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8 Ways Meditation Can Change Your Life

8 Ways Meditation Can Change Your Life

We can’t imagine what life would be like without meditation. It has seen us through tough times and many life  changes, keeping us sane and grounded and real. Life is challenging enough; we  can never know what will arise next and only when our minds are clear and  focused can we make the best decisions.

How are you able to deal with the madness and chaos that occurs daily? How do you deal with the challenges  of life? Meditation is highly misunderstood and often under-rated yet is perhaps  what it takes to be a truly sane person. How does meditation affect us? How does  it shift our priorities, enable us to make friends with ourselves, to find  answers to our questions?

Here are eight ways meditation can make your life more meaningful and  enjoyable!

1. Living With Kindness

No one deserves your kindness and compassion more than yourself. Every time you  see or feel suffering, every time you make a mistake or say something stupid and  are just about to put yourself down, every time you think of someone you are  having a hard time with, every time you encounter the confusion and difficulty  of being human, every time you see someone else struggling, upset, or irritated,  you can stop and bring loving kindness and compassion. Breathing gently,  silently repeat: May I be well, may I be happy, May I be filled with loving  kindness.

2. Lightening the Load

In a stressed state, it is easy to lose touch with inner peace, compassion  and kindness; in a relaxed state, your mind is clear and you can connect with a  deeper sense of purpose and altruism. Meditation and  medication are derived from the Latin word medicus, to care or  to cure. A time of quiet calmness is, therefore, the most effective remedy for a  busy and overworked mind. Anytime you feel stress rising, heart closing, mind going into overwhelm,  just bring your focus to your breathing and quietly repeat with each in- and  out-breath: Breathing in, I calm the body and mind; breathing out, I  smile.

3. Letting Go of Me

Stillness is always there between the thoughts, behind the story, beneath the  noise. What keeps us from experiencing our natural state of being is the  habitual and ego-dominated monkey mind. Meditation enables us to see clearly, to  witness our thoughts and behavior and reduce self-involvement. Without such a  practice of self-reflection there is no way of putting a brake on the ego’s  demands. From being self-centered, we can become other-centered, concerned about  the welfare of all.

4. Dissolving Anger and Fear

We do not accept or release our negative feelings so easily; we are more likely to repress  or disown them. But when denied they cause shame, depression, anger, and  anxiety. Meditation invites you to openly meet these places, and to see how  selfishness, aversion and ignorance create endless dramas and fears. Beneath  these is a quiet stillness where you can get to know yourself; this is a  wondrous and beautiful experience. Whether you practice for just ten minutes a  day or longer does not matter. You are releasing your limitations, while opening  to self-acceptance and awareness.

5. Awakening Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself and  others. As you sit in meditation and watch your thoughts and feelings moving  through you, so you can observe that who you are now is not who you were just a  moment ago, let alone a day, a week, or a month ago. Who you, or someone else,  was when pain was caused is not who you are now. When you experience your  essential interconnectedness you see how the ignorance of this creates  separation and suffering, so that forgiveness for such ignorance arises  spontaneously.

6. Generating Harmlessness

Simply through the intent to cause less pain you can bring greater dignity to  your world, so that harm is replaced with harmlessness and disrespect with  respect. Harm is usually caused unintentionally, whether by ignoring someone’s  feelings, putting yourself down, reaffirming your hopelessness, disliking your  appearance, or seeing yourself as incompetent or unworthy. How much resentment,  guilt, or shame are you holding on to, thus perpetuating harmfulness? Meditation  enables you transform this through recognizing your essential goodness and the  preciousness of all life.

7. Appreciating Appreciation

Take a moment to appreciate the chair you are sitting on. Consider how the  chair was made: the wood, cotton, wool, or other fibers, the trees and plants  that were used, the earth that grew the trees, the sun and rain, the animals  that maybe gave their lives, the people who prepared the materials, the factory  where the chair was made, the designer and carpenter and seamstress, the shop  that sold it—all this just so you could be sitting here, now. Then extend that  deep appreciation to everything and everyone in your life.

8. Being Aware

Awareness is the key to awakening. Through awareness you can see your monkey  mind and all its mischief. Almost everything we do is to achieve something: if  we do this, then we will get that; if we do that, then this will happen. But in  meditation you do it just to do it. There is no ulterior purpose other than to  be here, in the present moment, without trying to get anywhere or achieve  anything. You are just aware of whatever is happening, whether pleasant or  unpleasant. No judgment, no right or wrong. Simply being aware. Enjoy!

Let Me Breathe: A Simple Abundance Meditation

Let Me Breathe: A Simple Abundance Meditation

It’s okay that you feel afraid, wild one, but it is not serving you. Pause  for a moment to release it now, and then return to this meditation any time you  feel the shadows begin to creep back in. Take a long, deep breath into your body  and then release it. Wonderful, do that again… breathe in even more slowly and  more deeply, holding it in for a moment and the release that breath from every  corner of your being, and hold that emptiness for a moment as well. Good. Now,  read along as you continue to breathe these same deep, cleansing breaths.

Let me breathe in the transformative love that flows with ease through  the universe, and breathe out the fear that aches in my chest. Let me breathe in  the healing light of the thousand angels who are holding me in this moment… and  breathe out the dark whispers that echo in my mind. Let me breathe in the warmth  of my spirit community and breathe out the lie of isolation. Let me breathe in  the simplicity I long for, and breathe out the hurt and complexities of  yesterday. Let me breathe in my wild and passionate nature, and breathe out  every obstacle to openness. Let me breathe in the truth that I AM, I AM… and  breathe out resistance to love. Let me breathe in divine abundance and then,  breathe out the need to deny the divine within. Let me breathe in the eternal  flow of love and abundance… and then breathe out to  release all that no longer  serves me.

Need An App for Meditating (Boy, they have everything these days, lol!)

Free Guided Meditation Tool

Have you been wanting to get into  meditation but didn’t know where to start? There’s an app for  that!

Former monk-turned-meditation-guru Andy Puddicombe wants everyone to learn  the power of meditation, and his Headspace project is all about helping people  learn how to meditate. His Headspace app for iPhone or Android is a powerful tool for  anyone looking to learn the basics of meditation and start a regular  practice.

If you’re not familiar with Puddicombe, check out his inspiring TED Talk  above about the power of taking 10 minutes to meditate each day. Or, as he calls  it “doing nothing.”

I just started using the app recently, and I’m already loving it! The basic  program is a series of ten ten-minute meditation practices, which you go through  in order. Each day builds on the previous day’s practice. After that, there are  a couple hundred other meditations that you can try in any order that you like,  though the additional programs are not free.

Before you do your first meditation, he also walks you through a short series  of videos to help you get in the right headspace for your practice. He  emphasizes that meditation is a skill, and that you shouldn’t force it. One of  the things I’m digging most about this program is that he frequently reminds you  that it’s OK if your mind wanders and it’s OK to have conscious thoughts while  you’re meditating. The key is noticing when that happens and observing those  things without letting them effect you.

I also love the tone of the program. There is no new-agey music, creepy  whispering narrator, or strange sound- or voice-effects. He just calmly walks  you through each day’s exercise. If you prefer more of a new-age spin on  meditation, this app might not be for you.

Take Ten, Day One  Video

This is the introductory video from the Headspace Take Ten series. The rest  of the series is available via the Headspace app for iPhone or Android.

Daily Feng Shui Tip for August 12 – "Peridot"

The birthstone most associated with August is the peridot, a beautiful green gemstone that is sometimes mistaken as an emerald. According to ancient traditions, wearing a peridot close to the skin will reduce stress of all sorts while also freeing the mind from anger and guilt. It has also long been believed that wearing peridot jewelry can slow the aging process while increasing endurance, confidence and self-esteem. This gemstone brings those blessings even if you weren’t born in August, so if this information rings true, then this might just be the most perfect jewelry for you.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Let’s Talk Witch – Broke Any Mirrors Recently, What to do, What to do????

Witchy Comments

Let’s Talk Witch – Broke Any Mirrors Recently, What to do, What to do????

Mirrors are the perfect example of household furnishings that have been fraught with superstition. Probably the most common belief concerning mirrors is that their breakage causes seven years of bad luck. Whatever the origins of this belief, here are some methods to counteract the curse.

*Throw salt over your shoulder.

*Directly after breaking the mirror, turn around three times counterclockwise.

*Burn the mirror or at least blacken its shards in the flames of a fire. Save the fragments for a year and then bury them, and the curse will be counteracted (so you’ve only had to live through one year of bad luck).

*On the first night after breaking the mirror, light seven white candles and blow them out at midnight with one breath.

*Touch a tombstone with a piece of mirror, and the hex will be lifted.

Any of these rites can be used but bear in mind that the “curse” of the broken mirror is usually a self-created one.

Isn't This A Fantastic Monday, dear friends & family!


How ya’ doing? Miss me? Yeah right, ya’ll didn’t even notice I was missing. Did you? Well I have missed all of you and it is great to be back. Especially great to have the hand out of the cast, lol. It has been hot and nasty around here and my hand started itching. You ever tried to scratch an itch under about four layers of plaster? I got the old coat hanger and scratched away. But I also thought about gnawing the hand off, lol! The itch was an itch the coat hanger just couldn’t satisfy , you know!

Anyway it  is great to be back. We are getting ready to get this show on the road, so get yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy!

Luv & Hugs,

Lady A

August 12 is National Thank You Day

 

Spell to Gain Energy

Spell to Gain Energy

 

You need:

bright red or orange candle
spicy incense
glass of clear pure cold water
bowl of sea salt
 

If is sunny out you may want to start the spell by going outside for a few minutes and breathing in some fresh air. Sit in front of the candle and say:

Give me energy to happily complete the task I have been given to do. I will feel better for having done it. The completion of the task will be my reward.

Sprinkle the sea salt around the candle and say:

Give me strength, O sacred Earth.

Pass your hand near the candle and say:

Give me strength, O sacred Fire.

Pass your hand through the smoke of the incense and say:

Give me strength, O sacred Air.

Drink the water down and say:

Give me strength O sacred water.

Now immediately get up and go do your task.

Stop Nightmares Spell

Stop Nightmares Spell

Items You Will Need:

  • scarf (white or cream colors work best)
  • 4 cloves
  • pinch of basil
  • pinch of ground sage
  • lavender or vanilla oil (whatever you find more soothing)
  • black marker
  • white ribbon

The Spell

Lay the scarf out. You will be putting spices into it.  Place the spices (ground sage, 4 cloves, basil) into the scarf and add 2 drops of oil.  Gather the scarf at the top (like a moneybag) and tie it with the ribbon.  On the outside of the scarf draw the nightmare that plagues you (e.g. spiders, falling, whatever).  Place the scarf under your pillow and sleep with it there.

 

The Witches Spell for August 9th: Spell to Rekindle Love

 

The Witches Spell for August 9th

Spell to Rekindle Love

You will need:

A white birthday candle

One white or silver 8-inch taper candle

Jasmine oil

White parchment paper

A small jar

Silver cord

Begin by chipping the wax away at the bottom of the candle so you have two wicks. Next, carve two stars onto one side of the candle. Carve your initials into one star and the initials of your loved one on the other star. Anoint the candle with the jasmine oil as you chant:

“As the stars doth rise above, I beckon forth the return of love.”

Lay the candle aside and write the name of your loved on the parchment paper. Place the jar on top of the paper. Light the birthday candle and drip the wax from it onto the top of the jar, and then affix the silver candle to the top of the jar so that it will permit it to burn from both ends. When the candle is solidly attached, light both ends as you chant:

“Dark starry night, and candle light,
End forever this loveless plight.
Bring back my lover to me,
For this I will,
So Mote It Be!”

Stay with the candle until it burns out. Tie up the parchment paper into a small packet and place under your pillow. Keep it there until your loved one returns.

Let's Talk Witch – The Magick Within You

Let’s Talk Witch

The Magick Within You

In order to use your magic you must be able to meditate and concentrate. You must be able to visualize the magic; see what you want to have happen, happen in your mind. With your concentration, you will be able build a huge amount of energy that you can use for your magic.

Once there is enough energy build up, direct it to the place you want it to go. History says that Wiccans used to make use of “athame” a special ritual knife for directing their magic. If you don’t have an athame, you can use your finger. Remember, the magic is in you, not the tools that you use.

Also keep in mind, never use magic to hurt people, though you could be kidding about turning them into frogs (you wish you could!), but the psychology of the person you teased can really be disturbed. Hence use your finger for the good of people, never point at someone even if you’ve got something uncommon going on.

The change that magic can bring about is not something a person can easily understand. You have so much power within you and with that power you can do so much. Some of us decide to unleash our powers while others, because of lack of proper advice, because of rumours stay back and watch their lives go on without any change…

As a Wiccan, you must follow ethical codes. You should only use your magic for betterment and never to hurt. You must remember this always. The power of magic is so immense, so great that if you master it, people will feel it. Whether they’re close to you or not, they will feel you and your powers.

Try doing this, if you throw a stone in the water, you will see ripples moving away from the centre of where you threw the stone. Now the stone is your magic, you are the centre and the ripples are your energy and power. Imagine your energy moving away from you and as they move out, the affect everything that the come across. You have it in you to change the lives of people.

You do create the magic and restore the health and happiness of people you care for or those who seek you to help them. Like in Spiderman, I’d like to quote that “with great power, comes great responsibility”; the responsibility to adhere to your ethics, towards mankind, animals, the Earth and yourself.

Energy Healing, Herbal Magic & Protection Charms – A Wiccan Practical Guide (The Practical Wicca series) Audrin, Alice F.

Daily Feng Shui News for Aug. 9th – 'Book Lover's Day'

On this ‘Book Lover’s Day’ I thought I might share an ancient and intuitive technique for using a book to answer any of life’s concerning questions. A South American shaman once showed me how to employ these energies in my own life, so now I’d like to take a page out of that book and share this technique with you. Whenever you have a pressing personal or professional question that you just cannot seem to find a solution to, you should first grab the first book that you see. Then sit quietly in a chair with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your back straight. Keeping the book on your lap, place your left hand atop the cover and silently ask your question. Wait a few minutes and then open the book to any page. Write down the very first sentences that you see. Those sentences will have the answer to your question contained within them. This technique has always worked well for me, especially whenever I’m moving into new chapters of my life. I hope it offers a wonderful reading experience for you too.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Exploring Your Crystals

Exploring Your Crystals

For this visualisation exercise, choose one of your favourite crystals, one you already know quite well. A good place to hold the crystal for this exercise is at the solar plexus.

1. Sit in a relaxed comfortable position, holding the stone in both hands. Take a few moments just to relax and focus on the crystal in your hands.

2. Slowly let your awareness float down into the crystal until you reach a point where you seem to come to rest.

3. In your minds eye, identify how the crystal feels to you. is it warm or damp, cool or dry, smooth or rough? Take a minute or two to explore the energy of the crystal through your inner touch.

4. Now relax again and turn your attention to any quality of sound within the crystal, whether it appears to be a tone, a pulse or a tune. Is it high or low? Simple or complex? Listen to the sound of the crystal for a few moments, then relax again.

5. Take a few deep breaths, then imagine you are breathing in the crystal’s energy through your nostrils. What smell, what taste does the crystal have? Can you identify it?

6. Relax once more, then open your inner eyes. Imagine what the structure and the energy of your crystal looks like: the quality of light, the images, the landscapes, scenes and figures that may be related to you. Don’t attempt to analyze what you see. Just let the imagery play before your eyes.

7. Now become aware once more of the crystals taste, its smell, its sounds and its touch. Very gradually bring your awareness out of the crystal and become more aware of your body and the world around you. Record notes in your journal so that you may remember your experiences.

Crystal Purification Incense

Crystal Purification Incense

2 parts Frankincense

2 parts Copal

1 part Sandalwood

1 part Rosemary

1 pinch finely powdered Salt

1 sm. purified Quartz Crystal point

To use, pour a bit of the incense (leaving the crystal in the jar) onto charcoal. Smolder, and pass the crystals to be purified through the smoke, visualizing the smoke wafting away the stone’s impurities. This incense can be used in conjunction with other recommended purifying rituals, or in place of them.

Incense To Cleanse Crystal Jewelry

Incense To Cleanse Crystal Jewelry

2 parts wood aloe

1 part mace (the outside covering of nutmeg)

1 part gum arabic

1 part benzoin

Grind the ingredients together and burn in a censer or an earthenware saucer. Pass crystals and jewellery through the smoke several times visualising the fumes purifying the object. Best performed outside for the practical fact of smoke alarms.

Crystals

Crystals

A crystal is a body that is formed by the solidification of a chemical element, a compound, or a mixture of them, and has a regularly repeating internal arrangement of its atoms and often external plane faces. But it’s more than that. A crystal is one of the many bounties of the Earth’s crust. They are a powerful tool and correspond directly to the element of Earth, but also the Air, Fire and Water. Each crystal has it’s own vibration and thus each vibration corresponds to a correspondences such as healing, protection, relaxation etc. Because each crystal does have a vibration, a larger crystal is not any more powerful than a smaller one. A larger one might look better, but not everyone has the means for such a thing.

Several crystals have the same correspondences, but, to chose which one you want you must first have a look at all those crystals without touching them. See which one has an effect on you. Now, when the crystal has been chosen, or when the crystal has chosen you, you must individually have a look at the crystals, Separate the ones which you like from the ones you don’t like just by having a look at them. Then, pick up each crystal in you receptive hand, opposite to the power hand, so if you are right handed it’s your left hand, and close your hand into a gentle fist. Feel the crystals pulse, it should be like a gentle drum rhythm, it could be very fast, or slow. You will feel whether the crystal is right for you, or not. The crystals vibration will complement yours and act like a ‘lock and key’ to your aura in the sense that they will blend. The crystal will let you know if it is not for you.

A newly bought crystal should be cleansed. This could be as long as a whole moon phase, with elemental cleansings, or just a simple mental cleansing. Before buying that particular crystal, it would have been touched my many people, and been next to many people who might have been upset, angry, sad etc. So this may effect you. To cleanse, it could simply be a dip in salty water, being buried over night in the ground, gone through crystal cleansing incense (or frankincense, sandalwood or just about anything for that matter, maybe even a herbal blend for the crystals purpose), being placed on a bed of quartz crystal, being passed through a flame, fairly quickly, being brushed with a feather, being placed overnight in moon light, or sunlight. Be careful because some crystals fade or lose color from being held in the sun, some even disolve in water, or may react with the candle flame, so be careful.

Feng Shui Tip for August 8th – 'Power of Eight'

Today’s energies make it the perfect day to activate the ‘power of eight’ inside your living space. Download an infinity symbol and trace over it eight times with a gold ink marker or pen. Place this image upright (never lying on its side) in the ‘Wealth’ area of your office, living room or even in the upper left hand side of your desk. It is believed that when placed with intention on this day, this symbol will bring great abundance, good health, wonderful relationships and protection from things that go bump in the night.

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

Your Animal Spirit for August 8th is The Horse

Your Animal Spirit for Today
August 8, 2013

Horse

When Horse came back to the Americas, he brought with him the ability to move rapidly from place to place—and it’s this rapid movement that he brings to you today. Get up, get out of the rut you’ve created. Grab Horse’s mane, pull yourself onto his back and let him carry you across the plains of your life. The time for being stuck is over.

Daily Aromatherapy – Scented Beeswax Heart

Daily Aromatherapy – Scented Beeswax Heart

 

Scent a room with this decorative accent. Use a cookie cutter to cut a heart shape from a sheet of natural beeswax. Wrap the heart in cheesecloth and infuse it with a few drops of Rose Otto. Place the wrapped heart in a plastic bag for a week. Remove and discard the cloth and glue a ribbon hanger to the back of the heart. You can even decorate it with dried flowers and a bow. Hang it in the kitchen or
even the bath!!
)0(

 

Brought to you by AromaThyme.com –  http://www.aromathyme.com

The Witches Spell for August 6th – CURSED OR BLESSED

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CURSED OR BLESSED

You need:

Piece of burlap

piece of wool

piece of silk

Some polished stones (polished) from a river or stream

A live leaf

A bowl of fruit and/or bread

A dead branch

 

Lay the silk, wool and burlap at the foot of your bed in that order. About 5 feet from the foot of your bed, toward the left, lay the branch. About 5 feet from the foot of your bead, toward the right, place the bowl.  The branch is the barren curse and the bowl is the bountiful life that withers the curse.  Lay one stone on each cloth then lay a path from the wool, straight down the center, between the bowl and the branch.  The stones must touch. At the end lay the leaf.  By laying the stones, you show respect for the fates and the balance of life.  Light three candles and incense and meditate over the rite.  Sleep without touching the items.  When you wake, watch how much the stones have moved.  If they bias the branch, you are cursed.  If they bias the bowl, you are blessed.  If it doesn’t move, no outside force is affecting you.  If you are cursed, how far it has moved will determine the strength of the curse. Reset the path, and that night, light the three candles and the incense and meditate again over the rite.  Sleep again without touching anything. The path should have moved less than the first time.  Repeat this every night until the path stays in the middle.  Next, move the path toward the bowl following the same meditation and sleep process as before.  Continue this every night until the path stays at the bowl.  When it has done so, you may complete the rite.  Touch nothing, but for the three following nights, meditate over the rite, to seal your new fate.  The stones must be returned to the river or stream where you got them from .  The branch must be returned to the forest floor where you found it, and the leaf cast to the wind.  The bowl of fruit must be eaten,  and the cloth must be saved in a dark place, undisturbed.

Daily Feng Shui News for Aug. 6 – 'National Fresh Breath Day'

If you’re certain that your occasional bad breath is not caused by digestive difficulties, gum disease or any other chronic conditions, then take advantage of today’s ‘National Fresh Breath Day’ tips from the world of all-natural medicine. Immerse two sprigs of fresh parsley in white vinegar and chew it in order to sweeten what comes out of your mouth. Or you can mix two drops of peppermint essential oil in a glass of warm water and swish, but never swallow. After you spit out the first mouthful take another one and gargle and then spit it out too. Do this until the glass is empty. With all this beautiful breath going on you might now look at life as half-full — like a glass, that is!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com