To a Happier Life!

The clock strikes the midnight hour and we cheer, "Happy New Years!" with raised glasses and hearts filled with hope for a better year, a better life, a better us. We laugh as confetti floats down in a glittered rain. Then we hold our friends and loved ones tight pledging to be mindful of what it is that really makes life important. We pledge to be happy, making resolution we hope will lead to a life of change. "Happy New Year!" we call as we depart, returning to homes with deadlines and ridged schedules, only to wake the next morning to the same routine and wonder why our resolutions are so hard to keep.

Yes, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and let days, weeks and even months slip by. We are distracted by the fast and furious world of penciled in schedules, the lists of errands to run, the appointments to catch, each of us locked in routines that keep us from fostering a fulfilling existence. So stop. Don't allow life to rule you, instead shake off your blasé attitude and reclaim your life.
The night before, we were so hopeful as we call out, "This year I will lose ten pounds!" or "I resolve to start an exercise program!" Why then do our pledges look so daunting in the cold morning light? Often it's because we strive for things that are too extreme. So make it simple.

Let's begin with diet. Now when I say the word diet, I don't mean counting calories. The diet I am referring to is the act of looking at what you eat and substituting good choices for the not-so-good ones. So next time you are thinking about a breakfast of French toast dripping with butter and syrup, rethink your choice and substitute it with a hot bowl of oats topped with fresh fruit and low fat milk. Instead of fast food for lunch, have a salad. The small changes you make in your food intake will not only improve your nourishment, it will improve your mood and make you feel much better.

Oh, And when you are reaching for those fresh fruits and veggies, why not go one step further and pay a little more for the organic choices? A study published by Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific, Nov 2009 states that Roundup, or Glyphosate-based herbicides, deplete Serotonin and Dopamine levels. Let's face it we are all slaves to our internal workings. Our feelings, emotions, the ability to focus, even our compulsive thought processes and behaviors are all products of our brain chemistry. When certain chemicals in the brain become unbalanced, it can cause a variety of negative conditions and two of these culprits are serotonin and dopamine.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter involved in the brain's regulation of emotion and movement. In the April 2007 American Journal of Psychiatry article, Can’t Get Enough of That Dopamine, Bruce Cohen MD, PhD and William Carlezon PhD state, "through their many connections, dopamine neurons participate in the modulation of expectation, reward, memory, activity, attention, drives, and mood - the very substrates of psychiatric illness." So what does it mean when our dopamine levels are depleted? Low levels of dopamine cause us to face life with indifference and life becomes flat and boring. A diet that includes almonds, avocados, bananas, dairy products, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds is a natural way to boost dopamine levels. Eating fruits and vegetables and other foods that are rich in antioxidants, also protect dopamine-using neurons from free radical damage. So change your diet and make the organic choice!

Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that affects sleep cycles, moods and memory. Low levels of serotonin are linked to aggression, anxiety and depression. A study in the Neuroscience Journal from 2007 found that exposure to the bacteria found in dirt boosts Serotonin levels in the brain. Many gardeners already know that running their naked finger through the soil not only makes their spirits soar but grounds them in the shifting of the seasons. So get outside, plant a garden. Take walk through the park. Yes, even the simple act of walking can cheer you up. Dr. Michael C. Miller, member of the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center says, "a modest exercise program - even just taking regular walks - can improve your mood significantly." And it doesn't take much. A study published in the December 2005 issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise reported that people with major depressive disorders who walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes experienced positive feelings of well-being and vigor.

It really is simple. Eat better and get some exercise. Both will improve your mood and your health and make your New Year's resolutions easier to keep. Oh, and while you're at it, why not spend some time doing something that makes you happy? Watch the child stomping through the puddles. Face lit with wonder as laughter accompanies each squish of her boots. What makes you happy and why aren't you doing it? Are you a writer, a gardener, a quilter or a cook? Embrace your passion and allow the act of creation to transform your life from dull to inspired. Today, steal some time for yourself and do what you love! Not only is it good for your mood it is also good for your health.

Can't remember what it is that you like to do? Then try something new. Do that thing you've always dreamed of doing. Dr. Gene D. Cohen M.D., Ph.D. co-founded the Creativity Discovery Corps, states that, "as the brain masters new, mentally challenging skills, it actually boosts the immune system by spurring the production of T-cells, which ward off bacterial infections, as well as NK (or “natural killer”) cells, which attack cancer cells.” Delving into an artistic endeavor not only benefits your health and mood, it is also a salve for your spirit. The act of creation connects us to our Divine spark, the god within us, the inner voice that is our direct link to the vast well that is: knowledge, wisdom, love and inner peace. By engaging in the creative process, we shift from a passive existence to an active one providing a true experience that allows satisfaction at the completion of something created, something formed, a goal attained. It is in this completion we find fulfillment. So take control of your day. Next time you have a free hour, instead collapsing before a glowing screen, seize the time to have some fun. Love yourself and your life. Make the most of your time here. No one can do it for you. Only you can choose to live.

Your Life is What You Make it!

Your Life is Waiting

Control of the mind is said to be the highest Yoga.

It is like control of an unruly horse which must be made to obey its rider.

-Bhagavata Purana, XI.20

 And a new year begins…New years is known for resolutions. Most of us resolve to lose weight or to begin an exercise plan and get in shape. We plan to end annoying habits and make ourselves better. While these goals are admirable, why not resolve to be happy? You can. Just decide that you are going to be. When you take control of your mind, you take control of your life. Start by changing the way you see yourself and your world.

My magical friend Anna once told me, the best attraction spell is to simply decide that you are attractive and radiate love. I tried it. (Of course I took a shower, did my hair, dressed up and dabbed some essential oil of rose on some key places) but I believed I was desirable and you know what, she was right. No one can resist you when you simple ARE. So how do you BECOME? That's easy you just decide TO BE. Sound odd? Not really, in fact modern psychology accepts and even treats the harm done by negative thinking. So why is society so cynical when it comes to the benefits of positive thinking? And it is so easy. Just let go of your fear and worry and put your energy toward a positive outlook. Imagine yourself in positive situations with people acting positively towards you. It is a self fulfilling prophecy. Through conscious awareness of our thoughts we are able to focus our experiences in the desired directions and create a positive, vibrant, radiant self/ life/ existence. Through positive thought and creative imagery we can change our reality.

So first resolution – Be happy. Simply be and then make the small changes you need to make to become this new amazing person that you have been all along. It is the small changes we make today that fosters big changes later on. Look in the mirror and decide what is important to you. Write your goals for this year down and post them where you can see them every day.

Next, take time to meditate. Through the practice of meditation we can renew our spirit. Our bodies are so much more than meets the eye. Of course we are flesh, blood and bone but we are also Spirit and within our body lies and an amazing network of energy centers or chakras. This energy system ensures that our organs, cells, and tissues stay strong and healthy. When there is a block in an energy pathway, the organ system that the pathway corresponds with will also become blocked. Through meditation we can heal and balance our own bodies by drawing energy to the energy center or chakra point that is not functioning to its fullest potential and healing it.

How do you begin? You can start by quieting your mind and simply listening. Listen to your breath. Follow the air as it travels in and out of your body. Close your eyes and focus on your breath as it enters your nose and fills your lungs. Gently exhale, and as you exhale, allow any tension you might feel to leave with your breath as your mind remains still, fixed on the moment. Continue breathing with a series of even inhalations and exhalations until you are calm and relaxed.

Notice how it feels as you breathe in and out. If thoughts or worries intrude, notice them and then bring your mind back to your breath. You can also focus on different parts of your body: on the beating of your heart, on the rise and fall of your chest, you can even practice a walking meditation.

And lastly, allow yourself to be happy. There is no reason for stress to get you down. Smile. The simple act of smiling is proven to lower your stress level and a smile makes you more attractive. So smile and be grateful for all you have and the potential for all you have to be because it’s a fact that cultivating gratitude is a simple way to a greater sense of emotional well-being.

The benefits of letting your heart swell with gratitude are many. When you are thankful, your troubles fade and your blessings will seem to multiply. Your positive attitude will draw additional positive things into your life. You will succeed and accomplish more of the tasks you take on. The people you encounter will be drawn to you and will respond to you with positive reactions. Your relationships will be strengthened all because you have decided to adopted an attitude of gratitude.

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and let days, weeks and even months slip by. As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”. So be happy in this moment. Be grateful for your blessing and smile. Within each of us lies the spark of the Divine and as this New Year dawns, quietly consider the cycle of life. Meditate on the wheel of the year and the journey of the Sun. As the days lengthen and grow light, focus on renewing your light, the spirit of your being, as the sun itself renews. Consider the year behind and put it to rest. Now look to the year ahead and let your heart swell with hope. Only you can make your life better. You can make your life into the life you desire. Indeed You have the power to change the world!

The Power of Scent

Of all the senses, the sense of smell is often the sense considered least important. Yet a scent has the power to set the mind reeling. Scent not only has the power to affect mood and invoke memories, a scent can shape your entire sense of well-being. Scent can even affect the way others respond to you.

Fragrances have been casting their spells for thousands of years. As early as 7000 BC, man used fragrant ointments from oils and plants. The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Chinese all used essential oils not only for bathing and perfume, but for healing as well.

The olfactory nerves are connected directly with your brain, where scent impulses create instant memories and reaction. A single scent has the power to trigger feelings of peace, energy and even a good night's sleep.

Many scents are associated with memories and summon certain emotional responses. We react to specific aromas with specific response. We are comforted by the savory scent of baking bread. We feel festive when breathing in the scent of apple-cinnamon pie. The invigorating scent of lemon, lime or tangerine works to lighten our mood and lift our spirit. While the scents of rose and vanilla evoke memories of romance.

The complicated world of scent is all around us casting its spell. One way to harness this power is through the use of Essential oils. Essential oils are oils made from the leaves and flowers of plants. You can buy bath products or home fragrances containing the oils, or you can purchase the oils on their own. Every oil has its own, unique healing property. Once you know the benefits of each essential oil, you can use them to their full advantage.

The power of scent is not hard to incorporate into your every day life.
For example: Essential lavender oil has been traditionally used in France as a topical application to heal minor burns and reduce scarring. It is also used to counteract insomnia, anxiety, rheumatism, headaches, pains and as a regenerative and anti-aging treatment. When you are feeling frazzled and need a mood lift, try adding several drops of essential lavender oil to a hot bath. Not only will this relax your mind, studies show that lavender oil helps reduce joint and muscle pain.

Even if you're too busy to think of scent as a daily necessity, there are effortless ways to incorporate their powers into your daily routine. The simplest one is ending your day with a fragrant soak.

You can add a couple of drops of essential oil to your bathwater or make up a batch of bath salts. Salt not only draws impurities out from your body, it works to heal and deodorize it too. These make-ahead recipes can last up to six month. For best results, use a wide-mouth quart-size jar and store in a cool place.

Basic Bath Salts
1/4 cup Epsom salts
1/8 cup baking soda
1/8 cup sea salt
10 drops essential oil
Measure salts into a jar. Secure lid and shake until thoroughly blended. Add five drops of essential oil that suit your magickal need and blend well, then add five more drops and blend again.

Psychic Bath
(to help you connect to the Divine)
20 drops almond extract
10 drops rose oil
5 drops lavender oil
5 drops lemon oil
5 drops cinnamon oil
Add to basic recipe.

Enchanted Dreams
Use this relaxing bath to recall your dreams.
Add: 10 drops jasmine oil
5 drops lavender oil
5 drops orange oil
add to basic salt recipe. Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/2 cup per bath.

Buttermilk Bath Salts
Soothing and very moisturizing
1 cup buttermilk powder
1 cup sea salt
Add up to 24 drops of essential oils. Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/2 cup per bath.

Holiday Cookie Bath Salts
Add: 4 drops vanilla
10 drops essential oil of bergamot
5 drops essential oil of ylang ylang
2 drops essential oil of cardamom
1 drop essential oil of chamomile
To 3 cups basic salt recipe. This recipe makes 6, 1/2 cup baths.

Super Simple Cleanser
1/2 cup of sea salt with three drops of lavender oil
Add to running water for a relaxing bath.
Substitute the lavender oil with tangerine when you want to be revived.

A Walk in the Woods
( A woodsy scent that invokes feelings of comfort and contentment)

1 cup of Epsom salts
1 cup of Sea Salt
2 tablespoons of baking soda
essential oils:
5 drops of rosewood
2 drops cedarwood
2 drops chamomile
Add to basic salt recipe. Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/4 cup per bath.

Balancing Bath Salts
1/4 sea salt
3 tbsp baking soda
3 drops each geranium, lavender, palmarosa, and rose.
Add to basic salt recipe. Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/2 cup per bath.

Soothing Fizzing Bath Salts
3 tbsp sea salt
3 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp citric acid
8 drops of the essential oil of your choice.

Attraction Bath
3 drops palmarosa
2 drops lavender
1 drop rose
add to basic salt recipe. Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/2 cup per bath.

Healing Bath
3 drops niaouli
2 drops eucalyptus
1 drop Ssandalwood
Add to basic salt recipe. Blend well, keep in a sealed jar. Use 1/2 cup per bath.

Unhexing Bath
Use when you think someone has hexed you
1 cup Epsom salts

1 cup sea salt
Add equal parts: clove oil
peppermint oil
lemon oil
eucalyptus oil

add 1/4 cup salt mixture to each bath. Store in a tightly sealed jar.

Even the most common culinary herb has a magical property. Parsley is used for fertility and thyme for clairvoyance. Check out our Herb page for more information on how herbs are commonly used in magic and home remedies.

Importance of Recognizing and Celebrating the Holidays

November is a month rich in beautiful ritual. Yet it seems that the commercializing of the holiday season has spawned a generation of curmudgeons that often choose to stay home, opt out of social interactions and avoid family gatherings. We've assimilated into the fast-paced, plugged in society that celebrates independents. Is it any wonder our society is losing its relationship with ritual?

Today's youth clamor that our society has no culture yet it is their non-participation in family traditions that is causing this culture riff. A major portion of childhood memories are based around our individual holiday experiences. Participation in holiday celebrations helps us feel connected to our place in society. Through ritual we connect to generations, past and future.

Barbara Fiese writes in the Journal of Family that families that celebrate holidays are more likely to raise kids who have a strong sense of identity, are healthy, have close ties to family members and succeed in school. Dr. Steven J. Wolin, a clinical professor of psychiatry at George Washington University Medical School, cites that the power of ritual comes from heritage, tradition and most of all something being emblazoned in your brain over time. And that family rituals protect the individual against a sense of loneliness and uncertainty in daily living as it transmits shared beliefs of the family group across generations.

Carl Jung wrote, "Without meaningful ritual, people suffer. Ritual and ceremony can bridge our past and our present elegantly, making it possible for folks like you and me to travel through life, honoring the good and bad times we’ve been through. They can help us become human “well-beings,” ready to take on more life and liberty and ready to pursue our happiness.”

Recognizing and celebrating holidays and interacting with your family, friends and community are all ways to acknowledge seasonal changes. By celebrating these ancient rituals we attune with the magical tides and acknowledge the rhythms of life, death and rebirth, to harmonize with the world and to recognize that we are a part of it.

Dr. William Dorherty, director of the marriage and family therapy program at the University of Minnesota, has identified two kinds of rituals in our society. The first is the traditional secular and religious rituals surrounding holidays, weddings or funerals; the second involve ritual a family or individual has created to celebrate their life. As children our lives were sprinkled with these small, magical rituals from nightly prayers to singing skipping songs, blowing dandelions to blowing out birthday candles. As adults practicing daily ritual allows us to experience a more magical life. Through ritual we can reprogram the unconscious mind so we have a different set of expectations about how the world will respond to us. Through ritual we can find our way to the places in our lives that exist in between the tick-tock of everyday living and the luscious places of dreaming, the magical places that connect us to the Divine.

There are many simple ways to incorporate ritual into your life: practicing meditation, keeping an alter, lighting a morning candle, whispering a prayer, silently focusing only on your breathing as you visualize what you want to accomplish during the day… all of these are examples of simple morning rituals and all of these work to pull your awareness from the mundane and shift it to the sacred. Through daily rituals we are able to recalibrate our energy and connect with the Divine.

Ritual doesn't have to stop at home. Look at your workspace. What does it hold to remind you that you are a human being, not a robitron but a person, a human being living a tender, ecstatic, gorgeous life? I have a peacock feather and a bright red rock shaped like a heart and before I start my workday, I put the rock in my palm and whisper Namaste. This is called ritual. It is a small ritual but never the less it serves to remind me that I not a robot, and that I am so much more than just flesh and blood, but that I am also spirit as are all those I work with.

Taking a few moments everyday to engage in ritual allows you to become the spiritual being you really are and creating a personal ritual is easy. The important thing is to take something that is significant to you and to honor it. The gesture could include lighting a candle, practicing a daily meditation, honoring a specific place either inside or out, burning incense, or incorporate icons obtained in faraway places. Nothing is, unless you make it so with intention.

So make your life sacred. Take time out to see your world. Don't let the hurry and worry of life take the magic out of your existence. We as a nation have forgotten the art of conscious living. Unplug and take a conscious breath. This is your life you are missing. Put down that cell phone when you are out on your walk. Be present in the here and now, and stop multitasking! If you are eating, then push away that paper, book, phone and take a conscious bite. Be present and enjoy the flavor and texture of your food. Allow yourself to revel in the rich taste, to savor the decadent scent. Give your spouse your full attention during your conversations and be there in that moment when you send your child off for school or play. When we shift our awareness back to the things that matter, it honors and allows them to regain their importance in our lives and makes a way for the magical moments to exist, the moments that make life worth living.

Experience the Magic of the Season

October is surely one of the most enchanting months of the year. Energy crackles in the air. The air turns crisps and blustery. Leaves fall from the trees to twirl at our feet before whirling off down the street. Nights grow cold. Morning meet us with a chilly nip. This is the time for celebration, a time of gratitude for life's abundance as we go from a season of plenty into a season of want.

So turn off that television, step away from your computer, put down your cell. Unplug yourself and step outside. Look at the beauty right outside your window. Most of humanity has experienced their most moving spiritual experience in nature. How inspiring is a thunderstorm or the sight of a brilliant sunset? What emotions were elicited last time you caught the scent of an unexpected rainstorm or stood ankle deep in lapping ocean as the tide rose of fell? Did you feel the first cold nip in the morning as the seasons changed? Stepping out into natural world is a way of connecting with the Divine. The act of becoming aware of the glory of the natural world, of reconnecting with nature allows us to move within the slower, more harmonious rhythms of life. And It allows us to escape our hectic schedules and experience the magic: in the beauty of the setting sun, in the glory of the full moon, in the wonder of a hummingbird sipping nectar from a blossom.

Seasonal awareness, awareness of the solstices and equinoxes and reflecting seasonal changes in our own person practices, allows us to attune our own personal energy to the energy of the natural world. Eating seasonal, recognizing and celebrating holidays and interacting with your family, friends and community are all ways to acknowledge seasonal changes. By celebrating these ancient rituals we attune with the magical tides and acknowledge the rhythms of life, death and rebirth, to harmonize with the world and to recognize that we are a part of it. As children our lives were sprinkled with small, magical rituals from nightly prayers to singing skipping songs, blowing dandelions to blowing out birthday candles. As adults practicing daily ritual allows us to experience a more magical life. Through ritual we can reprogram the unconscious mind so we have a different set of expectations about how the world will respond to us. Through ritual we can find our way to the places in our lives that exist in between the tick-tock of everyday living and the luscious places of dreaming, the magical places that connect us to the Divine.

There are many simple ways to incorporate ritual into your life: practicing meditation, keeping an alter, lighting a morning candle, whispering a prayer, silently focusing only on your breathing as you visualize what you want to accomplish during the day… all of these are examples of simple morning rituals and all of these work to pull your awareness from the mundane and shift it to the sacred. Through daily rituals we are able to recalibrate our energy and connect with the Divine.

Ritual doesn't have to stop at home. Look at your workspace. What does it hold to remind you that you are a human being, not a robitron but a person, a human being living a tender, ecstatic, gorgeous life? I have a peacock feather and a bright red rock shaped like a heart and before I start my workday, I put the rock in my palm and whisper Nameste.. This is called ritual. It is a small ritual but never the less it serves to remind me that I not a robot, and that I am so much more than just flesh and blood, but that I am also spirit as are all those I work with.

Taking a few moments everyday to engage in ritual allows you to become the spiritual being you really are and creating a personal ritual is easy. The important thing is to take something that is significant to you and to honor it. The gesture could include lighting a candle, practicing a daily meditation, honoring a specific place either inside or out, burning incense, or incorporate icons obtained in faraway places. Nothing is, unless you make it so with intention.

So make your life sacred. Take time out to see your world. Don't let the hurry and worry of life take the magic out of your existence. We as a nation have forgotten the art of conscious living. Unplug and take a conscious breath. This is your life you are missing. Put down that cell phone when you are out on your walk. Be present in the here and now, and stop multitasking! If you are eating, then push away that paper, book, phone and take a conscious bite. Be present and enjoy the flavor and texture of your food. Allow yourself to revel in the rich taste, to savor the decadent scent. Give your spouse your full attention during your conversations and be there in that moment when you send your child off for school or play. When we shift our awareness back to the things that matter, it honors and allows them to regain their importance in our lives and makes a way for the magical moments to exist, the moments that make life worth living.

Meditation for the day:

I just spent a year living in Portland, Oregon, isolated from my friends, daughter and husband. An entire year, working an exhausting, depreciating job I hate. I kept asking, "What am I doing here?"  I had spent all my savings to move my kids, pets and vast accumulation of possessions up here. I seemed stuck.

I knew I was waiting to learn a lesson and finally I learned two.

First: Lose the ego.

Why do you scorn others?
Can it be that you are that proud?
No matter how accomplished you are,
There are people ahead of you and behind you.
All beings on the path,
All victims of the same existence,
All with body, mind and spirit
No one is better than the next person.
Help others for all the times that you have been ignored.

Be kind to others, for all the times that you have been scorned.
The journey of humanity is the journey form ignorance to enlightenment.
There is injustice in the world, yes. but there is no need to add to it. When you see someone less fortunate, express compassion. When you see someone more advanced, try to learn from them. Any other feelings are superfluous.

 From Deng Ming-Dao
365 Tao

Second: Lose the junk.
Shifting importance and priorities from material possessions to relationships, I decided not to worry about my things but to instead "lose all the junk" and as soon as I adopted this approach, the door opened. Next month I am leaving Portland and moving to LA. I get take my dogs and all the stuff I can cram into one small car... I'm very excited.

My March Om

March is a Time for Renewal

 "Life on Earth has been a history
of interaction between living
things and their surroundings."
-Rachel Carson

 When early man settled an area that allowed plant life to flourish, agricultural societies prospered allowing for the pursuit of higher ideas. In areas where grain could thrive, civilizations grew, cultivating religion with man's evolving ability to sense the changing seasons and note the motions of the celestial bodies.

To the ancients, bountiful grain fields were a sign of health and harmony. A Sumerian tablet from 260 B.C. lists the crops as rice, soy, wheat, barley and millet and from the cultivation of these five sacred grains, a rich culture was established as deities of local power sprang up with symbols central to the agricultural cycles.

The agriculture year falls into four quarters based on the movements of the sun at the solstices and equinoxes. The ancients marked these days heralding the seasons beginning with feast days naming them: Imbolc or Candlemas, the return of light in the longer days and lactating ewes. Beltane or May Day, coinciding with the sprouting of the first crops and the birth of farm animals. Lammas the first fruits festival and Samhain or Summers end the final harvest of the crops before the time of cold and want. Under the growing pressures of the Catholic Church, the old feast days became Ember Days; or days for fasting and self-denial but paganism persisted until many of the old gods were canonized into Saints and the pagan symbols and rituals over-laid the new celebrations especially apparent in Christmas, Easter and Halloween.

Easter or Ostara is a celebration of the arrival of spring or Vernal Equinox on March 21. This is the time when light and darkness are in balance, yet the light is growing stronger by the day. This is a time of renewal. A time to celebrate fertility as life re-awakens. Also known as Oestara or Eostre's Day, Rite of Eostre, Alban Eilir, Festival of the Trees and Lady Day, this ancient holiday precedes the Christian holiday Easter. The name for this Sabbat actually comes from that of the Teutonic lunar Goddess, Eostre and her chief symbols are the bunny and the egg.

This is a time of renewal, a time when life reawakens and all is new. This month is the perfect time for you to become an all new, better and improved, you. Look in the mirror and decide what is important to you. Write your goals for this year down and post it where you can see it every day. Take time to sort out what is important to you and put your energy toward its realization.

 It is the small changes we make today that fosters big changes later on. A healthy lifestyle which includes moderation in all things: eating right, daily exercise and a normal sleeping pattern is key to balanced energy. One trick to healthy living is making small changes. Make wise choices (skip the chips choose raw fruit or vegetables) Eating healthy snacks will make you feel awake and alive. Free yourself from a bad diet in simple steps: add fruit to your cereal, have an extra glass of water instead of soda, limit your alcohol and caffeine consumption. It is possible to ease into a healthier lifestyle just by making conscious choices.

The practice of yoga and daily meditation are also wonderful vehicles to a healthier life. Our bodies are so much more than meets the eye. Of course we are flesh, blood and bone but we are also Spirit and within our body lies and an amazing network of energy centers or chakras.

This energy system ensures that our organs, cells, and tissues stay strong and healthy. When there is a block in an energy pathway, the organ system that the pathway corresponds with will also become blocked. Through meditation we can move energy through the body and heal it. Not only can we eliminate stress but we can heal and balance our own bodies by drawing energy to the energy center or chakra point that is not functioning to its fullest potential.

The practice of meditation is a large part of psychic development and spiritual work. Meditation is the practice of focusing and quieting your mind to achieve a heightened awareness of your inner spirit and release your inner wisdom whereby you are attempting to merge the desires of the subconscious mind with the desires of the conscious mind in order to work toward a common goal.

When you shift your attention to each breath slowly and deeply drawn and released, you shift your mind into a quiet mode, releasing your mind clutter and silencing the “monkey mind" that constantly tries to invade our thoughts and emotions. The result of this shift is peace, serenity, calmness and inspiration. Through Meditation we are able to recalibrate our energy and connect with the divine. Your world is what you make it. Take time to make a conscious change. You have the power to create the happy, peaceful, fulfilling (you choose the adjective) life you always wanted. It is in your power to simply choose to worry and let life drag you down or let go of the distraction, switch you attention to the wonder of the here and now and live the harmonious life you were intended to live.

Only you can make your life better. You can make your life into the life you desire. Indeed You have the power to change the world.

I choose easy world.

The universe speaks to me through signs, omens and synchronicities that I welcome and look for but sometimes miss as I ramble by. Three times this week a reference made its way to me.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.                   -Philippians 4:8"

But it wasn't until the fourth encounter that I sat up and took notice. I mean how often is it that an obscure passage in a letter written by a guy who's been dead over a thousand years stands up to make its self known? Ok so the first encounter was in church, but in the lunchroom at work? Really? And I know, why did it take four times? And was it really only 4 times or have my guides been blindsiding me with this a dozen times more before I noticed? I really need to sharpen my communication skills with all that is Spirit. 

Was this an admonishment warning me that if I didn't move my mind back to easy world* (my alternate reality where life has no worries) my path was going to become more difficult? Or was this an attempt to move me along and facilitate my climb to the next level? Considering where my mind has been these past few days, I suspect it is the latter. The universe is like that offering brief exchanges that often seem vague and obscure yet it offers boundless, positive, creative energy to us. Just ask and it will be given, however I caution you, be absolutely sure your really want what it is you are asking for. 

You are the creator of your own reality. Sure there are many external influences that we have no control over but there is no reason to stew over them.  Nothing was ever solved by worrying about it. Instead worry about nothing. Beginning today I resolve to meditate on the good aspects of my life, to lift my vibration as I shift my reality to spirit and dwell in easy world. I have purified my body. I eat healthy and (groan) even gave up coffee in my quest to find peace and exist in harmony with the flow Of All that Is. Have I been under attack these past days? Have I cause harm to others? This week I am going to make a conscious effort to live in spirit and keep the darkness that is this world at bay. 

* Choosing Easy World by Julia Rogers Hamrick a spiritual guide for the suburbanite.

February marks the return of light and life to the world.

I always longed to live in a place marked by the season, a place where life was slower and nature was outside the front door. I got my wish last year and found that the reality of winter is harsh, dark and depressing. The sun was winking out mid-afternoon and the rain seemed to never stop. The Solstice came and went and with it the hours of light grew. By February hints of spring's approach were emerging in the buds on bushes and sprouting bulbs.

For the ancients, February marked the return of light and life to the world. With food supplies running low, the birth of the first lambs brought a reprieve from hunger providing milk and fresh meat. Our ancestors celebrated February as a time of renewal, a time to honor the returning light, as the cold and darkness of winter withdrew. The birthing of lambs and the lengthening days fostered the early fertility festivals that became our modern Valentine's Day.

Indeed February is time of romance, a time to be kind to your loved ones, a time to be kind to yourself. Make this month a time of renewal as you turn away from habits that are holding you back and foster habits to heal your body, mind and spirit. This is the time to take your life back.

Simple Steps to a New You

Honestly look at your life and look at yourself. In your heart you know what is keeping you from being a better person. Take an honest look and decide what habit is keeping you from your goal. The first step to changing your life is to identify what it is that you want to change and have a desire to do the work to change it. Through awareness and ambition you can turn your energy to becoming the person you want to be.

Let’s begin with your body:
Your body is a machine. To improve this machine, you must control the input and output by refining your diet and getting exercise. This doesn't mean stop eating and join a gym. Start small, don't make it hard. Take out one unproductive thing and add one positive thing and by the end of the month you will be a new you. Substitute water for soda. Trade an hour walk, for an hour of watching TV. Eliminate fast food and processed snacks. Instead eat fresh fruits and lots of green leafy vegetables and by changing the small things, you will change your lifestyle. Remember a small step today will result in big changes in your future.

Your mind:
Change is a process. Today take the first step to a better you. Take an honest look at your attitude. Begin by counting your blessings. Look at your life and decide to become mindful. Be being aware, you will be able to make conscious choices and change the way you respond to people. By being aware of your reaction to others, and responding mindfully with positive words, you will avoid habitual traps. When someone rubs you wrong, don't become angry, don't hold grudges. Instead of becoming resentful and wasting all your energy, learn to forgive. When you harbor animosity against a person or group of people, you become stuck in a nonproductive cycle of anger. Learning to forgive fosters positive emotions and lends to a healthy lifestyle. The simple act of changing your attitude gives you the ability to avoid the counterproductive emotions of anxiety and depression and instead find happiness.

By choosing to react with a positive or peaceful response, we choose to be happy. Happiness is at your fingertips. Through conscious choices you will reap huge rewards. When reacting to those around choose to smile more. Praise yourself and others. Dream of success. Be enthusiastic. The shift of your energy to these positive responses will allow you to be happy, joyous, healthy and successful.

Your spirit:
The best medicine to heal the spirit is meditation. Meditation is the practice of focusing and quieting your mind to achieve a heightened awareness of your inner spirit. When you shift your attention to each breath slowly and deeply drawn and released, you shift your mind into a quiet mode, releasing your mind clutter. The result of this shift is calmness and inspiration.

Incorporating a morning meditation into your daily routine will allow you to fill a well of peace at your center. It will give your strength and fortitude to be able to stick with and accomplish the goals you’ve set. The practice of meditation will allow you to improve mental functioning and attain greater intuition as you are granted access to unconscious resources and abilities.

This month be kind to yourself. Take time for yourself. Incorporate into your schedule activities you've wished to do. If you've been meaning to take a yoga class, now is the time. Don't make excuses, don't put it off. If you've been toying with the idea of learning a new skill or working on a hobby, now is the time. Don't let life pass you by. Your life belongs to you. You have the power to make it the life you want to live. It is up to you and you alone to become the person you want to be.

Two Uplifitng Stories

http://www.thegrotto.org/index.php/liturgies/st-peregrine-devotions-the-cancer-saint/

St. Peregrine, The Cancer Saint

St. Peregrine

Patron saint of victims of cancer, AIDS,
and other life-threatening diseases.

St. Peregrine Mass is celebrated at The Grotto on the first Saturday of each month at 12 Noon in the Chapel of Mary.

The Story of St. Peregrine
Peregrine labored for years as a brother in the Order of the Servants of Mary (Servites). At age 60 he was diagnosed with cancer of the leg brought on by many years of disciplined prayer while standing, resulting in varicose veins which became ulcerous. On the night before the scheduled amputation of his leg, Peregrine dragged himself to the foot of the cross in the community chapter room and fell into a deep trance-like sleep. Upon waking, he discovered that his leg was completely cured.

Because of the miracle wrought by prayer, the Church canonized him in 1726. He is the patron of those battling cancer and other diseases, including AIDS. His Feast Day is May 4. Here he is depicted in mosaic tiles set in natural stone. In his honor, at The Grotto we have a St. Peregrine ministry for those who suffer from cancer, AIDS, or any life-threatening illness.

The lesson of Peregrine’s life is not only that God worked a miracle, but that a faithful, trustful servant placed himself, unconditionally, in the hands of our Lord. Peregrine’s trust in God can be a model for us in dealing with the pain, sickness and crosses of our lives.

and

http://wicca.com/celtic/wicca/christian.htm

A Christian Speaks of Wicca and Witchcraft
by James Clement Taylor

---

I am a Christian and not a Wiccan. A Christian is one who has been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and who has made a personal, free-will decision to commit himself and all his or her life to our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Both of these things are true of me. I am a member of St. Mary's Eastern Orthodox Church, Calhan, Colorado. In this paper, I am not speaking as agent for any church, but I am, entirely on my own responsibility, speaking the truth in love, as we Christians are supposed to do.

A Situation of Strife and Shame:

There are many Christians today who believe that anyone who is not a Christian is doomed to an eternity of suffering in hell. Any decent person, believing this, would be compelled to try to save as many people from this fate as possible. But is this belief correct? Jesus Christ, having noted the faith and righteousness of a Roman centurion, a Pagan, proclaimed:

"Assuredly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 8:10-12)

If we accept these words as true, and surely we should, then it is clear that heaven will contain many who are not Christians, and hell will contain many who are! Clearly, throughout the Gospels, Jesus Christ sets forth the criteria for entrance into the kingdom of heaven, and those criteria include love, kindness, forgiveness, and a refusal to judge others:

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15)

"For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Matthew 7:2)

"But go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'" (Matthew 9:13)

"Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:36-38)

Is it not clear? Anyone who fails in these things, will calling himself a Christian save him? Anyone who obeys God in these things, will being unbaptized condemn him? Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Yet it is not by good works that we earn our way into heaven, because there is no way we can earn the free gift of God's mercy and grace, which alone can save us. But it is clear that it is not by faith, in the sense of sharing the Christian faith, that we are saved, either. The faith which saves us is not faith in the goodness of our works, nor faith that we have the right theology and/or belong to the right church. Rather, it is faith in God, and in His mercy:

"So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy." (Romans 9:16)

But the Wiccans, you will say, do not have faith in God. Yet by their own theology, they certainly do. Those who call them Satan-worshippers are entirely wrong. They do not worship Satan, or even believe that Satan exists. Instead, they worship a Goddess and a God whom they understand as manifestations of a higher and unknown Deity.

Now if you are a Christian, this will sound familiar to you, and it should. In the Bible we find the following:

"Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, `Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, The One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you" (Acts 17:22-23)

The Wiccans worship the Unknown God, as manifested to them in the form of a Goddess and a God. Therefore, our Bible tells us they worship the same God we do; and if they do not know this, we should know it!

For those of us who are unable to simply stand on God's Word, and must prove to themselves the truth of what it proclaims the holy Apostle John has given us the method for doing this. You have only to attend any public Wiccan ceremony, and test the spirits which are there, to see "whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1). You will find that, while the power manifested there may be less than what you have experienced as a Christian, that power is clearly the power of God.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, these people of Wicca have been terribly slandered by us. They have lost jobs, and homes, and places of business because we have assured others that they worship Satan, which they do not. We have persecuted them, and God will hold us accountable for this, you may be sure, for He has said, "Assuredly I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40)

Let us, from this point onward, repent of our misdeeds and declare that henceforth we shall obey Christ our God, and not judge others or condemn them, so that He will not have to judge and condemn us for our sins.

Happy Earth Day!

Today we raise our voices to inspire others as we stand up for the land, the creatures, and the places we hold dear. Today we raise awareness of the importance of adopting a conscious way of living and the importance of being mindful, every day in very simple ways, to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle knowing that the responsibility is ours alone and that each and every one of us can make a huge impact on our environment.
Together we have the power. Together we can preserve this planet, protect the environment and the well-being of future generations. This world is a beautiful place. Let’s work together to keep it that way.

House Blessing

"Herbal potion, cauldron brew,

now be charged with magick true.

With intent I speak this charm,

all be blessed and none be harmed.

Ever minding the law of three,

This is my will, so mote it be..."

To prepare your home and yourself for the onset of spring or to cleanse a new home of the residual energy left by the previous owner, begin by first cleaning house the conventional way. Then for enhanced energy, add an herbal infusion to your washwater.

Just make a strong decoction of the herb of your choice and add to your floor washing water. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of herb per cup of cold water. Bring the mixture gently to a boil. Keeping covered, simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the decoction to your wash water and clean.

Here are some that have worked well for me:

Use these for blessing:

Chamomile: For calmness, meditation, and prosperity

Loosestrife: harmony, peace and accord.

Rosemary: blessing, protection and love.

Tansy: love and happiness.

Use these for protection:

Burdock: purifies and protects

Fennel: deflects negative energies.

Hyssop: for protection, cleansing and removal of negative forces.

Marigold (calendula): Use to ward against negative threats.

Mullein: This herb is wonderful for uncrossing, deflection and return to sender.

Pennyroyal: Use to repel unwanted guests and ward off negative energy. (Also wards off gnats & mosquitoes and repels ticks.)

Rue: Works two ways: First a rue infused wash will get rid of malevolent energy and it second it will return hexes to the sender.

Betony: To banish nightmares and bad thoughts.

Damiana: Protection of property.

Use these for prosperity:

Allspice: Prosperity and energy.

Basil: To draw wealth. Basil can also be used to draw love and creativity.

Bergamot: For successful ventures.

Cinnamon: Success

Coriander: Good health and wealth

Use these to attract love:

Catnip: works to draw love and increase relaxation.

Lemon Balm: success and love.

Lilac: Beauty and love

Marjoram: works for love, protection and wealth

While Rose is the flower of love, Thyme, Vertivert and Yarrow work across the board.

When you’re ready,wash down all the surfaces, visualizing all unwanted things being washed away. Meditate on the mental detritus you need to clean out as well.

To purify a space use sea salt:

Salt is a purifier. Use sea salt to cleanse and banish any negative energy that may cling to an object, person, or area. Sprinkle salt around a room to put yourself and others at ease. Or asperge with sesalt/water mixture. Aspersing means sprinkling with liquid in order to effect spiritual and magical cleansing. This is an ancient rite, just like burning incense. Aspersing rituals direct the elemental power of Water.

You may want to try smudging your home or workspace with sage to clear out the old energy. For centuries smudging, the burning of aromatic herbs has been a common practice for purifying objects and locations. Smudging will clear a room or area of any old or stagnant energy.

Smudging is also a wonderful way to purify a space. To smudge a room, simply walk around the room wafting smoke into each corner. Sage and sweet grass are popular smudging herbs used for cleansing, balance and purification. Smudging calls positive energy into a space while removing negative energy. It is the spiritual equivalents to bathing. This is a great way to clear depression, stress or the energy where an illness occurred. You can also use this method when moving into a new home to clear the energy of a previous resident.

When you have finished cleaning ask the blessings of your deity on your home and all who dwell within it.

This Month, Thursday, Dec 31st , Blue Moon in Cancer (second Full Moon)

Start the new year off with a meditation on gratitude.

This month we have two full moons. The second full moon in a month is known as the Blue Moon.

This blue moon falls in cancer. What a better way to kick off the New Year than to use this auspicious energy to work a spell for expansion and growth using Jupiter's generosity and the blue moon's energy supporting growth and nurturing.

To read more click here

Creative Visualization and The Law of Attraction

October is surely one of the most enchanting months of the year. Our spirits reawaken to the world as we take note of the changing season. The long days now give way to darkness as evenings cool and nights lengthen. Energy crackles in the air as leaves swirl at our feet and are sent to whirl down the streets.

As the days grow shorter and the cold sets in, instinct signals us to stray from our diets as the natural process of hibernation begins. Work with your instincts and plan your meals around what the earth has provided. Look to the squashes, fruits and nuts plentiful this season. Try to outsmart your cravings by limiting your intake of added sugar, white flours and alcohol.

Make this month a time for healing your body and mind. Use this month to purify your body and start to listen to your intuition. A simple way to begin is to spend time each morning in meditation and fit some kind of exercise into your daily routine. Make this month a time for renewal as you turn your thoughts to the positive.

Take control of your mind and you take control of your life.

How many hours have you wasted in worry? Why do people dwell on the negative when it just builds and creates more negative energy?

Through the use of creative visualization, we can use the energy of the universe to remove barriers, accomplish goals and to create harmony and happiness for ourselves and others. And it all starts with you and how you see yourself and your world.

Positive thinking is not just an attitude. It is a way of life. Incredible power is available to you when you apply positive thinking to your outlook.

Recently, I had to go on an interview and didn’t have a new outfit. I was feeling old and frumpy until my friend Anna told me the best way to become more attractive is simply to decide to be. She said, “Know that you are attractive and ‘radiate’ love.”

I tried it. And you know what? She was right. Everyone loved me and I got the position. By changing my attitude toward myself, I changed the way everyone I encountered responded to me. Of course I did the work on this plane too. I took a shower, did my hair, dressed up and dabbed some essential oil of rose on some key places. But I believed I was desirable and people responded.

No one can resist you when you simple ARE.

So how do you BECOME? That’s easy you just decide TO BE.
Sounds odd? Not really, in fact modern psychology accepts and even treats the harm wrought by negative thinking. If you call a girl fat over and over doesn’t it crush her self image and cause her to become fat? If you call a boy stupid over and over doesn’t he accept the fact that he really is stupid? So why is society so cynical when it comes to the benefits of positive thinking?

And it is so easy. Just let go of fear and worry and put your energy toward a positive outlook. Imagine yourself in positive situations with people acting positively towards you. It is a self fulfilling prophecy.

Through conscious awareness of our thoughts we are able to focus our experiences in the desired directions and create a positive, vibrant, radiant self/ life/ existence. Through positive thought and creative imagery we can change reality.

Visualization is one of the most important tools someone on a spiritual path can use. Creative visualization is the art of changing negative thinking for positive images and creating the life you want and deserve. When you meditate on a positive goal you begin to manifest positive energy. This positive energy then takes on form as the actual reality you desired.

The first step on this positive path is to change the way you think. Instead of observing a problem that you want changed, imagine the situation as you want it to be. This concept is simple. Anyone can do it with incredible results. Visualization is one of the most powerful methods there is for effecting the changes you desire.

So just how do you do it? Well, "seeing with the mind's eye" takes practice and as with all things, gets easier with each success. Don’t lose heart if your first attempts seem futile. At first the images might be fuzzy and indistinct. Define your goal. What would you like to change about your life or yourself? Want to lose 10 pounds? Get in shape? Do you want a better job? Do you want better health? Now picture it as clearly as possible on the screen of your mind. See yourself in the reality you want. Hold this image as clearly in your mind as you can. To reinforce the image you can also draw the scene and tack it next to your desk so that you can look at it often and put energy into manifesting it.

Several years ago when I first began trying to hold an image in my mind I had a very difficult time. I was having sushi with my friend Stephani and she helped me right there at the table by running me through a few exercises.

She said, “Look at your plate. Ok, close your eyes and picture your plate in your mind’s eye. Try to recall as many details as you can. Now bring in other senses. What did you taste? Smell? Hear?”

Through practice I have gotten much better at calling images to the blank screen in my mind. You can practice visualizing by picturing things you see and do in everyday life. Try to imagine enjoyable things. (You know you are successful when you find yourself smiling at the end of the exercise)You might picture being in your favorite room, or dancing with someone special, or eating your favorite meal, the first time you kissed the one you love. These simple exercises will help you "see" and make it easy for you to call up images in your mind when you want to practice meditation or manifest a thought or desire into reality. You can even use guided imagery for relaxation and healing.

This is the process of sending positive energy into the universe and the more positive energy you send out, the more you will get back. Of course, as with anything you must also do the work on the physical plane to manifest your desires. (You won’t get your dream job if you don’t apply for the position, you won’t get in shape unless you exercise, you won’t lose 10 pounds unless you lay off the soda and chocolate cake…)

Lastly, BELIEVE. Know that your desires are manifesting. Believe that the object you desire is yours. Know that you are now practicing the process of conscious creation through defining your desires, working to make them a reality and allowing yourself to accept the rewards.

Visualization is a form of self-hypnosis. It is a tool anyone can use to help foster healing. By providing suggestion combined with positive images, visualization can form a mind-body connection that fosters the healing process on a physical level.

You can begin by practicing simple visualization techniques like this one:
Choose an object (something real) and focus on it until you have memorized its features. Now close your eyes and 'see' it on the screen of your mind in as much detail as you can. Hold the image for as long as you can without losing focus. Concentrate on shapes and colors. As you get better, try to manipulate the object by animating it. Now complicate the exercise and with the next object you choose, let all your senses explore the object. What kind of texture does it have? Does it have a fragrance? Can you hear it? Now you can recreate the object completely in your mind. This is the ability to visualize. Now try this exercise with a memory. Choose a happy experience and recall it in as much detail as you can using not only “sight” but what you might have smelled, heard, felt?
It is possible for each of us to achieve inner peace by applying a positive outlook. Strive to focus on ways to open your heart and mind to the awesome power of creative visualization.

Begin by choosing an area of your life you want to change. Apply creative visualization by meditating on how you would like it to be. You want to improve your income? See yourself getting a raise. See yourself doing well at work. See yourself depositing money into your account.
Improve your health: Do a tree meditation and draw healing energy up into your chakras. Use that same energy to mend and heal your aura. See the energy filling the cells of your body and healing the area you focus on.
Your happiness: See yourself interacting laughing and smiling as you connect with friends and family. You can address any area of your life that you would like to change. Begin by making a list of the changes you want to make. Don’t make it too long, in fact it is best to keep it limited to four or five things to focus on. Don’t use the negative.

All of our feelings, beliefs and knowledge are based on our internal thoughts, both conscious and subconscious. You are in control, whether you know it or not. It truly is your choice to be positive or negative, enthusiastic or dull, active or passive so choose to be happy.

Change in steps. Be aware of your reaction to others and mindfully respond with positive words. Smile more. Praise yourself and others. Dream of success. Be enthusiastic. Allow yourself to be happy, joyous, healthy and successful. Take time to relax.
Be aware of negativity. When a negative thought enters your mind, replace it with a positive thought. Try to apply a positive outlook even when you are passing through a difficult period.

It is up to you to choose the path of your life and up to you to enjoy the journey.

Open Your Heart to the Rhythm of the Seasons

How did we come to this place in time where each of us spend our day rushing from one point to another? How did we become so wrapped up in schedules that allow no time for self, no time for parents to spend with their children, no time for sisterly conversations or a lighthearted discussion among friends as we rush through our routine with strained, tense expressions longing desperately for more?

Are you living a tender, ecstatic, gorgeous life? Do you enjoy your work environment? What do you do to make your life richer when you return home? Do you plunge headfirst to chores? Are you happy? Why is it so hard to be joyful? Why are we sometimes blind to the sacred, unable to connect with the divine?

Don't let the hurry and worry of life take the wonder out of your existence. It is time to rediscover the joy of simply living. Awaken to the natural world and make your life sacred. Take time to mindfully experiencing your day. Open your eyes to the people who cross your path. Listen to their message and treat them with love. Open you heart to the natural world. See the trees as you walk in their shadows, notice the flowers at your feet and hear the voice of the birds as they call overhead. It is time to align yourself with the rhythms of the earth and reconnecting with the seasons as you celebrate your life.

Seasonal awareness, awareness of the solstices and equinoxes and reflecting seasonal changes in our own personal practices, allows us to calibrate our energy to the energies of the natural world. Celebrating these ancient rituals is a way to attune ourselves with the magical tides, to recognize the rhythms of life, death and rebirth. Living in tune with the seasons is a way of living and working with nature to harmonize with the world and to recognize that we are a part of it.

This fall take time to celebrate the harvest. Let your spirit lift with joy and thankfulness for the bounty of this season being mindful that the nights are growing longer; the darkness growing colder as the dying year gives way to winter. Give thanks for the abundance in your life. Be appreciative for each small pleasure: the amazing flavor of your morning coffee, the peace and comfort of your kitchen, the fact that there is food in your fridge. Each and every day we take for granted so many wondrous things. Let joy fill your heart as you quiet your mind. You can not find peace until you create it within yourself. Take time to greet the morning and open your heart to the sacred. A simple way to begin is to practice daily meditation. Another is to incorporate small rituals into your daily routine. Inviting ritual into your life with even a small gesture will work to help you ground and center before you journey out into the world. Keeping an alter, lighting a morning candle, whispering a morning prayer of gratitude, silently focusing only on your breathing as you visualize what you want to accomplish during the day, all are examples of simple morning rituals and all of these work to pull your awareness from the mundane and shift it to the sacred. Through daily rituals we are able to recalibrate our energy and connect with the divine.

Spirituality is not to be found only in a sacred space but in our everyday lives. Life is a sacred journey. Strive to see the signs of the divine: feel its power in the wind at the approach of the thunderstorm, in the brilliance of the setting sun. See the divine outside your window as the leaves change colors, as the seasons turn, as the tiny bird weaves grass into an intricate nest and as the spider spins her amazing web. It is time to rediscover that each and every one of us is a crucial part of the global journey towards a Higher Consciousness. Most of humanity has experienced their most moving spiritual experience in nature. How inspiring is a thunderstorm or the sight of a brilliant sunset? What emotions were elicited last time you caught the scent of a summer rainstorm or felt the first cold nip in the morning as the seasons changed?

We need to practice love first toward ourselves and then to each person we meet on our daily path. To feel empathy for living things is an essential part of the human existence and that when we love and help one another, we mend our lives and heal ourselves.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.”

Indeed we are all Spiritual Beings having a human experience. We are here on this plane of existence, on a human journey, all of us caught all in different cycles of our lives as we work through life lessons until the lesson is learned and a new cycle begins. And we are all connected.

Creative Visualization and The Law of Attraction or Thoughts are as Real as Actions and Things

"Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force, that thoughts rule the world."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Ask And It Is Given. Seek and you shall find.” – Matthew 7:7

Take control of your mind and you take control of your life.

How many hours have you wasted in worry? We do people dwell on the negative? It just builds and creates more negative energy.

Through the use of creative visualization, we can use the energy of the universe to remove barriers, accomplish goals and to create harmony and happiness for ourselves and others.

And it all starts with you and how you see yourself and your world. My friend Anna told me the best attraction spell is simply to decide that you are attractive and radiate love. I tried it. (Of course I took a shower, did my hair, dressed up and dabbed some essential oil of rose on some key place) but I believed I was desirable and you know what, she was right. No one can resist you when you simple ARE.

So how do you BECOME? That’s easy you just decide TO BE.

Sound odd? Not really in fact modern psychology accepts and even treats the harm done by negative thinking. If you call a girl fat over and over doesn’t it crush her self image and cause her to become fat? If you call a boy stupid over and over doesn’t he accept the fact that he really is stupid? So why is society so cynical when it comes to the benefits of positive thinking?

And it is so easy. Just let go of fear and worry and put your energy toward a positive outlook. Imagine yourself in positive situations with people acting positive towards you. It is a self fulfilling prophecy. Through conscious awareness of our thoughts we are able to focus our experiences in the desired directions and create a positive, vibrant, radiant self/ life/ existence.

Through positive thought and creative imagery we can change reality.

Visualization is one of the most important tools someone on a spiritual path can use. Creative visualization is the art of changing negative thinking for positive images and creating the life we want and deserve. By thinking of the good things you want to happen as part of a regular routine, you're creating a positive energy. This positive energy then takes on form as the actual reality you desired.

The first step on this positive path is to change the way you think of things. Instead of observing a problem that you want changed, imagine the situation as you want it to be.

This concept is simple and anyone can do it, anywhere, at any time, and for any duration – with incredible results. Visualization is one of the most powerful methods there is for effecting the changes you desire

So how do you do it? Well "seeing with the mind's eye" takes practice and as with all things, gets easier with each success.

Don’t loose heart if your first attempts seem futile. At first the images might be fuzzy and indistinct.

Define your goal. What would you like to change about your life or yourself? Want to lose 10 pounds? Get in shape? Do you want a better job? Do you want better health?

Now picture it as clearly as possible on the screen of your mind. See yourself in the reality you want. Hold this image as clearly in your mind as you can. To reinforce the image you can also draw the scene and tack it next to your desk so that you can look at it often and put energy into manifesting it

This is the process of sending positive energy into the universe and the more positive energy you send out, the more you will get back. Of course, as with anything you must also do the work on the physical plane to manifest your desires. (You won’t get your dream job if you don’t apply for the position, you won’t get in shape unless you exercise, you won’t lose 10 pounds unless you lay off the soda and chocolate cake…)

Lastly, BELIEVE. Know that your desires are manifesting that the object is yours or will be yours. Know that you are now practicing the process of conscious creation through defining your desires, working to make them a reality and allowing ourselves to accept the rewards.

Several years ago when I first began trying to hold an image in my mind I had a very difficult time. I was having sushi with my friend Stephani and she helped me right there at the table by running me through a few exercises.

She said, “Look at your plate. Ok now close your eyes and picture your plate in your mind’s eye. Try to recall as many details as you can. Ok now bring in other senses. What did you taste? Smell? Hear?”

Through practice I have gotten much better at calling images to the blank screen in my mind.

You can practice visualizing by picturing of things you see and do in everyday life. Try to imagine enjoyable things. (You know you are successful when you find yourself smiling at the end of the exercise)

You might picture your favorite room, or dancing with someone special, or eating your favorite meal, the first time you kissed the one you love.

These simple exercises will help you "see" and make it easy for you to call up images in your mind when you want to practice meditation or manifestation a thought or desire into reality.

Using guided imagery for relaxation and healing

Visualization is a form of self-hypnosis. It is a tool anyone can use to help foster healing. By providing suggestion combined with positive images, visualization can form a mind-body connection that fosters the healing process on a physical level.

Incorporating the witchy side:

Here are a few tips from Ariana in House Magic

"*Say your affirmation while looking at yourself in the mirror. This is good for invoking self-confidence, courage, and self-love.

*Say your affirmation while holding a stone that is related to the energy you want to invoke.

*Say your affirmation while charging your candle or carving words into you candle.

*Say your affirmation while crating a pillow or pouch

*Say your affirmation while you're going to sleep

*Say your affirmation whenever you think about it"

Take this positive approach and see what shows up!

Healing Art of Meditation

The art of meditating is actually easier to learn than you might imagine. Of course, as with anything, practice makes it easier and easier. Whether you are aware of it or not you probably actively participate in conscious relaxation during times of stress. Did you hold a pleasant thought in your mind last time you were at the dentist? At times of stress it’s only natural to seek that ‘happy, quiet place’.

How do you begin? The easiest technique is breath awareness and you begin by simple paying attention to your breath. When you shift your attention to each breath slowly and deeply drawn and released, you shift your mind into a quiet mode, releasing your mind clutter and silencing the 'monkey mind' that constantly tries to invade our thoughts and emotions. The result of this shift is peace, serenity, calmness and inspiration.

The practice of meditation is so beneficial and so easy, it’s a wonder more people haven’t developed their own practice. Through the practice of meditation not only can we eliminate stress and connect to the Divine, we can heal and balance our body, mind and spirit. By siting quietly we can quiet the ego and come to Spirit. We can ground and center casting off stress and negativity and we can draw energy to the energy centers or chakra points revitalizing each point to function to its fullest potential.

There are seven main chakras located in our body, five of which are located along the spine, the upper two on our head. Each chakra is associated with a different energy level beginning with the lowest, the root chakra which stands for the pure matter, to the highest, the crown chakra which represents the pure consciousness. Energy flows through these centers and the flow of energy affects our health. Through meditation we can balance and aligned each energy centers setting the chakras to glow and spin like bright jewels.

More on Chakras:

The word chakra is Sanskrit for wheel or disk and signifies one of seven basic energy centers in the body.

First Chakra: Color: Red The base or root chakra located at the base of the spine. Responsible for basic survival needs, groundedness, sexuality and strength.

Second Chakra: Color: Orange the Womb/Spleen or sacral chakra is located below the navel. Responsible for: creativity, intimacy and warmth.

Third Chakra: color: Yellow The Solar Plexus chakra located above the navel. Responsible for: confidence, power and learning.

Fourth Chakra: Color: Green Heart chakra located in the middle of the chest. Responsible for: love, healing, unity, empathy and service.

Fifth Chakra Color: Sky Blue Throat Chakra located at the throat. Responsible for: communication, creativity and expression.

Sixth Chakra Color: Indigo or White Third eye chakra located between the eyebrows just above the bridge of the nose. Responsible for: Psychic abilities and higher consciousness.

Seventh Chakra Color: Purple Crown chakra located at the top of the head. Responsible for: spirit and higher self.

The first step is learning to quiet your mind and relax. Want to ramp up your intuition? Or stimulate your psychic connectivity? Then  try this relaxation exercise.

Find a comfortable place in a quiet room. You need at least 20 uninterrupted minutes. Sit with your back straight, breathe and relax. Do this by focusing your attention first on one part of your body and moving down consciously relaxing your muscles and releasing the stress as you go.

Relax, and let your shoulders drop a bit. Bring your attention to your breath. Notice as you chest rises gently with each inhalation and falls as you exhale. This is called a conscious breath. we will use this conscious breathing technique as move through the next few exercises. When you notice your attention has wandered, gently bring your attention back to the rise and fall of your chest without judgment.

So we begin. Take a deep cleansing breath, hold for 3 seconds and then breathe out the all of the tension in your body.

Feel your body begin to relax beginning with your feet. Let go of any stress you might be holding there and simply allow them to be calm and loose. Allow the relaxation to spread over your feet, and up to your ankles.

Feel the relaxation rising above your ankles, flowing up your lower legs. Let the muscles of your calves relax as the day's stress slips from them. Allow the relaxation to move up to your knees continuing up to your thighs...Allow the relaxation to continue to spread throughout your body, rising now up your spine to your hips and pelvic area allowing all the muscles in your lower back to relax.

Breathe and allow the wave of relation to flow up your spine to your stomach and over your chest and upper back....let your shoulder blades relax, allow the relaxation to flow down your arms ... feel the stress in you biceps, your elbows and wrists let go. Feel the relaxation spread down into your hands... relaxing  your palms,  the back of your hand and each finger and thumb.... until your hands feel pleasantly heavy and warm.

Feel your body relaxing further as your shoulders rest, the stress in you neck lets go, your jaw relaxes as all the day's stress seeps away and each and every muscles bathes in the oxygen generated from each deep breath you take. Allow the sensation to  spread to the back of your head.... your cheeks and nose.... over your closed eyes....Feel your eyelids as they become heavy and relaxed....Notice your face as it relaxes, the tension releasing from your eyebrows, your ears and forehead ... Let the relaxation spread over the top of your head....

Your entire body now is relaxed and calm. You are light and comfortable as relaxation flows from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head  Breathe in.... and as you breathe know that you are breathing in relaxation and healing energy in the oxygen that aids your cells and heals ...Imagine that the air you are breathing cleanses your body as it removes all of life's tension.


Allow  yourself to remain here as long as you want then when you are ready to return to your usual level of wakefulness and alertness, feel your body and mind becoming more aware of your surroundings. 


Grounding, chakra healing exercise

There are different elements and each has a different energy. For this exercise we will use the cool healing energy of the earth. Begin with the relaxation technique used above and when you are ready, allow yourself to connect to the energy of the earth. There are several way to do this. Some create a grounding cord that grows from the base of your spine and plunges deep into the earth but I favor a root visualization for this you simply visualize roots growing from the bottom of your feet to travel down into the earth to drink from the cool pooled energy beneath our feet. 

After you have established your connection, feel the earth energy rising up through the bottom of your feet; up through your ankles and calves; earth energy rising up through your knees and thighs; up through your pelvic area; earth energy flowing up through your abdomen and lower back; rising up through your hands and arms.

Imagine earth energy flowing up through your chest and back; up through your shoulders and neck, chin, jaw, face; earth energy flowing up through your scalp.

This earth energy flows up and up over the top of your head and flows back down to the earth. You have a continuous flow of energy from the earth, flowing up through your body and up through all the layers and levels of energy around your body and then spilling over and flowing back down to the earth in an endless loop.

Now envision this earth energy moving up along the spine from your tail bone flowing colorfully up toward the brain, opening the chakras one by along the way until they spin  like bright jewels and you aura glows with their color like a rainbow. 

Here is a lovely grounding Tree meditation to heal your aura.

We ground ourselves at the base or root chakra located at the base of the spine. This is the energy center responsible for our basic survival needs, groundedness, sexuality and strength. Through this center we can ground and connect with earth energies and empower our beings.

An easy way to ground is with a Tree Meditation. “Tree” is a lovely grounding exercise that will neutralize negative energy and replace it with earth energy. It is also wonderful if you have a tendency to be "spacey". By imagining you have roots that extend down into the ground you can draw on the cool energy of the earth to release your anxieties are draw on healing energies from the earth source.

To begin find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. Allow yourself 20 to 30 minutes for this exercise. It is best to dim the lights and sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor, keeping your spine straight.

Now visualize roots slowly extending from your feet. Slowly they travel down, down, until they meet the soil. (This is easy if you are outside. I like to do this exercise in my garden where I take off my shoes and plunge my toes into the soil. But if you are inside, imagine them traveling down throughout the layers of the building, down through the foundation and eventually into the soil.)

Imagine the feel of the cool, secure soil all around your roots, keeping you safe, taking away all negativity.

Breathe deep the smell of fresh, wholesome earth and imagine that you are a giant tree.

You are sturdy and confident. You are part of the earth.

Your roots go down deep into the earth and all excess nervous energy, tension, and stress flow down your roots and seep harmlessly into the soil, where the loving earth accepts and neutralizes it. In return, the earth sends back calming nutrients, stability, and ancient serenity.

Breathe deep as you draw this cool energy up your roots up past your feet. With each breath draw the cool earth energy up your trunk until you have nourished each finger tip, each strand of hair, each branch extending out into space…

You are an ancient tree; your roots go deep into the ground. You think about last spring's rain and feel your life force recharge.

You breathe deep and feel how you heart is calm, your spirit revitalized, your energy centers full, and you ready for anything.

Here is wonderful charka energizing method:

In a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. Visualize a lovely white light pooling around you, enveloping you. This cool, light energy surrounds you to fill your first chakra with a red energy. This radiating ruby red energy should be spinning, swirling in a clockwise motions. If it is not, then place your hand over the area and visualize the light energy, traveling up your spine filling the chakra until the chakra is glowing with radiant ruby light and spins like a bright jewel.

Leave your hand on the area until the chakra is activated and swirling, spinning like a fan, spinning clockwise. Feel the chakra swirling with bright red light. See the white light moving through this chakra until it is bright and beautiful.

Now move up to your sacral chakra, which is located close to the area of the pubic bone. Visualize the chakra as magnificent, radiating sunset orange. If it is not spinning, then do the activation process again and watch it swirl like a spinning fan, moving clockwise. 

Now bring your focus to your solar plexus chakra that is located slightly above your navel. Picture the chakra as lovely, radiating sunshine yellow. If it’s not spinning, activate the chakra and watch it swirl like a spinning fan moving clockwise. Feel  it swirl with bright yellow light.

Concentrate on your heart chakra located in your chest. Imagine the chakra a dazzling, glorious emerald green. If it’s not spinning, activate the chakra and watch it swirl like a spinning fan moving clockwise. See the  white light moving through this chakra energizing it to a bright green spinning jewel.

Move up to your throat chakra. Imagine the luminous sky blue energy whirling and flowing. If it’s not spinning, then activate as before until the chakra is swirling like a spinning fan moving clockwise. Feel the energy vortex swirling with bright sky-blue light. See the white light moving through this chakra.

Shift your attention to your third-eye chakra located between your eyebrows. Feel your forehead open and expand as the intense violet light energy flows in this chakra. Activate the chakra and watch as it becomes even more bright and glorious.

Lastly bring your focus up to your crown chakra. Feel the top of your head open and expand as the shining violet-white light whirls in a clockwise motion. If it’s not spinning, activate it so that it swirls in a clockwise motion. See the loop of white light moving through your chakra and spilling out the top of your head and over your aura to heal and energize it. Run the energy as long as you like.

Click here for some nice guided meditations

You can experiment with other senses. The sense of sound is a powerful sensesyou can utilize and one way to do this is by incorporating drumming into your meditation. Drumming is a great way to balance and aligned each chakras. Just focus your attention on the individual chakras while drumming and visualize each energy center becoming active.

First, select a location where you will not be interrupted. It must be a quiet space, at least for the duration of the exercise. Allow yourself fifteen to thirty minutes for this exercise.

Now smudge the space and yourself with the smoke of an herb. I like using Sage. Smudging cleanses the mind and environment in preparation for spiritual or inner work. The sacred smoke dispels any stagnant or unwanted energy.

Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor, keeping your spine straight. Calm and focus your mind by performing a simple breathing exercise. Close your eyes and focus on the breath as it enters the nose and fills your lungs, then gently exhale any tension you might feel. Continue breathing with a series of even inhalations and exhalations until you are calm and relaxed.

Once you are fully relaxed, begin drumming a slow steady rhythm keeping with your pulse or heartbeat. Take time to draw a deep breath and sustain this healing rhythm until the end of the exercise.

Focus your attention on the physical location of each chakra, one at a time, beginning with your root chakra at the base of the spine. Visualize a red disc of light spinning gathering energy until it glows. Now imagine this energy center pulsating in sync with the heartbeat of your drum. Feel the sound of the drum vibrating at the base of your spine. As the sound resonates though your root chakra, experience this energy center awakening, balancing, and aligning with the other chakras.

Hold your attention on this chakra for a minute or two, and then move up to the next.

The second chakra is located about two inches below the navel and is orange in color. Focus on the sound as it resonates though this energy center, experience this chakra glowing like an orange spinning jewel as it awakens, balances and aligns with the other chakras.

Move up to the area above the navel in your solar plexus and focus on the third chakra, which is yellow in color. Focus on this point and let the rhythm of the drum resonate though this point until it too awakens, Glowing a bright yellow, balances and aligns with the other chakras.

Move up to the center of the chest and focus on your heart chakra, hold your focus until it is spinning green jewel of energy. Awakened, balanced and aligned with the other chakras.

Move up to your throat and focus on the blue of this chakra, which is blue in color. Feel the rhythm of the drum resonate though this point until it too awakens, glowing a brilliant spinning jewel of blue and it balances and aligns with the other chakras.

Move up to the area between and slightly above the eyebrows and focus on your brow chakra, which is indigo in color. Let the beat of the drum awaken this energy center as it pulses through to balance and align it with the other spinning brilliantly glowing chakra points.

Now move up to the top of your head and focus on the crown chakra, which is violet in color. Focus on this spot letting the rhythm of the drum heal and reenergize this area. Feel this energy of this chakra grow as the drum pulses through to balance and align it with the other spinning brilliantly glowing chakra points.

End the exercise with four strong beats.

At the completion of this exercise, sit quietly for several minutes. If you feel lightheaded, take a moment to ground by visualizing roots extending downward from the base chakra deep into the Earth. When you feel grounded, open your eyes and slowly come back to this reality.

Learn more about therapeutic drumming