Today’s I Ching Hexagram for Dec. 12th is 58: Joy

58: Joy

Wednesday, Dec 12th, 2012

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A joy that is shared is symbolized by a group of friends playing, or a carefree young girl singing to herself while engaged in her work. Happiness is rising within, and spreading out into the world.

Joy arises through gentle means, but springs from a solid inner base. The power of pure joy should not be underestimated. The enjoyment of learning and discovery, for example, has let to great innovation and much material progress. Accordingly, that which brings the most joy into the world — love — is the source of life itself.

If happiness is supported by personal stability, it will eventually wear down the stiffest barrier and win over the hardest heart. True joy is a beacon in the world, and though it is indeed rare, its presence is an indication of great good fortune, both now and in the future. How could it be otherwise?

Drawing Down the Sun

Drawing Down the Sun

 

Choose the time of day that is best for your purpose. Clear conditions are ideal though of course you cannot look directly at the Sun at any time. Eventually you will be able to visualize the orb. Though Sunday is the special day of the Sun, you can choose any day that feels right.

Decide on the kind of Sun energy you want to focus on for this particular ceremony, a loving Sun Mother to bring joy, abundance and a sense of well-being, and aesthetic Sun God for spiritual and mental clarity and focused creativity or a warrior to empower you and give you the courage of purpose. You don’t have to pick a God or Goddess from a particular culture but can picture you own or use the Sun itself as your focus of light, life and health bringing powers. You can adapt your chant accordingly or use one that refers to these attributes.

1.  Occasionally, just draw down the Sun or recite your chant as a way of giving thanks for life or to send the Sun to those who need it spiritually or in actuality.

2.  Find your Sun place where at particular times of the year the Sun casts radiating beams or dancing rays. You may have to wait for just the right conditions for your first Sun encounter.

3.  Mediterranean and oceanic tropical sunrises can be spectacular and can be appreciated while on vacation. A few minutes of solitary sunset connection can be a very deep healing experience.

4.  It may help to hold a clear crystal or rainbow quartz (any with fractures inside will reflect rainbows).

5.  Set on the ground, on a rock or on your outdoor altar a dish of any gold jewelry, golden crystals, gold-colored coins, flowers and fruit to be empowered by the Sun.

6.  Next to it place a glass bowl of sparkling mineral water Afterwards the water will be charged with the power of the Sun and you can use it in baths or to splash on pulse points.

7.  Raise your arms high and wide, palms uppermost and set your feet quite widely apart.

8.  Speak your words aloud, unless there are too many people around.

9.  Then wait until you feel the light beginning to enter you.

10.  Now move your arms so they are extended horizontally either side of your body with your palms still upward to absorb the light. At this point breathe in the golden light through your nose, slowly and gently, and exhale the darkness through your mouth.

11. As you continue breathing, visualize the light spreading to every part of your body from your toes right to the tips of your fingers and the crown of you head.

12.  Allow the light to extend now beyond your body, forming a shield of golden rays all around you and above you so that you are enclosed in a shimmering sphere.

13.  Gradually move your arms and hands so they cross at about waist height. Repeat this in succession and in the rhythm that is right for you, raising, extending and enfolding yourself with light as if you were splashing it over yourself.

14.  When you feel that you are completely filled with the radiance, cease to breathe in gold deliberately. Stand with your arms still raised, close together in front of your body with elbows bent.

15.  Say slowly and with confidence three times:

“I am filled with the light of the Sun. I am pure light.”

16.  Allow the energies to flow between your body, the pool of light and the golden sphere.

17.  Kneel or reach down and splash a few drops of the newly made Sun water on your hairline, brow, throat and wrist, saying:

“The Sun enters my spirit, enriches my mind, transforms my words and warms my heart. Blessings Be.”

18.  Listen and you may hear a message from the Sun Mother of Father.

19.  If you face opposition or spite, shake your fingers and see golden sparks emanate from your fingertips like miniature Sun rays.

20.  Extend your arms in a circle over your head so you create a psychic protective force field of sparks all around you that will gently repel any malice.

21.  Make a sign, perhaps touching the place between and just above your eyes that is your third eye. Or you may prefer to touch your heart or make a circle in the palm of you hand.

22.  As you do so, say:

“When I touch my brow/heart, I will invoke the Power of the Sun with me.”

23.  Look upwards and picture the  Sun Mother or Father or a whirling, spinning solar disc and gradually allow the radiance and the Goddess to fade, knowing that you can recall the Sun into your life any time you are in need, just by making your psychic sign.

24.  Spend the rest of the day or at least part of it in the Sunshine and the next day do something amazingly brave to make the most of your new power.

 

Stress-Free Holidays for Pets

Stress-Free Holidays for Pets

 

The holidays have arrived, and if you are one of the fortunate ones with  friends and family that you like to spend time with, the holidays mean parties,  dinners, gift exchanges and get-togethers. Whether you will be the host of one  of these fetes, or whether you’ll be packing up the family and pet for a  cross-town trip to visit family and/or friends, know before you go how you are  going to keep everyone calm and comfortable, so that everyone has  a good time.

Visiting …  Visitors

If you are the “visitee,” you will want to do a little preparation before the  guests arrive. Many of us consider our pets to be members of the family, and we  enjoy having them with us in as we celebrate good times. But, when our pets are  not used to have more than a few people around, they can get overly excited, and  things can stop being fun. The jumping, the grabbing food from hands and tables,  the barking … all of these things can lead to some embarrassing situations, and  can even frighten some guests who are not accustomed to having animals around.  In the weeks before the event, take some time to work on your pet’s manners and  reinforce obedience training. You might try some small gatherings with some pet  friendly people who can help you to reinforce your pet’s manners, so that when  the bigger party night comes, your pet will already be prepared.

If, on the other hand, you know that your pet will not be able to hold back  his exuberance, set aside a safe room where he can stay for the duration of the  event. Make the space comfortable with a bed or rug, water, toys, and maybe some  treats. Close this area off to the guests so that you can be sure that your pet,  and your guests, are safe. Remember to either tell your guests that your pet  should be left alone, tape a sign to the door saying “do not open,” or place a  hook and eye lock on the door so that people know that it is not to be opened.  The last thing you want is for a very excited pet to dash through the house, and  possibly out the door to the outside of the house.

Traveling With Your  Pet

Leaving the familiarity of home can provoke anxiety in people and animals. If  you are traveling by car, be sure to bring along some of your pet’s favorite  toys, a blanket or pillow bed, and his regular food. If your pet is used to  sleeping in a crate, bring it along so he can sleep in his familiar space.

We advise keeping pets in a travel safe crate so that the animal is not able  to move freely though the car. This covers a few bases. Keeping animals in  travel crates prevents them from getting underfoot or on your lap while you are  driving — an obvious hazard — it prevents them from being thrown from the car  should an accident occur, and it prevents them from getting free/running away  during rest stops or after minor accidents have occurred. We can tell you that  these unhappy events do occur and are reported in the news frequently enough to  make them worth noting. If you cannot fit a crate into your car, you can use a  pet approved safety belt/harness to keep your pet in her seat, where she  belongs.

On that note, make sure your pet is wearing identification at all times, and  pack an emergency first aid kit for pets in case of an emergency. And don’t  forget to take frequent breaks to allow for rest and relief.

If You Leave Your Pet  Behind — Boarding

Before choosing a boarding facility for your pet, take a quick tour of the  facility to check out the accommodations. You will want to be sure that it is  clean and well kept, and that there is ample space given for the animals to  exercise daily.

Have your questions ready before you go. Things you may want to know are: how  many animals are kept together in one space; can you bring your pet’s food so  that his digestive system will not be upset by an abrupt change in food; will  you be able to bring along toys and other familiar comfort objects from  home?

If you do not feel comfortable with a boarding facility, whether for your  pet’s emotional comfort or because of health concerns, and you do not have the  option of taking your pet along with you, give yourself plenty of time to ask  around the neighborhood for someone to pet-sit in your home or theirs, or do  some research into local pet-sitters that will come to your home to check in and  care for your pet, or will take your pet into their home. The better prepared  you are, the less stress there will be for you and your pet, and the better your  holiday celebrations will be.

Keep to a  Routine

One of the best things you can do throughout it all is to stay to a familiar  schedule. This means taking walks at the same time that you always do, and  feeding at the same time as usual. It might help to create an alarm system on  your mobile phone to remind you of your pet’s daily routine. Also, don’t forget  to take time to play and show affection, so that your pet does not feel thrown  off balance by all of the activity and distractions.