need to try a few before you find one that you like. Paraffin too messy. I use Magnesium cream. Very nice. Sometimes tingling. I use on legs, hands, etc. do you have Medical THC, or CBD. Mix a gram into 4 oz of your favorite cream … use hands, legs, shoulders. Has a very nice earth smell. I hope it helps.

Glucosamine! You need to take minimum 500, a day to start, but With arthritis as bad as yours, you will need to increase it, google how much glucosamine a person with your weight can have a day safely. Iknow firsthand. what a difference it can make! The amazing thing though is it’ll help with all kinds of things in your body. Take Care & Be Safe

Money doesn’t buy everything

Hopefully today marks a turning point in American politics. Of course there have been many in just over 70 days since the Trump government was elected and most of them…not good. Today was different.

I could point to the seemingly endless ways Trump is trying to upend democracy and the rule of law, or the callous and arrogant way he is dealing with [former] allies, or the cutting of foreign aid that saved lives, including the lives of children in poverty stricken nations that rely on American dollars in life and death situations.

Or we could discuss the hundreds of thousands of civil servants who were, and will be, tossed aside on the scrap heap by DOGE, mocked and ridiculed at the maniacal chainsaw wielding, clown show, put on by Trump mega donor and oligarch Elon Musk who just happens to make billions off taxpayer funded, government contracts. The irony is deep and rich indeed.

Just last week we all witnessed incredible and unprecedented security breaches by Trump’s Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Security Advisor Mike Walz who posted strike plans on commercial app Signal hours before the attack, putting pilots and field agents in grave danger.

Perhaps threats to invade neighbours and sovereign countries, abandon Ukraine and Europe or make Taiwan pay for defence against behemoth China is all in a day’s work for this current US government…constant drama, headlines, fear mongering…all in the short span of just over two months.

But today was different. Today was a turning point when we witnessed voters disregard Maga populist rhetoric and the lure of millions of dollars, to cast their ballot for the candidate who couldn’t be bought and send a powerful message to the oligarchs that democracy is not for sale. In Wisconsin, state Supreme Court judge Susan Crawford won her election against Brad Schimel in a race awash with big money donations that shattered spending records.

This included Elon Musk’s donation amounting to $20 million to Schimel and his attempts to repeat his 2024 election ‘lottery’, a thinly disguised attempt to ‘buy’ a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. Why?

According to the New Yorker Musk’s company Tesla filed an application with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to open four dealerships in the state. The State denied the application due to a law which bars car manufacturers from selling directly to consumers. “A week before Musk first posted about the race, Tesla filed a suit challenging the law.”

Just before the election Musk appeared at a rally for Schimel, appearing in a triangular cheese shaped hat, apparently invincible, sure that his status as the richest man in the world (apparently), meant he could do anything he wanted with impunity. He was attempting the unthinkable, trying to buy a state Supreme Court seat seemingly to influence his own affairs.

However the electorate had other plans. In unprecedented voter turnout, the Liberal leaning judge Susan Crawford won election despite Musk’s money and influence. The voter turnout was so strong, they ran out of ballots at one point.

”Today Wisconsinites fended off an unprecedented attack on our democracy, our fair elections and our Supreme Court,‘’ Crawford said in her victory speech. ‘’And Wisconsin stood up and said loudly that justice does not have a price, our courts are not for sale,” judge Crawford said.

Wisconsin, a swing state, also sent a message, loud and clear, to the Trump government which has been surrounded by Musk and big money since election day: hands off our democracy.

It’s the tip of the iceberg of course. Money in politics is the norm regardless of Musk…indeed every country has its oligarchs closely aligned with governing power. Nevertheless today in Wisconsin marked a shift and showed a glimpse of awareness that populism is often the oligarchy revving up the masses only to profit themselves off the people they’ve conned.

Let’s hope this is the start of something big, a groundswell that enlightens and inspires rather than disappoints and deflates. Democracy depends on those willing to vote for it.

Onward

I was asked this week when I could tell people the current US president would go…’please bring us some good news’…one viewer implored. I replied that I had delivered important information in past readings that could point to reasons for cautious optimism for future US stability. My past predictions had included:

Trump would not see out a full term
He would fail miserably and one critical way would be economic failure which would turn most against him
Some Republicans growing more uneasy due to backlash from their constituents, would push back against his more extreme and chaotic proposals
Jesse Donald Vance, the VP lackey, would also fail and would never be able to hold the Maga base as Trump has. In short, when Trump goes, Maga fragments as a political movement
Trump’s health is not robust and he is being treated with medication for an illness. The letters MVM are somehow important in this regard. He could face another more serious assassination attempt in March/April
Opposition to Trump’s presidency grows with the economic downturn. No amount of spin or lies will protect him from this backlash.
Elon Musk is in a downward spiral and likely to retreat from the political scene in the near future following huge monetary loss
In 2026 the Democratic Party is likely to take the House back
In 2028 an election will be held and a middle aged man, likely a businessman, will be elected. He inherits significant damage from the Trump years but does bring stability back to the US.

All these predictions have been made since November 7th 2024, and we are now seeing them play out. I cannot waive a magic wand and make Trump/Vance/Musk disappear but I can tell you that chaos and destruction are not sustainable and, in the end ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’. They will reap only destruction and failure if that is the course they are hellbent on pursuing.

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Thank you to all who have purchased my new book Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint. It was still a bestseller in a few categories last week on the charts and that is entirely due to you, my loyal viewers. Thank you! You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Revealing-Light-Cancer-Illuminated-Blueprint-ebook/dp/B0DPYF5942/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

And for those who do not want to shop at Amazon, you can find it at Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/revealing-light-how-cancer-illuminated-my-divine-blueprint-maryann-weston/21532276

The long arc…

Hello readers and viewers, it’s been a little while since I last wrote to you. I have been busy promoting my new book and juggling a serious arthritic flare in my hands that has dislocated the thumb CMC joint on my left hand, and because I am using my right hand more it has become quite painful too. Needless to say, I have been neglecting what I love to do the most which is writing. Let’s catch up.

So much has happened since my last entry. We have been subjected to a daily barrage of chaos, destruction and unconstitutional action from the new president Donald Trump. For months I refused to name him calling him 45 or 47, or under my breath something infinitely worse. However it struck me that not using his name, at least in my case, meant that I was reticent to speak his name and I did not want to give over to any form of fear or even allowing him to escape responsibility for the destruction he is wreaking not just on the US but on the world. In Trump we see lawlessness, vindictiveness and retribution, and most obviously heartlessness.

Tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of civil servants are without jobs in less than a month since Trump took office, whether they come from red states, blue states or purple states…good and talented workers have been thrown on the scrap heap, ridiculed and belittled, mocked and marked and callously booted out of the door they once walked through with pride as those with the privilege of serving the public. Billionaire and clown Elon Musk, behind sunglasses and a black cap carried a chainsaw onto the CPAC stage recently to highlight how he has taken a chainsaw to the government and its staff. It reminded me of national wrestling championships crossed with the Roman Colosseum. Real people, real families and communities are suffering as a result of his actions, yet he continues to mock them after he has destroyed them.

Trump and Musk, and Musk’s band of juvenile techno’s have been accused of breaching the privacy of Americans, potentially accessing their Social Security data and their financial and banking data too. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wrecking ball Trump, Musk and JD Vance, have taken to American society, government and way of life. And what is the end game? As a psychic and intuitive I have long felt the object of all of this is pure and utter greed and a lust for power and retribution.

Such are their travesties that those who voted for him, aside from his Maga base, are regretting their vote. A little late don’t you think? Sometimes karma arrives in real time and when it does, it leaves us in no doubt what our mistakes have been.

Internationally, the damage is equally as bad. Trump has taken that same wrecking ball and swung it high against America’s allies. He has all but pulled the US out of NATO, extorted Ukraine for its rare earth minerals and other resources, and upset Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Denmark, Panama and Colombia, all in the space of weeks. Germany France and the UK ready to string him and his sycophantic government from the nearest tree after the way in which he has sold out Europe for a partnership with dictator and war criminal Vladimir Putin. My own country, Australia, has been mercifully spared thus far, however I wonder for how long before it is our turn, and in what way he is going to try and extort us. My guess is that he will want even more military bases on our sovereign soil.

Heartbreakingly, he has told Ukraine to either accept a deal for America to take 50% of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and other resources in perpetuity or he will turn off Starlink internet in their country. This would leave Ukraine unable to defend itself and unable to launch or repel drone and other attacks. Of course, a threat to turn off Starlink with the full backing of Starlink owner Elon Musk, should be a warning to other countries to find another satellite provider or be at the mercy of Trump/Musk’s blackmail in the future.

Now we are seeing fully the corruption greed, and cruelty of the highest order.

Yet for all the worry and anxiety we are labouring under, there is much to take heart in. Weekly street protests across all US states, unified legal action amongst civil rights groups and strong pushback from the state governments against Trump and Musk, show that we are with power and the freedom to exercise it.

A few weeks ago I caught up with Erika Robinson from In the Company of Cards, to talk about my new book Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint. We spoke about how I took back my power when I was at my lowest ebb after my cancer diagnosis. I know only too well what it’s like to be at the bottom of that dark well, fearful and with no idea how to climb out. However, as soon as we look up, not down, and as soon as we find our courage and resolve, the light flows to us, illuminating our pathway upwards and onwards.

No matter how tough the going gets in the US and in the world, I choose to put my confidence into each and every one of us who stands strongly against the tyrants and cowards, and for a free, fair and prosperous future in which peace is our cornerstone.

My new book Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint is distributed far and wide, on Amazon and beyond. In some places it is on backorder due to the first print run selling out, however you can find it still available here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Revealing-Light-Cancer-Illuminated-Blueprint/dp/1803417307/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Abe Books: https://www.abebooks.com/products/isbn/9781803417301?ref_=pd_detail-1-b_p

Bookshop.org: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/revealing-light-how-cancer-illuminated-my-divine-blueprint/7657531

Seven years & one book later

Today I celebrated a milestone with the arrival of my author copies of my new book Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint. It took seven years to complete due to the death of my beloved sister Jane who had the same cancer in the same place only at a later stage than me. When she passed I developed writer’s block and survivor’s guilt too. The book is a chronicle of my path towards enlightenment and discovery of latent clairvoyant and psychic abilities. I wrote the following feature article for my publishers and today I would like to share it with you as a way of understanding the rich spiritual insights that can follow loss and grief, and recovery. Thank you.

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LIFE CHANGING CANCER DIAGNOSIS REVEALS HIDDEN PSYCHIC LIFE PATH

It’s the little things we notice when the biggest things are happening to us…and so begins YouTube psychic-astrologer and author Maryann Weston’s first thoughts when diagnosed with cancer.

“I remember the paintings in the specialist doctor’s office. There was a huge one of him playing a grand piano with his wife. How odd, I thought, that something so grandiose should be in a room where people are waiting for medical procedures, and so preoccupied with what those tests might reveal.”

It was important to externalise and not internalise when a diagnosis as shocking as cancer is delivered, she recalled. “It’s like a gut-punch with all the air being sucked out of your body. It helped to notice the minute details around me; a little like counting the lines in a pavement on the way to some terrible event, just to keep yourself grounded.”

These are a few of the early memories Maryann recalls in her memoir Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint.

A spiritual odyssey, Revealing Light: How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint tells the story of its author’s psychological and spiritual evolution, from confronting her mortality with a deadly illness to creating a community of like-minded people.

There are plenty of poignant moments in her book, from her husband picking small pink flowers for her on the way back from the daily three-hour drive for radiation and chemo treatment to the long wait for major surgery – a surgery that would change her life forever.

“Nothing prepares you for this,” she said. “You think if I just do the hard yards, get through painful treatment then the reward is that I will be able to go back to my old life. Well, I guess the universe had other plans for me because I didn’t return to that life. In a way, I began a new one.”

It was the strong and ever-present spiritual signs that began to unlock the dormant psychic abilities Maryann had experienced since childhood…clairvoyance and clairaudience particularly, and mediumship too.

Once a journalist, editor and then a senior government policy and communications officer, Maryann didn’t return to that work, instead she began a spiritual podcast on YouTube, later growing these podcasts across other social media channels.

Today her Revealing Light YouTube channel attracts around 125,000 subscribers and she is busy working as a spiritual communicator, intuitive and counsellor.

“I didn’t forget my journalism, research or counselling skills, I just took them with me as I began working across spiritual dimensions,” she said.

“It became very clear to me that I wasn’t supposed to go back to my old life at all. I believe that life is about service to others, and I’ve always believed that helping someone else is a high calling, and I did that throughout my career. Now, I get to reach hundreds of thousands of people each week and that’s an honour and privilege for me.”

Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint covers the years from Maryann’s cancer diagnosis until the present. The reader can walk alongside Maryann throughout radiation, chemo treatment and two surgeries, recovery and long healing, through the many spiritual experiences and connections, to the present-day, honing and refining extraordinary psychic and divination talents.

Maryann details some of her earliest spiritual affirmations in her book.

“When I was diagnosed, I began to see white feathers everywhere. My research into spirituality — spiritual guides, told me that when you were going through a tough time, or in need of protection or divine help, then a white feather signifies that you are, indeed, being watched over.

“They’re everywhere,” I said to my somewhat, doubting husband.

“Well, of course they are. There are white cockatoos everywhere this year,” he countered.

“But they’re always in my path,” I persevered.

“Because you are looking for them.”

“I’m not…”

“You are.”

And so, the skepticism went, but I knew as sure as faith steers you “miraculously” in the right direction sometimes, that the numerous white feathers were for me. One even turned up right in front of my chair, inside my house.

My meditation teacher called. “I just wanted to let you know that I have something for you.”

“Oh, okay. What do you have?”

“I was collecting the mail, and I had a thought about you and your sister and then, as I turned to go inside, there was white feather right in front of me. I nearly stepped on it. I knew it was for you and it’s here when you want to collect it.”

When I went to Sydney for an appointment with my surgeon, there were four white feathers in front of my steps as I walked down the street. Countless, and constantly, recurring examples of divine help. As I said, they were everywhere.

Still my husband remained skeptical until the day we were driving along the highway enroute to my Sydney appointment with the radiation machine [and arguing about whether white feathers were a phenomenon or not]. Out of the air, or on a breeze, came a white feather, directly in my path to meet our car which was traveling at 110kph. It sailed right through the air to me and hit the front window.

“Wow, did you see that feather?”

He nodded, thoughtful.

“It’s like in the Forrest Gump movie,” I said. “I wonder where these white feathers will take me?”

He smiled, still not conceding his skepticism but I knew somewhere he was thinking about the meaning behind coincidence.”

This new hybrid-type, self-help and holistic healing book, that straddles both cancer treatment and survivorship, and burgeoning psychic abilities, offers the reader more than a glimpse into the human condition as well as the evolution of the soul.

At the time of Maryann’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, her beloved sister and best friend, Jane, was also undergoing the exact treatment for the same cancer in the same place only at a later stage. Sadly, Jane passed away around the same time as Maryann was given the ‘all clear’, No Evidence of Disease.

“The most significant thing I must tell you, readers, is about the year my beautiful sister Jane left us. You will have heard her gentle and wise voice throughout these pages. I stopped writing this when she died. For years, I could not revisit the pages here knowing that I had survived, and she didn’t…”

However Maryann did begin living a new life again, negotiating painful survivor’s guilt and using her clairvoyance and divination skills on her multiple spiritual platforms…and eventually completing her book.

“One of my biggest cheerleaders at the beginning of my new life post-cancer, was my sister Jane. A farmer’s wife, this wasn’t her comfort zone, but she encouraged me to keep going in the early days, often standing at the door while I channeled my messages to an early YouTube audience. If any of my extended family and friends were judgmental, she soon set them straight. I was very grateful for her faith in me when everyone else was wondering “what on earth has happened to Maryann?”

I guess that is what I miss; however, as my platforms have grown, my own viewers and supporters help to fill that void of support and the validation of purpose and value. Your truest supporters seldom question your value; my sister Jane never underestimated what I was doing spiritually, nor why. I guess she knew me very well.

I am grateful for Jane’s faith in me, and for the loyalty of my viewers.”

Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint is an inspiring book, packed with insight and information, revelation and spiritual connection. You will find chapters especially devoted to astrology during her illness, and a perceptive examination of the Tarot’s ‘Fool’s Journey’ through the major arcana as it relates to health, healing and self-nurturing.

The final section of the book will appeal to readers who are interested in channeling. Maryann uses her mediumship abilities to connect with Nostradamus, Dr Sigmund Freud and the Sleeping Prophet Edgar Cayce, the late actor and comedian Robin Williams, and her spirit guides. All channelings are done through the lens of physical, mental and spiritual health.

“I channeled the famous sixteenth-century French seer, physician, apothecary and astrologer, Nostradamus, on January 20, 2019, after a walk at a nearby golf course led me to a Rose Garden populated with the deepest of red/crimson flowers. I reached down and plucked a petal and rubbed it between my fingers. It left an oily residue.

Around this time a man resembling Nostradamus came through, his facial outline and features imprinted on my third eye as I woke in the mornings. A fleeting view of him as I drifted off to sleep in the evenings. A knowing, that he had stepped forward and, importantly, had something to say. As I do with all my channelings, I let the energetic vibration of Nostradamus permeate over weeks, while I looked for signs and confirmations. The rose petal, as it turned out, was a valid sign that Nostradamus had given me, as you will read in the following transcript. This channeling was before the storming of the [US] Congress on January 6, 2020, and the outbreak of the global Covid pandemic in 2020.”

Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint is published on 28^th January 2025. You can find out more, including where to order and/or buy it by visiting publisher Collective Ink https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/o-books/our-books/revealing-light-cancer-illuminated-divine-blueprint

2025: reality & the future beckon

Welcome to 2025 – what a phrase and what a year it will be. Many of us are not enamoured with what 2025 might bring. That’s understandable.

In the US, a former president who would have been found guilty of charges relating to the January 6th, 2021 insurrection attempt at the Capitol – according to the Special Counsel and his team investigating the charges – will be inaugurated as the 47th US President.

Many of us are unwilling to bend the knee given the past. In fact, this President would have been found to be ineligible for presidential office under Section 3 of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, had it not been for the Republican majority Supreme Court’s intervention giving the incoming 47th not just one but many lifelines. As it is, the soon to be 47th president enters office as a convicted felon having failed to stop a jury of his peers convicting him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to an adult film star on the eve of the 2016 election. He is the first president in the US history to enter the White House as a convicted felon. Many are dubbing him F47 (felon 47) as a result.

His election throws up the possibilities (with some already occurring) of media censoring and suppression, vindictive retribution (is there any other kind), financial corruption – he was found to have syphoned off $7million during his last time in Office – mass deportation and loss of due process for asylum seekers, welfare cuts and general lawless and rule breaking behaviour. Little wonder some, if not a majority, of Americans find looking forward to 2025 distasteful.

Across the rest of the world some of our major western nations will face elections in a climate of rabid political interference and collusion by US tech and social media giants. We too (I am Australian) must fight back against the erosion of our democratic rights and corruption of our free election processes.

In the Middle East a fragile peace deal has been done. I celebrate that going into 2025 but I wonder how long it will be until Israel’s rogue, extremist leader Netanyahu breaks the deal in favour of totally consuming Gaza once hostages are returned. Another tragic war is being fought in Ukraine, a country that must now face a hostile US President who has few real allies and even fewer friends other than, it appears, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Astrologically, the sky is ominous though hopeful I would wager. Major movement of the outer planets promises that what we think may occur in 2025 may be the opposite of what actually transpires. We may find our power yet when we think we have none. Expansive and benefic Jupiter moves from Gemini into the cardinal sign of Cancer in June – it’s going to be all about our feelings and nothing motivates more than emotion. I don’t underestimate the anger and pushback against incoming 47 in 2025, including from allies. Take for example the anger emanating from the usually mild mannered Canadians who railed against the incoming president when he said their sovereign and much loved nation should be the US’s 51st State.

Neptune and Saturn currently in Pisces will move into cardinal sign Aries (direct action) in March and May of 2025 respectively. Time for a much needed reality check and concrete steps to course correct and find new ways forward. Any new plans will need hard work to pull them off.

As I write, the lunar nodes have moved into Pisces and Virgo – again showing us in great detail what we need to see but also giving us an opportunity to create a different future without the smog of illusion.

All in all, it’s going to be a bumpy ride in 2025 however it will not be without its opportunities for change too. In the US, voters should remember it is just over 21 months until the midterm elections will be held. If incoming 47’s power will be curbed it will be then. For nervous allies like my own country, Australia, it’s time to remember our sovereignty and independence. If lessons can be learned from the US it is how oligarchy and corruption go hand in hand and how, if not checked, will corrupt the very system that holds it to account – the majority then loses its power to those with money, power and influence who seek undemocratic rule…a kleptocracy.

In other 2025 news, my book Revealing Light – How Cancer Illuminated My Divine Blueprint will be published on January 28th. You can read more about it here in this feature story in Mystic Living Today: https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=4310

You can also preorder or order it here: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/o-books/our-books/revealing-light-cancer-illuminated-divine-blueprint

Overplaying their hand

The poll released this week by the Washington Post may surprise some who are drawn to the high numbers that support authoritarian moves by the incoming president. They would be wrong to focus only on this…what I saw was something different.

The poll results surprised me, not because there was hardcore support for the incoming president’s more fascist-like proposals like investigating his political rivals (40%), rather, I was heartened by the lines drawn in the sand by a majority of Americans.

Unpacking the poll, we learn that 42% support using the US military to deport undocumented immigrants, 54% oppose it. That the figure supporting it is so high demonstrates why the incoming president’s campaign was so successful; he constantly hammered and demonised immigrants on the campaign trail and has done so from the time he descended the faux, gold coloured escalator at Trump Tower in 2016. He knows how to plumb the depths of human bigotry.

However sanctioning the use of the military on American soil is a very dangerous precedent. At least a majority of those polled realise this and would oppose this move. Others who see the reality of US soldiers arresting immigrants might reassess their positions. If it can be done to the undocumented, then how long before those same soldiers come for you?

Worryingly, 38% of respondents thought he should go after his political rivals, yet 60%, a good majority of Americans opposed this move. Here we begin to see the lines that Americans are willing to cross, or not.

The results on pardons for Jan 6th offenders (he too faced charges for his role in the attempted insurrection), was clearly another red line with 66% of citizens against the pardons. If inaugurated, I wonder if the incoming president will proceed with this threat. Early in his term, this would create a perception of criminality and that, combined with a failing economy, would likely hinder the remainder of his term like a bad apple on a bough. There’s no defying gravity once the rot sets in.

Respondents were strongly opposed to using police force against protestors (72%) and overwhelmingly against putting reporters in jail for stories unfavourable to the incoming president (88%). It seems there are some places even the majority of his own MAGA supporters won’t go.

There has been much soul searching since the election by Americans feeling shame such a man – a convicted felon – and previously facing multiple indictments for Jan 6th and for taking classified documents and obstructing their return, could be re-elected a second time. That the majority oppose his worst authoritarian tendencies is something that we can all ‘cling onto’ as we watch the tide undoubtedly turn on the incoming president.

I posted a video this week urging viewers to be open to all possibilities and the unexpected. Life can do that…the incoming president is precariously placed at this time, and in coming months, if he’s inaugurated. We should take nothing for granted in such times of global conflict, foreign governments interfering in democratic elections, highly partisan politics, and the rise of the oligarchy with their own agendas and plenty of cash to see they’re enacted.

The WaPo poll is, therefore, somewhat comforting. No majority supports any of the incoming president’s fascist proposals of retribution and cruelty. Perhaps all they wanted was the ‘billionaire’ celebrity to bring back the good times and deliver them from their financial and class struggles. They won’t get this of course, and so we must traverse this well worn pathway a second time while others learn the hard way they’ve been conned again by the ‘would be’ president.

The Collective rises

I have spent the last few days listening to international authors talk about our world…as it once was and as it is now. We reflected on the rapid changes we have undergone this century and, particularly, in the last decade or so. The constant theme in all the discussions, was the impact of social media.

Yesterday a panel asked the question: Do books still matter?

Authors agreed they did, however all spoke of the downgrade in discourse, language and literacy and the rise of populism resulting from ‘social media’. Prominent UK author Alexander McCall Smith gave a fictitious example in a recent short story of the taxi driver who was reasonable and pleasant to his customers and then had to ‘go to taxi driver school to learn how to be confrontational’.

Other panel members spoke about the reactive and ‘angry’ discourse on social media. People were always reacting to something yet it was initially thought social media would help build positive interactive communities. In some ways it has fulfilled its initial reason for being, yet we cannot ignore the damage it has wrought on our civil society when AI generated militia pages are circulated to contest a free and fair election if the result does not go the way of a particular candidate, and where violence is threatened and organised, and activated.

When Pluto moved into Aquarius on November 19, 2024 we all breathed a sigh of relief. Surely now the power was in the collective hands. What we failed to realise is the extent we would have to wrestle power back from the all pervading oligarchy that has been built around social media…the so called tech billionaires, among them the reported richest man in the world Elon Musk (yes I did nearly forget his name after calling him Leon Musk for so long).

Ironic indeed that their fortunes have grown on the content ‘we the people’ provide them with daily, free! Ironic isn’t it that this free content we provide empowers them into positions where they become unelected officials in a government with the power to take away our social security pensions, and our cries fall powerlessly on their social media. If it seems like a giant con, it’s because it is and has been.

And when we consider all of this, we realise why Pluto in Aquarius will uncover corruption and, with effort, return the power to the collective. Already we are building new social media less prone to oligarchical takeovers, and using and nourishing independent media while rejecting legacy media.

After the US election I felt the energy of revolutions of the past, not the American revolution but the French Revolution. Yes, a revolution is coming, one where the people will stand up to the privileged and the obscenely corrupt profiting from power. They should watch themselves. As we’ve seen in Syria and are witnessing in Georgia, people power is a force that can overturn corrupt regimes and, with persistence, be a rallying cry that would curdle the blood of the tyrant and his armies.

Time to reflect. My break away with authors, writers and journalists on the ocean and traveling to Tasmania, has been good for the soul. New perspective has altered my bitterness and cynicism post US election, into a healthy realism that has new insight and purpose. This is a time for collective power to rise.

Why we’re under the astro weather

It’s an odd time, confusing, unbelievable. Most of us are apprehensive at best; filled with anxiety and dread at worst. When it appears there’s a way forward, it seems to lead nowhere. It really does feel like there’s scant hope at times.

What if I were to tell you the present-day astrology is reflecting our discombobulated state post November 5th US election. Many of the major planets are retrograde, except our old friend Pluto which has only just gone direct in Aquarius (the collective) after 15 years in Capricorn (money, wealth, oligarchy). The other forward motion can be found in Saturn in Pisces (boundaries, commitment & hard work meets the need to create and rebuild).

However retrogrades take us back over old ground to learn the lessons. They can catapult us into the past and we go inward, not outward, as we attempt to reset. Retrogrades also bring opportunities for rebalancing and refocusing of our goals and, for many of us, that goal is how we move forward managing the president-elect.

Let’s do a headcount of the retrograde planets, Mercury (communication), Jupiter (luck and good fortune), Uranus (sudden and unexpected change), Neptune (inspiration, dreams, psychic receptivity, illusion, and confusion) and Chiron (our wounds and healing). Is it any wonder we feel we are stuck in a 2016-early 2021 Groundhog Day, contemplating ‘how on earth did we get here, again, and how the hell are we going to move forward)?

There are some clues in the current astrology. We see how destructive the election of the former president has been on relationships. For almost half the US 2024 voting population, there is a real need to break away from anyone or anything remotely associated with the former president. Personal relationships, business dealings and patronage, social media platforms…and it appears there won’t be any let up in this process of cutting away what you can no longer ‘stomach’. The Moon (feelings) in Scorpio (endings and new beginnings) is making a trine (harmonious flow) to Saturn in Pisces. People really are considering their options, from moving countries, to moving states, to boycotting businesses and Thanksgiving too. This trend will continue when Saturn moves into Aries in 2025. Something new is brewing and people are working out right now, how to launch this new and necessary pathway forward.

Adding to this is the mighty Sun (I am) in future oriented Sagittarius, in a grand trine to the North Node (purpose) in Aries (new identities and beginnings and a new cycle) and Mars. The North Node (purpose) makes this trine to Mars (assertion and action) in Leo (leadership, perseverance, drive).

It seems going back over old ground and making definitive decisions on how we move forward, and importantly, the way we move forward and why, will eventually bring concrete and solid plans for the future. The planets will not be retrograde for long. Neptune (confusion) retrograde moves forward on December 7 and Mercury (communication) ends its retrograde on December 15. Uranus moves forward on January 20, 2025 and, importantly, Chiron (the wounded healer) ends its retrograde on December 29.

Believe it or not, this period of inwardness and regression is actually a necessary reset. There is no doubting the reelection of the former president carries with it tremendous lessons for all. What emerges after the chaos and volatility will be something new. As to what that is, look no further than Pluto in Aquarius. It both exposes the underbelly and corruption while putting the power in the collective to act for the future. Through seeing and experiencing the truth of what is no longer serving us, we get to decide how we move forward. Many assume they will be powerless in the future, however Pluto in Aquarius assures us we won’t. There is real power in the collective…history proves that suppressed people take back their power eventually. It’s often through a revolution.

Aquarius is the sign of the innovator, the humanitarian and the visionary. Pluto will help clear away what no longer serves us, personally and collectively whether we like it or not.

Remember it is in times of great change and challenge that the best of humanity emerges. Resilience, stoicism, innovation, drive, talent, ideas, motivation and commitment. We will learn the lessons well, as we must, and create something new.

Pluto in Aquarius will eventually bring the reset we need, even though there is a need for commitment and hard work in the coming days. Even now, there are new communication channels forming on new social media, alliances for the future being built and old partnerships are ending. Remember that faith is not something that miraculously drops out of the sky, it is something we hold to in desperate and hard times.

The power of pushback

At the end of last week in the US, one of the former president’s Cabinet picks Matt Gaetz withdrew. Surprising to some, especially given the threatening atmosphere that prevails in Washington DC post election, and more broadly across the US. However when former congressional rep Gaetz spoke to his own party’s Senators, it became clear they wouldn’t support his nomination.

For Democratic Party voters and the former president’s critics, this is a time of great vulnerability and, for some, great fear. Already there are threats of retribution and weaponising the Department of Justice – something he and Maga congressional representatives falsely accused the Biden government of doing. I do not need to labor the obvious fact that the former president projects what he himself is either planning to do or is doing. In other telling news, Maga Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul has decried the former president’s plan to use military on the streets of America to round up migrants. While we’ve seen many of the GOP congress eventually bow to the former president…opposition thus far, at least, shows that pushback can and will work. The midterms loom in less than two years. We all remember the ‘blue tsunami’ days of 2018 when the Democratic Party won back the House and in 2020 retained the House and took the Senate. Perhaps enough GOP reps and Senators do too.

Right now, lines are being drawn in the sand. Everyone is deciding what side of those lines they will stand firm on. Some will waiver and others cave like the Morning Joe anchors who travelled to Mar a Lago in what they described as a ‘civil meeting to keep communication lines open’. Many Democratic Party and Independent democracy warriors have already made it clear they are not taking one step back from their positions before, during and post election. That is, that the former criminally convicted president is more than unsuited for office; he’s a threat to the US Republic, the rule of law and to US citizens and its allies. Highly qualified psychiatric and psychology professionals maintain the former president is in the initial stages of Alzheimer’s. Before the election there was ample evidence of a decline in the former president’s health which has been well documented even by the legacy media.

I took this photo one evening post election and immediately the words to the Beatles 1960’s hit Golden Slumbers came to mind. The Universe will always have the last say…we should still have faith in the benevolence of yesterday and its renaissance in the future.

All this adds to feelings of instability and impending doom that has spread across Democratic Party voters, illegal migrants awaiting certain deportation and those who voted for the former president and are experiencing ‘buyer’s remorse’.

One particular demographic, that of women, are also fearful given emboldened Maga males who perceive they’ve been unleashed by a former president who is a self confessed sexual predator of women.

We could all be forgiven for thinking that the US and even the broader and often unstable world, is a cross between a dystopian horror film and the equally dystopian television series The Handmaid’s Tale.

Yet, when push came to shove and even with the newly minted former president’s decree to punish GOP Senators if they didn’t bow to his will, several thwarted his DOJ Senate pick who has been accused of sex with minors. Do not be surprised though when they pass his newest pick, former Florida AG Pam Bondi…truly weaponising a future DOJ will suit their political needs.

Lines in the sand…we are all drawing them. For some, retreat and rest away from a weak and inadequate US legacy media is the answer. Indeed, the legacy media’s sub standard reporting on the former president’s campaign is one reason he was reelected. They failed to push back against the gross and continual lies and distortions of reality in their reporting, nor call out his bigotry and violent rhetoric in their Opinion sections and when commentating.

However, while the Democratic Party regroups there are many in diverse communication spaces who are pushing back. The electorate still has power which is not so quickly and easily eroded. President Biden’s Democratic Party Senate is passing judicial nominations speedily. The law in the US is an intricate and often unwieldy beast that fails sometimes and holds often. Blue States are banding together to offer greater protections for their citizens. Many of the swing states who voted for the former president have Democratic Party Governors. We should remember, State’s run elections in the US.

There was also some surprising Democratic Party and non partisan judges who won seats on State Supreme Courts…and don’t assume all Republican Party appointed judges will not rule fairly and innovatively in this dystopian-like climate. In Wyoming, a GOP Governor appointed judge struck down the state’s overall ban on abortion by using a law passed following approval of the Affordable Care Act.

There are multiple checks and balances within the US Constitution that, yes, will be sorely tested if the former president takes office, however it is a mistake to assume that fierce opposition to his worst and most destructive actions will fail. It’s now up to everyone to decide where the line in the sand is drawn. For those who continue the fight, the resistance, know you are not alone.