Much Ado About Sue!

Lolly: Sue, it is so good to see you. How are you doing?

Sue: I’m wonderful, thank you. Good to see you.

L: Of course! Every Monday, every Friday. How long have you been with Illuminate Your Spirit?

S: At least 12 years.

L: What all do you do at the shop?

S: I am an intuitive who does readings with Tarot, Oracle cards, medicine wheel. I happen to be Irish and Native American, so you get a good, big mix of soup there. I actually do whatever is needed for the person in front of me!

L: But that’s not the extent of your practices?

S: I have been trained in Reiki 1, 2, and 3. Earth Reiki, ancient stone study, mediumship, spirituality and the bible, tarot study, Sonia Choquette–the psychic pathway, Carolyn Mais—the archetypes, mentoring with Darlene Denning, lifecoaching with Donna Marie, lifecoaching with Aaron Reese, and clinical aromatherapy through Jane Buckles. 

L: Okay, lots of people I’ve never heard of but probably need to know! You have been a practitioner for quite some time.

S: I got my first Tarot deck in 1979.

L: Wow! So we’re coming up to your 40th anniversary!

L: I was gonna ask where or who did you learn from, but it sounds like you’ve learned from quite a few people.

S: Yes, I took Tarot classes. And somebody I forgot–Ray Frasier was a local medium and psychic who taught classes for years. Actually, in the basement of Westland Mall!

L: I didn’t know there was a basement there.

S: Yep! And Rachel Ray. I took Tarot from a young woman named Crystal for years. I didn’t do very well at it, haha. What I have found is I don’t read like others. I can’t seem to learn tarot by the book or what you’re “supposed to do”. I do what I’m led to do.

L: Me too.

S: I’m a clairvoyant. I’m a clairsentient. Sometimes I will smell or hear, it really depends. I prefer not to have “medium” by my name. I did that when I was young and I don’t choose to do it right now. I studied with a medicine woman for over 30 years. We’ve become friends. So the Native American way is just part of who I am. But at the end of the day, I think it’s all about the person in front of you and what they need. They allow creator to to share it with me, and I put a voice to it–to the best of my ability.

L: You do a great job at that, too. What was your sort of… reason for being interested or inspiration for your practice?

S: I was raised very Catholic and the “why’s”, the “what for’s” and “what is out there” was always a question I had. I really was gonna become a nun. My first introduction into Reiki was through the nuns at Crawfton where I used to go on retreat. I had a lot of questions that my faith didn’t answer all the time. I questioned everything. I hung out with nuns and priests and asked–I kept looking. I believe there’s many paths to the same destination when you’re talking about spirituality or faith. Religion is a whole nother ball of wax I don’t wanna get into, but… I think you find what resonates with you and what works for you and what makes sense and what you feel comfortable with. That’s why the Tarot deck, in 1979, was a gift and honestly, at first, it terrified me. They looked scary as heck! I still practice with that same deck because I needed to learn. So I went to teachers, mentors. They say the teachers show up when you need them, and they do. I explored all kinds of different things, like astrology–which was far too technical back then when you used protractors and compasses! Runes look wonderful to me but it just doesn’t sit there. 

L: Oh, agree.

S: You know, there’s all different kinds of divination that have been used for thousands of years. There’s gotta be something to it. I think everybody, when they’re called to it, find what works for them and what they’re comfortable with. I happen to love stones and crystals, so the first medicine wheel… This is a long story, haha. I was called one summer to put the kids in the car and drive to the Upper Peninsula. I just knew somebody was there waiting for me. 11 hours later, drove up to Munising, and found myself in front of a store called Lady of the Lakes. It was two older women, my kind of place… Messy with herbs and just smelled wonderful! And these two older women–one was Native American and one was part Native American and she looked at me and she goes, “I’ve been waitin’ for you!” And I went, “YEAH!” So, she said, “Come in!” She pulled out this map she had made with the medicine wheel on it and symbols, and she said, “Take this home and make it your own. It’s gonna take you some time.” It took me years. She had a few crystals with it and stuff, but she said, “You’re gonna find what you need.” I found a rotten tooth on the beach. I found all kinds of different things that went into it. It took me years to get comfortable with it to have somebody rub stones and drop ‘em for me. But once it was there, I knew it was home. Unfortunately, that got stolen out of my car. Fortunately, one of the girls that used to work here made a replica of it and was just a gift. She was so talented and artistic, she could do it for me. That’s still one way I connect, or I let whomever sitting across from me connect. Every stone, every crystal has a meaning that I’ve given it that resonates with me. I do teach classes here also and that’s part of what I want to get across to people. I think everyone has a sixth sense, the gift of intuition, gift of insight. It’s all a matter of getting comfortable with it and clearing out your own garbage to hear it.

L: Do you think that your Catholicism has been set aside for your work or integrated into it?

S: Integrated into it. It will always be. I say, “Once a Catholic, always a Catholic.”

L: Yeah, I can attest to that.

S: I love the traditions of the church. I love the premise. I know that religion… A professor in college knew I had my kids in Catholic Central high school, so he thought it would be funny to ask me in an argumentative assignment to be the argument against organized religion. 15 pages later, I had a very clear argument because, in my world, Jesus didn’t stand on that rock and say this, that, or the other… He said “LOVE”. It’s that simple.

L: That’s why I have questioned my faith but I’ve never questioned Jesus! That’s how I feel about it.

L: I guess this will be our last question because I’ve been asking everyone one of the same questions: What’s your favorite deck?

S: Right now, it’s a Tarot deck that somebody gifted me. It is called the Light Seer’s Tarot. I love it! I never used another Tarot deck other than my original, but this one! The colors, and the graphics, they say something different all the time. I respect anybody that can read Tarot–for instance, Shelly–they memorize and can understand Major Arcana, remember what everything was. That just doesn’t fit my brain! It just doesn’t work that way. So, I have to go with what this card says to me about you. I told somebody once, “To me, Tarot is a photo album of your life.” And that’s the only way I can describe it. You’re allowing me to see, oh, that happened. The path, blah blah. But it’s a photo album. It talks to me like pictures from your life.

L: I love that.

S: This Angel deck is a new deck I just got.

L: Oh, so pretty!

S: Aren’t they gorgeous?!

L: I was definitely guessing that your favorite would be Angel cards. But I also guessed that for Sheri and had other decks in mind! She likes her mermaids!

S: I love my Angels and numerology. I also incorporate a little bit of numerology that I learned from Darlene if that’s the direction I have to go. So, I take pieces and gather what works for me and try to customize it for you or whoever.

L: Well, I love your readings. And your Reiki. And your wheel! Thank you so much, Sue. Your presence here means so much to me and everyone who you help with your services.

S: Thank you. I appreciate you and you doing this!

Sue's homemade sprays available at Illuminate Your Spirit