spiritual teacher fighting off encroaching darkness

Why Do Spiritual Teachers Stop Teaching?

byย Rev. Sheri, founder ofย Angel Messenger

For many years now, Angel Messenger has been a source of light to many people. As the creators of this work, my husband and I have spent countless hours tirelessly working to make this site what it is. Even though we cannot even afford health insurance for our family, we manage to pay a small staff for some extra help. Even on the days when I’m in severe pain from my current health issues that no doctor seems to be able to understand, I am working. When my grandfather died in June, and I met my biological father and his family for the first time in my life and began dealing with all the heartbreak that brought with it, I was working. I accepted my pain for what it was and kept shining what little bit of light I had left. When my mother in law died just before the holidays this past year, my husband and I forced ourselves to keep pushing forward on getting the new site together … because the old site was dying. While I sit here in pain at this very moment, I tried to respond to more hate-filled emails from our audience, and all I can think is, “Do you even care?”

I know there are people out there who do care, that have followed us for years and years and know the work we put into this site, and we are all grateful for your support. But, this really has made me think about why spiritual teachers stop teaching,why/how they just get too burnt out to do this work anymore. Why do people treat others so badly? We provide a free service to hundreds of thousands of people every month. We haven’t asked for payment for this service that is quite costly for us to provide. In fact, we work with advertisers so that our free reading services do not cost our visitors a dime.

We launched our new website on Monday, and the negative feedback we have received since then has been unbelievable … not because people have questions or can’t find something the old site had, but because of what they say and how they say it. Many of the emails I simply deleted because they honestly don’t deserve a response, but I have personally responded to several of them myself since my assistant is on vacation this week.

Here’s the most recent email (and this one is mild) …

1 hr ago
Name: (removed for privacy)
E-Mail: (removed for privacy)
Subject: The new site
Message: Hi there, just wanted to let you know that the new site design is not as user friendly as the old site. It does not have a mobile option for use on smart phones and is difficult to navigate. Also some of the text overlaps in the layout when viewed on mobile.
I’ve been coming to this site for a few years and always visit from my smart phone. It was perfect before, everything loaded easily and the descriptions for the Angel cards were available. With the new site I cannot get the extended descriptors for the cards and the navigation is terrible.
Sorry to share this but it is very disappointing. Don’t fix what’s not broken. Hopefully you can get your web designer to address these issues.
Thank you (name removed for privacy)

As I’ve said, this email was mild – actually much nicer than most of them. This individual was not hateful about her comments, though it’s obvious she misunderstands a lot. (I wish to be very clear here that this particular email I’ve shared would be considered constructive criticism compared to most of the emails we’ve received.)

Let me answer this question for mobile users …

We are aware that the mobile version of the site is not the same as the desktop version. Our old site did not have a mobile version and the new site does. Google basically requires now that websites have mobile versions, or they may in fact remove your site being in their search. So, when people search for Angel Messenger on Google, we simply would not be found. We determined that would not be helpful, so we have tried to follow Google’s rules by creating a mobile version of our new site, which is called a responsive design. Most people have seen this design before as it is being used by more and more companies. It responds to the size of your screen and gives a special “mobile version” of the site to mobile users. If some of the writing overlaps on your mobile device when you have it facing upright, try turning it sideways.

As for the extended descriptions, all you need to do is click on the name of the card. This is exactly the same as it was on the old site. The only thing we changed here was to remove the highlighted text under every card name that said, “To see more details and the extended description on any card, click on the name of the card below the picture (not the picture itself).” After 6+ years of having a highlighted reminder under every single card, I thought it didn’t seem necessary to keep it. I thought it would make the page look cleaner and that people should know how to use it by now – especially since I added those exact directions at the top of every reading page just in case new users didn’t know how it worked.

Highlight directions on readings page

 

A couple people have commented that there is no navigation on the new mobile site, but it really seems that maybe these people simply do not understand how a mobile site works. Toward the top, in the light blue section with our Angel Messenger name, there is a drop down menu (three little lines) just to the right. Click on that menu and you’ll be able to access all the pages on our website. On the old site, the navigation did not work properly on mobile. You could click on the main button, but the drop down didn’t work. With over 80% of our traffic using mobile/tablet devices, we had no choice but to use a responsive design. This also means we make less money with advertising because the mobile version has very few ads as compared to what it had before.

Don’t fix what’s not broken.

I’m sorry, but how would you know if it was broken or not? In fact, the old site was seriously broken, but that’s not something most of our visitors noticed because we were basically performing routine magical juggling acts to keep that seriously broken and outdated site online. This is way more advanced than most internet users can understand, but there’s a lot that goes into creating and maintaining a website like this. It’s sort of like building a house … once upon a time, the house was a perfect new build. As time goes by, more and more people discover the house and want to visit, so you have to expand the size of the house, add more windows, buy more furniture for people to sit on. Eventually, that house is going to look more like a patchwork jigsaw puzzle than the beautiful home it once was.

To add to this, those extra add-ons are made by different companies which don’t always work well together. For example, the e-card software we were using was not working properly with the most updated version of WordPress, so we were getting errors all the time. And, you can’t just not update WordPress either. Most of the time, a WordPress update has something to do with security, and hosting companies do not appreciate it when their users have websites that are vulnerable to cyber attack.

If you don’t think a site like this gets hackers, think again. People try hacking us every day, which is why we have to pay for added security and firewalls. A website with such high traffic is a hacker’s dream. ๐Ÿ™

Criticism is one thing, but hate mail is not welcome here

Before anyone gets upset that I’m actually standing up for myself, let me give you a glimpse of what I’m seeing. Constructive criticism is one thing; that can be helpful. However, hate mail is unnecessary, and frankly it doesn’t belong here. If you literally hate our new website, you’re welcome to your opinion just as much as you’re welcome not to use this site. We are not a public owned company. We try to give our visitors a say in what we do because we enjoy collaborating with like-minded people. However, if you can only be mean, we really don’t want your energy here.

Think about what you say before you say it. People may also say the same about what I’ve written here, but I’ve thought about it, and someone needs to stand up against the nasty comments some people feel it is okay to attack other people with. How can you expect spiritual teachers to continue to do what they do and be treated so callously? How can we be a light in the world when “haters” work so hard to extinguish that light? Do people think we don’t have feelings, that we’re not human?

Some in the spiritual community might not be happy I’ve said this; there is a consensus that some like to pretend they aren’t actually human, but that’s always been part of who I am and what I stand for as a spiritual teacher who is also a human being. None of us deserve the kinds of attacks that are forced upon us – especially as we become more and more well-known. I know for a fact that many people in the public eye get attacked in similar fashion. This isn’t my first rodeo; hate mail is nothing new for me, but I’m really disgusted to get it from people who supposedly visit our site daily. If you visit this website daily, and you think it’s okay to treat people with such unkind aggressiveness, then this website isn’t for you. I mean it’s literally not working for you, and you may want to consider seeking help elsewhere.

If you’re unhappy that I’m calling out these people, I’m sorry but I’m not sorry. I may be a light worker, but I’m also a business owner and a Scorpio. Our well meaning efforts to bring light to the world through a free service does not also give people license to be jerks. I’m simply pushing back against their darkness.

The spiritual teacher in me reminds me of what Jesus went through … people throwing stones while this kind soul was dying. Well, I’m not Jesus, and I would think people would be a little better than that kind of behavior by now. Sometimes people ask me why the saints and angels seem to no longer be here, but can you really blame them? This world can be a really harsh place. If our audience is spiritually minded and they act in such a way, what does that really say about the mindset of our world? Are we really so much different now than those who threw stones at Jesus or burned witches in a “purifying fire”?

Yesterday, as we were trying to leave the house, I couldn’t hold back my tears of frustration. I was supposed to be going out to spend time with my family as it is actually spring break, but I was just heartbroken. I tried my best to let it go, let Heaven handle it. I returned to find more awful messages and even more this morning.ย  I know change can take some getting used to. I can’t even tell you how many times one of the software companies I use changed something that really had be thrown for a loop, confused or frustrated. Paypal seems to change their back-end layout every year at least. WordPress is making updates all the time. It can be frustrating, but as a common sense business owner, I understand there must be a reason for the changes. Companies don’t just make changes to make things for difficult for their users. That doesn’t make any sense at all.

A lot of time, research, money and other resources went into the creation of this new website. If you need help finding something or don’t understand something, feel free to contact us. However, my assistant is off this week, and I’m not reading any more emails for the remainder of the week. I need to recharge before I have no light left.

For those out there reading this who feel my pain and have gone or are going through something similar, hang in there. Even though this is not exactly fun for me, I know it has a purpose. I’m being reminded of who I am and what I need to do. If you’re like me, maybe you’ve spent too long letting other people trample all over you. Maybe it’s time to say enough is enough. We can’t please everyone. We’re not meant to please everyone, either.

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you canโ€™t please all of the people all of the time.”

John Lydgate

If you have questions about our new site, some of them have already been in our frequently asked questions answered here.

95 replies
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  1. Maureen
    Maureen says:

    Yep, amazing people out there!
    Some of whom just can’t see and find any blessings.
    Glad you let it all out.
    And to those who still can’t find the light in any, well…

    Reply
  2. A grateful fan
    A grateful fan says:

    Hi Sheri,

    Thanks so much for this post. I had a similar experince last week with my meet up group. I was so frustrated and hurt, I wanted to throw in the towel. Why is it that all the good gets washed away by the bad?

    People have no idea how much work goes into an event or product. It’s so easy to judge and criticize. I am guilty myself of such stupid and hurtful acts.

    Thank you and everyone else out there who is working towards making life a little better for all of us.

    Blessings

    Reply
    • Rev. Sheri
      Rev. Sheri says:

      Thank you, dear grateful fan. <3 I'm sorry to hear you've had some similar experiences. Unfortunately, there are things where it is just too difficult for others to put themselves in our shoes because they just haven't been there before. Keep your head up, sweetie! Thank you for the work you do. <3

      Reply
  3. Caron Potocnik
    Caron Potocnik says:

    Thank you so much for a wonderful, and very valuable site. I’m sure that many people (including myself) appreciate it, and the work you do very much. An old wise friend taught me an important ancient Chinese proverb : “If you try to make everyone happy, you make yourself unhappy.” At the end of the day, if people are unhappy, that is their responsibility, and their associated life lesson is also to deal with problems in a constructive way – so rather focus on the good you’re doing, value you’re providing, and satisfaction that comes from this – and close the door on the negativity.

    Reply
  4. SUZANNE MCGOWAN
    SUZANNE MCGOWAN says:

    Hi, can I just say I love your site. I think perhaps communication by social media or email can remove – for some – the realisation that there’s actually a person reading it. They wouldn’t say it to your face or on the phone but social media has a kind of coldness to it. Not an excuse cos folk should know better but maybe some explanation of the ‘rudeness’.
    On the other hand, hate mail? No idea how folk can do that. And they maybe need the angels the most then. Let’s just send them loving thoughts – hard, yes – but it helps the recipient as well as the sender.
    Please continue your amazing work and I will ask God to help you.

    Much Love xx

    Reply
    • Rev. Sheri
      Rev. Sheri says:

      Exactly, Suzanne. We actually have not blocked anyone from the site, though I can certainly understand why it has been suggested. ๐Ÿ˜‰ This space is open for those who want to be a part of it. However, I think it’s important we set boundaries for what we are willing to accepts for ourselves and this space. It is amazing how people can become so disconnected that they don’t see how their negativity and behavior can really affect someone else. That’s one unfortunate side effect of the internet and social media, I think, and like you said. But, connecting with beautiful people all over the world can have some amazing positive effects as well. <3 Thank you for your kind comments. I certainly appreciate any help God is willing to send this way. O:)

      Reply
  5. Rev. Sheri
    Rev. Sheri says:

    Wow, thank you all so much for the overwhelming response to this post! You can see all the comments here, but we’ve also received a lot of emails as well as comments in social media that have been just incredibly supportive. We are truly grateful beyond words for your kindness and loving, healing support.

    It is so important to be mindful of how we speak to each other. When we’re commenting or emailing, we should always imagine the person on the receiving end is someone we care about …. because they should be someone we care about … if for no other reason than because they are a human being.

    Many of you commented about how the energy here is so much different, and you come here to find peace and support, and that is our intention with this work. We hope that this particular space on the internet is different from the normal internet arena. To me, it is almost as if it is a living entity (and maybe even close to something of a “holy” place, if that can really be found online). This is a space where we can interact with Heaven – or at least begin to learn to do so. To me, and to many of you it seems, the vibration here is higher. You can feel something here that you may not feel elsewhere online.

    Writing this post and standing up in such a way was extremely out of character for me. However, after much prayer and tears, I really felt guided that spiritual teachers need to be more than love, blessings and fairy dust all the time. We need to be real, and being real for me right then meant speaking out and putting a stop to what was happening.

    When I was reading some of those original emails, my heartbreak was partially due to feeling like I had failed to create this space as I had intended it to be. When you come here – whether you are a visitor, teacher, etc. – I am personally welcoming you into this space, this home online, and I hope that you will find whatever you have been lead here to find. Some of those emails that had me fairly upset were basically the equivalent of someone coming into my home and setting wild monkeys loose. Though I am an animal lover at heart, monkeys are not very good house guests! ๐Ÿ˜‰ If I’m going to teach others the importance of being true to who they are, if my son is to believe me when I tell him not to be afraid to stand up for himself with integrity and authenticity, then I need to do the same.

    The support we have received since this piece was posted has been overwhelming in the best way. I went from reading emails wishing we would lose all hope in our lives to reading stories about how the work we do here has literally changed and in some cases even helped save lives. Let’s remember that this world is what we make it. If we spread hatred, ignorance and cruelty, then our world will become filled with even more darkness, and that’s the opposite of what we need. It’s the opposite of what we should be here to create.

    Thank you from the very depths of my soul to all those who wrote in supportive emails and beautiful comments both on our website, in emails and on social media. I personally felt like I had nothing left to give, but your words and kindness were so very healing. No matter who we are, we should be in the business of building each other up, not tearing each other down. As for Angel Messenger, as long as we’re making a difference, we will try our best to continue on with this work.

    I will try to respond to individual comments as I can.

    Much Love and Angel Blessings,

    Sheri

    Reply
  6. Darla Goldhammer
    Darla Goldhammer says:

    Rev. Sheri, thank you so much for everything. I would love to offer you a cleansing, in fact, the angels are telling me to go ahead with it and it will be delivered to you when you ask for it to start. Ps, I talk to God and he swears too sometimes, He’s pretty unhappy actually. We are working on a video to remedy some of these lower energies. In the meantime, keep your chin up! Don’t hold hands with the shadows and again, I will help protect you from the weight of these negative psychic attacks. YourHigherVibe.com is where I have listed you as a resource for love, light and support. To access my introspection guide, click the Azur image , the password is Self Love. Bless you and your family. Thank you all from the center of my sacred heart! You really made me cry…clearing these energies is what it’s all about and testerone will not get us there.

    Reply
    • Rev. Sheri
      Rev. Sheri says:

      Hi Darla! Thank you for listing Angel Messenger on your site – that is very kind of you! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you so much for your kindness and generous, healing spirit. <3 Bless you!

      Reply
  7. Rev Lisa Rae Brooks
    Rev Lisa Rae Brooks says:

    Rev Sheri, hang in there. Breathe. You are going through it, and it will “come to pass”. The lesson is for you to understand the impact that change has on everyone. Changes in the way suppliers do business which causes a ripple effect on you, all the way to your subscribers. Let not frustration or anger be what permeates your being, for as you know that blocks your angels and guides from helping and comforting you (it’s like poison to them). Breathe Beloved. Continue to praise God and give thanks for all of it, allowing the Love of God, the Peace of God, the Grace of God, the Light of God, the Healing Power of God, the Abundance of God to carry you through this difficult time, and you will find your burdens lightened. With great love in my heart for you and all you do, Rev Lisa Rae

    Reply
  8. Nicole
    Nicole says:

    I am also sorry you have had to go through this and I would like to say you are not alone. I also have felt my light under attack especially recently when I am offering kindness, compassion and more. I feel sick of it too. I have not been understanding it and it has ignited health issues once again. However in reading your post I realise that although different circumstances you have been recieving the same. I really don’t understand it why people have to behave like this to those that are trying to add goodness to this world. Had enough too. I thank you for all your work and am grateful. With much understanding and compassion, only blessings to you both.

    Reply
    • Carla
      Carla says:

      Hi! I just wanted to add that I know exactly what you’re talking about – I too have been under attack from various sources. All of a sudden I have constant anxiety and depression, bordering on despondency, nightmares, and (I’m an RN) many of the people I work with are being so nasty and hateful – to each other and to patients. I’ve had to change jobs 4 times this year because the negativity has been overwhelming to me! I have no idea what to do! I pray for help, clear my energy, protect myself and ground myself daily, if not more – but it’s just not enough. I just want you to know, Rev. Sheri, that you are not alone. I do appreciate knowing that I’m not the only person dealing with this issue. Bless you for all your contributions – I love your website and have been using it for years!

      Reply
      • Rev. Sheri
        Rev. Sheri says:

        Carla, I’m so sorry to hear about what you’re going through. I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals and care facilities over this last year and have seen exactly what you’re talking about. It is concerning that so many people who may very well have once been well meaning and passionate about their work are becoming depressed and really no longer feel fulfilled by that work because of how people are treating each other. It makes me so sad. I wonder .. have you tried working with crystals? I’m thinking they might work well for you because some can be very protective, and they can be small (fit easily in a pocket). Though a nurse’s scrubs may not have pockets now that I think about it. You can still find necklaces and bracelets that could help, though. Hematite and smoky quartz could be helpful. I’ve also started keeping raw black tourmaline next to my computer, and it seems to be helping. Crystals do have to be cleansed, though. They will hold onto energy. White sage smoke is my favorite cleansing method. I hope this helps. Thank you for your comments and kindness. <3

        Reply
    • Rev. Sheri
      Rev. Sheri says:

      Thank you, Nicole. It’s always great to connect with others who understand the struggle, though I’m sorry you’re having to deal with the same kinds of things. It can certainly take a toll on your health, something I know all too well unfortunately. I have to remind myself to stop and take a step back. When so many people rely on you for your kindness, compassion and generosity, it can be easy to cross the line into doing too much. I have seriously started to ask myself whether or not something really needs to be done “by me”. Maybe with a little advice, the person who needs the help can be empowered to help themselves. Or, sometimes the things I think really need to be done actually don’t really “need” to be done. Maybe asking those questions will help you, too. Wishing you peace and so many blessings. <3

      Reply
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