Mary Spicer is a Professional Psychic & A Good Life Development Coach. She’s been offering Psychic Readings every Tuesday from 4:00pm to 7:00pm  at Julie’s since February of 2014.

Fellow coach Heidi Bennett interviewed Mary on the garden patio at Julie’s.

HB: It’s so nice to finally meet you face to face Mary, I’m curious, how did you first connect with Julie’s?

MS: Well, I came in here one night and thought “Oh, I should do readings here.” I haven’t thought that about coffee shops that I’ve been to before but I just thought this would be a great place to do intuitive insights, psychic readings, life coaching and energy work.

The next day I was at a party on MountTam in Marin and I met interesting, creative people from all over the area. I was getting to know one woman and she asked what I did, I said I do life coaching, energy balancing, psychic reading, I work to heal the inner dynamic of the masculine and feminine, so that’s relationship and sexuality and she said “oh, where do you live” and I said, Alameda and she said “Oh, I have a business in Alameda, Julie’s coffee and tea garden” and I explained that I had just been there the day before and thought I should do readings there and she agreed and so, here we are!

HB: Oh, I love when life lines up like that.

MS: Yes, that’s an amazing, synchronistic story and I believe the more we trust our own synchronicity the more we surrender to life, then the more we’ll have moments like that where we’re just in the right place at the right time and everything is in alignment. So that’s how I met Julie.

HB: So, how long have you been in Alameda?

MS: I’ve been in Alameda about three and a half years and I love it here. I lived in Maui and Kuai and came back to the bay area looking for a place that kind of felt like Hawaii and I live right near Crab Cove which really does remind me of Hawaii. I have a little stand-alone beach cottage here and I paddle board out near my home and at Jack London. So, it’s as close to living like I did in Hawaii but also close to the creativity that’s alive in Alameda and Oakland!

I love being able to go through the tunnel and into Oakland. It reminds me of the Mission, I used to live in the Mission twenty years ago and I think Oakland is culturally on fire right now, it’s playing an important role in the bay area, in a beautiful and organic way.

HB: I agree, it’s so exciting to be a part of what’s happening creatively in the east bay right now! So, what do you recall about walking into Julie’s that gave you the idea you wanted to do something here?

MS: Well, her food here at the cafe is very healing and I was looking for that in Alameda. I feel it’s very important what you put in your body whether it’s psychically, physically, emotionally, nutritionally or mentally. There is a very nourishing and grounded energy here.

HB: When we first opened Julie and I collaborated on the menu and it was important to grow it slowly and mindfully. It’s been exciting to see how Julie has developed such a soulful, delicious and nourishing menu over the years. It’s different but at the same time accessible. People can start with a salad and then get adventurous and try the tea soaked quinoa with seaweed and edemame. 

MS: Yes, I love that. I think it’s very alchemical. The work I do is about mixing things together to create something different. When you think of energy work it is really about shifting the alchemy of your body and of your life to create something new. I love that quinoa and miso served with tea, it’s so interactive.

HM: Yes, I love it because it’s different, there is a slowing down, a ritual to preparing it at your table.

MS: Yes, it is ritualistic and it slows you down. I find that at a cafe, especially this one, you get to slow down and enjoy. I think it’s important to slow down and have that stillness in our lives. It allows us to think, feel and integrate. We can get swept up in the idea that chaos equals success.

HB: I agree. My personal goal right now is to start each day in a slowed down and more compassionate space and I come back to that throughout the day. I find the more I slow down and see what’s right in front of me the more gratitude I have for my life and those who are around me. Then when I add compassion to it, I am gentler to myself and those around me. It is a really sweet way to view your life. And it also lets you be more in tune into your intuition and recognize that synchronicity because you are not rushing to the next experience. 

MS: Yes, it’s funny, I teach a class on synchronicity, receptivity and the magnetic potential of the body and it is about stillness and slowness. So, through listening we open up that receptive force. I think so many of us are taught that we need to go out and achieve, activate and create. There’s a whole other force that gets ignored in our busy life that, that slowing down stillness that allows for the listening, activates the magnetism in our body and it draws to us those synchronistic experiences like when I met with Julie. I work with the energy fields, I studied Energy Medicine for three and a half years at the School of Intuitive Medicine in Sausalito and I mostly approach the intuitive work I do by reading people’s energy fields.

It’s interesting, when people are sourcing from that future part of themselves you can see they are literally forcing their mind out of their current selves and somewhere in the future where they think their supposed to be. That’s a mental creation and when you can gently work with a client to listen to their heart and body, their body only wants to live in present time, it’s not worried about the future, that worry is only in the mind. So then we get to allow or train the mind to trust the body more, trust your heart, be in the present and be more in a place of compassion. We can then allow ourselves to be gentler, gentler on ourselves and others. We are so hard on our selves, living in such a perfectionist state of being that we’re hurting ourselves. So often we have been trained to be our own worst enemy so self love and self compassion is the basis for the work I do. It’s empowering to really love yourself!

HB: It is! Learning not to be hard on yourself and start tapping into your intuition and inner wisdom is so powerful! This is why I love coaching artists and performers because they can be so self critical but when that inner voice becomes a supporter rather than a critic they have access to so much more creativity it’s mind blowing!

Well, II think this a natural place for us to stop, although I could talk with you all day! Thank you for taking the time to share what it is you do and a little bit about why you enjoy being here at Julie’s!

MS: It’s been a lovely time, thanks.
For more info, testimonials, mini-meditations and The Mary Spicer Radio Show Archive go to www.maryspicer.com

For more information about Heidi Bennett, Creative Life Coach go to  http://heidibennett.com

CUSTOMER NAME: Sandy Blaine 

OCCUPATION: Yoga Teacher and Wellness Consultant

RESIDENCE: Oakland

Heidi Bennett – So, when did you first start coming to Julie’s?

Sandy Blaine – I guess, about eight years ago. I saw an ad, it looked like a cool place and now I come here on a regular basis! This is my choice when I want to get out of the house to write, answer emails etc. There are other cafes I go to in Berkeley and Oakland but Julie’s is my favorite cafe in the east bay.

HB – What has made you a long time Julie’s customer.

SB – The extremely friendly atmosphere and the healthy, delicious food. I can always get a clean, organic meal here at a reasonable price. I buy loose leaf tea here to take home. I bring people here, especially people who are visiting from out of town. I’ve had gathering in Julie’s upstairs parlor.

HB – What kind of gatherings have you had?

SB – It’s a great space and I’ve had meetings with my yoga teachers there.

HB – What do you think might surprise people about Julie’s.

SB – That you now serve alcohol (laughs) – I really like that. I don’t drink very often but every once in a while…

HB – What is your favorite order at Julie’s?

SB – Well, it depends on the day. I like to get a cup of soup and the cheese plate, I had a Friday night Sangria at the end of the week and I love that.

HB- Any tips for people new to Julie’s.

SB – The back patio is a wonderful place on a sunny day. Come back and check out the flowers on the patio.

HB – Thank you so much Sandy. It was great to sit down and talk “Julie’s” with you

Learn more about Sandy: http://sandyblaine.com/

Heidi Bennett is a Creative Life Coach and lives in Oakland, CA. She enjoys frolicking with her rescued Tibetan Spaniel, Poki, getting to ride her beach cruiser to yoga, singing with her brother in an old time bluegrass band, meeting friends for tea at Julie’s, and hosting barbecues with her husband. Learn more about her coaching practice at:  http://heidibennett.com