Tag: Wine tasting descriptors

Crystal of the Day for March 3rd – KYANITE

Crystal of the Day

 

Kyanite 

Spiritual and Healing Properties of Kyanite:

Kyanite opens and clears the body’s communication centers. For channeling or meditation purposes it works best when it is worn near the throat chakra. Kyanite never needs cleaned or charged because it is self-caring, self-sustaining. It carries a very “light” energy that attracts light beings (angels, spirit guides, extraterresterials). Wonderful manifesting stone.

Remedy Benefits of Kyanite:

  • Balances chakras
  • Aids communication
  • Promotes telepathy
  • Brings tranquility
  • Boosts immune system
  • Manifesting properties
  • Induces dream recall

Symbolic Circle Casting

 

 Symbolic Circle Casting

 

The most popular magick circle is a symbolic one, physically cast by walking round the visualized circle area clockwise. It is visible psychically as a circle of light but not seen externally except by those with evolved clairvoyant light – and children.

You can make a symbolic circle before a simple outdoor spell and it is a good way of connecting with the earth energies.

Form the psychic light circle in the air about waist or kneed high, whichever feels more natural, with a pointed crystal or wand held in your power hand (or your index finger). Direct the point at about 45 degrees, casting the circle in front of you so you step into the emerging light and become empowered.

If you wish, you can make a circle-casting chant that you repeat either aloud or in your mind as you walk, for example:

May the circle be cast and so remain unbroken

May the love of the goddess be forever in our hearts

Blessings be.

If working in a group, some practitioners like to cast a symbolic clockwise circle straight after the introductory blessing and then welcome other members of the group into it. Drawing the psychic circle over head height at the planned entry point (north-west for a north-beginning circle or north-east for an east-initiated one). The guests enter at this psychic gateway and you can then finish off the circle when they have entered.

Personally I prefer to make the circle round the people once they have entered. You can enter the circle where you began casting it through a visualized doorway, sealing it afterwards.

Unless it is a real emergency people shouldn’t leave the circle during a ritual as this involves a lot of sealing and unsealing and psychic disturbance.

Cold Symptom Relief & Remedies

Cold Symptom Relief & Remedies

There are basic steps you can do to find relief from common cold symptoms. The key is choosing the right remedies for your individual symptoms.

 

The most common cold symptoms include: headache, nasal congestion, sore throat, runny nose, chest congestion, cough, and fatigue. To begin to feel better, you must decide what symptoms you have. The next step is deciding what to do to bring yourself relief.

1. Begin eating to relieve your symptoms. Avoid stressing your digestive tract with heavy or fried foods. Eat chicken noodle soup and other soups with a broth base. Fruits which are rich in vitamin C would be a healthier alternative to a piece of cake or a doughnut if you crave something sweet. Yogurt is also a healthy dessert option.

Also, taking a multi-vitamin everyday is very important. At the onset of cold symptoms, you can add a zinc supplement with vitamin C to help your body battle the virus more quickly. Drink warm teas. If you have a sore throat, relieve pain by mixing honey and lemon juice. Warm the mixture and sip slowly.

2. If you have chest congestion, nasal congestion, cough, or headache, begin by finding some eucalyptus oil. This is sold at most nutrition stores. You can also buy a small sprig of real or dried eucalyptus from a craft or artificial flower store.

Hang the eucalyptus sprig somewhere in your shower stall as you take a hot shower. The eucaylptus has theraputic effects on sinuses and nasal congestion. Not to mention, the hot water will help loosen any chest congestion.

The eucalyptus oil can be used in one of two ways. The first way you can simply wave the bottle or vial under your nose and inhale deeply a couple of times. Do this two to three times a day.

The second way is to pour a few drops into a small pot of water and bring to boil. Take the pot off the stove, place it in a comfortable location, make a tent with a towel, and hold head over the vapors. Breathe in and exhale deeply. This will ease nasal and chest congestion.

3. Get a cold mist humidifier. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to use. A cold mist humidifier does not dry out the bronchioles the way a steam vaporizer does. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for use and cleaning. If not properly cleaned, a cold mist humidifier can create the perfect condition for mold growth.

4. Get plenty of rest. If you are having trouble falling asleep, prepare yourself before bed. Take a long hot bath and place a warm washcloth over your face. Inhale and exhale through the moistened cloth. It wil help loosen congestion. It will also help relax you before bed.

After a hot bath, apply some vapor rub to your chest and neck. You can also apply a small amount to the underside of your nostrils to help clear breathing passages. Do not put the vapor rub inside the nose because the nose may be come irritated.

Drink a cup of warm tea but sip it slowly. Slow, calm movements will ease your body into a mood for restful slumber. Set up the cold mist humidifier in a sturdy place in your bedroom. Keep the door open you do not want too much moisture in your room either.

5. Avoid over the counter treatments unless absolutely necessary. They only mask the symptoms they usually do not treat them. Allow your body to build up its natural immunities to the cold germ. If you are exhausted from not sleeping all night, by all means get a night time cold remedy to help you sleep. Try not to rely on medication to get you through your days if you can help it.

The length of the common cold varies. It depends on how effectively it is treated. Once you relieve your body of the symptoms of the virus, recovery follows quickly.

Basic Soap Making Instructions

Basic Soap Making Instructions

  1. Read directions for recipe to make sure you have the required ingredients and gear.
  2. Use safety gloves and goggles or eyeglasses.
  3. Weigh the required amount of water (distilled is best) into one of the pitchers. To do this place an empty pitcher on the scale and set to zero. Now measure the amount of water.
  4. Using the same method as above weigh the lye needed in the second pitcher.
  5. Carefully pour the lye into the pitcher containing the water. You must avoid splashing-this is the most dangerous step! Never add the water to the lye.
  6. Stir solution gently with a wooden spoon until dissolved. Make sure you have sufficient ventilation. Resist the temptation to lean over the pitcher to get a good look. You do not want to breathe anywhere near this container.
  7. While the lye is cooling, melt the fats. The temperature of both must eventually be brought to 100 degrees simultaneously. If the lye solution cools too much, put the pitcher in a pan or bowl of hot water.
  8. Double-check the temperatures of the lye and fat solutions to be sure they are 100-110 degrees (equal temperature is desired).
  9. While stirring the fats, pour the lye solution into the melted fat/oil in a thin stream. Stir continuously to ensure the lye mixes into the fat.
  10. Continue stirring in a carefully manner to avoid splashing. The mixture should start thickening. You will eventually see “trailings” or lines on the surface. This could take 20 minutes to an hour, usually closer to one hour. Be careful using hand mixers as they can speed things up too much.
  11. Pour this liquid soap into your large plastic container mold. Put the lid on and wrap with the towel.
  12. Put the wrapped mold in a warm place and allow to set for 48 hours.
  13. After 48 hours, unwrap the mold. The soap should still be warm. If the surface is still very soft leave lid off for a day. When it is as firm it is ready to be removed from the mold.
  14. Remove soap from mold. To do this, first pull the plastic mold away from the soap on all sides. Then, turn the mold over onto the needle point screen or plastic. If it doesn’t fall out of the mold, push down on the upside down mold and it should pop out. You should have a nice clean block of soap ready to be cut into bars.
  15. First, score the surface where the cuts will be made. Then, warm the knife to be used in water. Dry the knife and cut the block into bars of soap.
  16. The hand cut bars still need to cure. They will become lighter in weight and slightly smaller. Place them on the plastic needlepoint screen for about three weeks.
  17. After one to two weeks, depending on the type of basic soap, you can try making milled soap!

The Path of Wisdom

The Path of Wisdom

Author: Crick

As I walk along an unexplored trail through the forest, I take notice that there are no obstructions in my way. There are no brambles waiting to snag me with their thorns. There are no fallen trees to stumble over. There is no wayward stream forcing me to forage across. There is only the solitude of the woods and the associated sounds of woodland life.

Above me in the branches of an old Elm tree are a couple of birds that are singing a morning duet. It is a song about joy and the happiness of life. Could this be a romantic tryst? Up ahead of me a King snake goes slithering quietly across the path. He emanates an indifference to his surroundings as he ponders solitary thoughts. Alas, a creature of stealth and mystery that one is.

In the creek that runs parallel to the path, are shiny black salamanders, gleefully enjoying the gentle currents of cool water. It glides over them, while they undulate like strands of dark grass beneath the surface of the shallow stream. Their thoughts may be minute but their existence is in tune with their surroundings.

As I pass an old Oak tree, I can see the tracks of a raccoon leading to a well-used hole situated in the base of the tree. Without a doubt, this young denizen is nestled deep within the trunk of this abiding oak, lost in a deep slumber. For a moment I wonder what it may be that she is dreaming of.

Suddenly I hear the splash of a small fish as it propels itself out of its natural environment into a momentary altered state of experience. Much like a human who has astral projected for the first time. I wonder if there is a change in its sense of reality as it briefly goes from one element to another. Or is it a fleeting experience that passes by un-noticed?

These thoughts lead me to think of my spiritual path which unlike this forest trail is fraught with obstacles placed by fellow humans. For unlike the many denizens of this quiet forest, humans do not adapt well to the environment in which they live. For as long as I can remember I have walked my personal path as an individual and yet many have been the obstacles placed before me by others who have stumbled across my path. The light glows before them but their eyes remain tightly closed.

Spiritual growth is the unique experience of each who walks such a trail and yet many are those who would insist otherwise. The mysteries of life are an experience that is related to the lessons each individual person requires to move forth. And yet there are many who will posture and claim to know the answers that are hidden from them within the mists. Fear of such unknowns spawns a false sense of arrogance and thus limits the ability to truly experience and thus find the understanding that is there for us all.

A spiritual path requires the freedom of mind and heart and the willpower and desire to achieve it. Empty words cast forth from a mass of humanity, is akin to a lonely sigh on a secluded mountaintop. No one truly hears it for there is none about to listen. For those who speak little but listen much, indeed, they will hear the whisper of wisdom as it goes quietly by like a soft springtime breeze. And yet there are many who would gladly lend their voices to the maddening din of transparent experiences, egos rising like a flock of geese, thus offering naught but another obstacle to one’s spiritual path.

We are each as different as the blades of grass that make up a vast field. Perhaps the sage approach is to listen as we each have a unique tale to tell. Though we may each walk a spiritual path our footfalls will not be exactly identical, each step along the path an experience within itself. But rather then live in synchronicity with each other, each of us striving to attain an awareness and understanding of our purpose in life, we would rather place obstacles one before the other.

And woe, are our bitter fruits, given to us by those who would choose to take shortcuts along the path of life. Such folks as these are the loudest of all who seek to place obstacles before others. And little do they care to be listening as the lessons of life present themselves to each of us whom walk this path. For such folks are spiritually apathetic and as such they continually seek the shortest route.

But as I walk along this unexplored path through the forest, I realize the parallels inherent between this woodland trail and my spiritual path. Knowing not where the shortcuts may lead, would I not prefer to follow the trail in its entirety and thus have the opportunity to absorb the experience of life as a whole?

Would I personally want to chance on missing out on important lessons that may advance my understanding of life and thus my spiritual growth by taking shortcuts? And would I choose to hide my lack of such knowledge gained through such an experience by being loud and boastful and eager to set obstacles before others who may be walking beside me? Or would I choose to be silent and let the sounds of this forest and in essence of life, make their presence known to me?

Alas, if I am to be true to the tenets of being an individual who is walking the path of life, then I can only answer for myself. I cannot pretend to be able to answer for others, for though their life experiences may be similar, they are still unique to that traveler. And the only way for me to learn from the experiences of others is to be silent and willing to listen.

Balancing one’s ego is a difficult task, but then the ego is attached to the earthbound soul and once freed from the path of humanity, it is left behind as the spirit sheds such obstacles and flies freely back home. And so as we travel our spiritual path, each individual must decide which is more important, the short-lived desires of the mundane human existence or the long-term goal of spiritual growth.

And so as I walk the last remaining yards of this forest path free of any obstacles, I know that within my heart I will continue to bypass and overcome the obstacles that my fellow humans will surely present me on the path of humanity.

Will you?

Element Meditation (Dragon Magick)

Element Meditation

(Dragon Magick)

 

 

You are standing on a hilltop next to your co-magician dragon. A crisp breeze blows around you, sweeping down into the small valley just beyond. You slowly become aware that the breeze is blowing through you as well as around you. You hear soft voices and sounds, many of them carried from the other side of the Earth. Any noise made anywhere around the globe remains in the jet stream until it finally fades away. You see the individual air molecules bump together as they speed past. You can taste the sharp ozone of an approaching storm as those molecules rasp against your skin. Your dragon leaps into the breeze, riding the currents leisurely.

You release the idea that you can’t fly and let the breeze carry you far above the hilltop. You swoop down toward the valley with your dragon, moving just above the trees, savoring the freedom this event gives you. Your minds opens to the freshness of ideas, letting the cobwebs blow away.

You look down to find you have quickly moved out over the ocean. Foam-capped waves roll toward the sandy beach, leaving behind driftwood and shells as they withdraw. Your dragon reassures you that being underwater will not harm you, as she or he dives deep into the ocean below. You follow and find the dragon spoke the truth. You allow yourself to spread out through the water, tasting the salt, smelling the fish that swirl around you as your pass, feeling the delicate but rough touch of a fin against your arm. As when in the air, you discover that sounds carry a long way through the water. The chatter of dolphins gets closer until several of them are swimming alongside., their funny smiles drawing your smile in return. Your emotional realm feels calm and washed clean. As the dolphins leap above the ocean surface in their lively dance, you too surface and see the red of hot lava and the wall of steam just ahead, where an active volcano joins the ocean.

“Don’t be afraid,” your dragon says. “You can’t be harmed.” The dragon soars straight toward the volcano and lands close beside the glowing lava stream.

As soon as your feet touch the ground beside your dragon, you become aware of many sensations you haven’t experienced before. You see small firedrakes moving freely in and out of the lava. You reach in and one climbs into your hand. The two of you look at each other for a few moment before the small dragon leaps back into the hot lava. You realize you felt only a slight warmth and the prickle of tiny claws when you held the firedrake. The lava hisses and crackles where it meets the cold of the water, sending a burning smell into the air. The energy of Fire begins to course through your astral body, filling you to overflowing with a desire to move, to be active.

As you and your dragon fly away from the volcano toward a lush tropical forest, you realize you need the grounding of the element of Earth. Your astral body has absorbed an imbalance of Air, Fire, and Water. You dive straight down at the ground, entering the Earth without a sound and without a sign left behind of your entrance. You flip over to lie on your back, your arms spread wide in the soft soil. You hear small noises made by creatures who inhabit the ground, but none come near you. Each intake of breath fills your senses with a rich odor of dirt and the scent of flowers. You relax and take in needed Earth energy to balance you. You hear your dragon sigh with pleasure as she or he also soaks up Earth power. Your astral body comes back into balance.

You pop out of the ground to stand beside your co-magician dragon. You see a small double vortex hanging in the air above the tropical forest. Your dragon explains that you are seeing an example of the Storm element, an energy field that moves both clockwise and counterclockwise as the same time and the element used to create massive changes in all things. At any future time, when you feel this type of change is necessary, you can enter the Storm element.

(End of meditation)

I didn’t take you into the Storm element because entering that is a very personal decision and really does create transformation. Only each Dragon Shaman can decide when she or he is ready for that experience. If you delay this decision, knowing that it is important, the Chaos dragons will introduce you to the Storm element. I’ve discovered that their insight into my experiencing Storm is better than mine, so I wait. It will come, more than once in your life.

 

“Mystical Dragon Magick”

Teaching of the Five Inner Rings

D. J. Conway

Water Witch Lore – Rains

Water Witch Lore – Rains

One of the most obscure and most exciting natural phenomena is colored rains. During the evaporation process, the rain sometimes picks up colored pigments in the dust or dirt near an area or in the atmosphere. The result is rain that leaves a colored stain on the ground or on exposed objects. There have been reports of green, yellow, black red, and brown rain in various places all over the world.

In 2001, almost the entire country of India was visited by colored rain. Scientists theorized that it was due to a meteorite stirring up dust in the atmosphere. A few years earlier, Afghanistan was visited by yellow rain, which was thought to be caused by a heavy concentration of pollen in the air.

The red rains have been referred to as “rains of blood” by many and can be quite alarming if one does not know what they are. The red minerals picked up over clay-laden lands can cause this rain to be bright scarlet, exactly like blood. Cases have been investigated for hundreds of years in the southeastern states of the United States. The most amazing part of the blood-rain cases is that man eyewitnesses claimed that actual tissue matter fell along with th rain. Scientists ay this is an exaggeration due to a hysterical reaction to red rain, but other reports speculate that it may possibly have been bird tissue.

The red rains are thought to be more dangerous than the other colors of rain. It has been said that the red rain burned those it fell upon. As red is also the color of anger, this is not at all surprising. but what is surprising is the sudden appearance of swarms of butterflies directly after a red rain.

In parts of the world that boast of extremely high mountains, red and pink snow has been known to fall. This is commonly called “watermelon snow” and has been said to even smell like watermelon. Aristotle mentioned this type of colored snow in one of his works. Other colors of snow include green, yellow, and orange, although they are not as common as watermelon snow.

Different Types of Dragons You Might Encounter

Different Types of Dragons You Might Encounter

 
 
Dragons are much the same as other astral entities, although I have yet to meet an “evil” dragon. Their view of what is vital to your growth and advancement may exceed your present abilities to perform. To dragons, the physical is simply a hindrance that they tend to ignore. After listening to their advice, carefully consider if you can or should make the changes now or at all. Be certain that you are not holding back because of fear of the unknown or simple laziness. And always look at the end results sure to occur from taking action. You, and only you, are responsible for your life, regardless of where you received the advice you decided to follow.
 
The types of dragons who are attracted to you will be the ones who have the most to offer you at the present time. Before rejecting a dragon find out what she/he has to teach you. Be brutally truthful with yourself. If you find that you need what the dragon offers, but do not feel that you can endure the teaching and results in large doses, do some negotiating. Present your case for a modified lesson plan; be plain-spoken about your emotional and mental inability to withstand the great stresses of immediate and upheaving change. When you do start working with a particular dragon on specific issues in your life, make an honest effort. As long as you are trying, even though you fall short at times, the dragon will be patient.
 
You can also acquire a personal dragon guardian. The guardian dragon does not automatically come into this life with you as does your spiritual guardian. It is a personal choice by that dragon(or dragons), just as one would choose a close friend. Although you can attract guardian dragons by cultivating certain attitudes and atmospheres, they can show up without any encouragement at all. They are gregarious little creatures, full of curiosity and mischief, who enjoy their own brand of practical jokes and the company of humans and animals.
 
Although guardian dragons tend to be fun-loving creatures who enjoy a good laugh, they are very serious about protecting you and your property. You might think of them as a spiritual watch-dog with boundless energy, influence and power. Cultivating their friendship helps when dealing with ritual with the other dragons. If you do not develop the friendship of your guardian dragon, the other dragon powers are not likely to be so cooperative.
 
Not all dragons are the same, no more so than are humans. They each have their own personalities. Their appearances vary according to the subspecies to which they belong, as do their special talents. Even individual dragons within a subspecies have identifying characteristics, markings and bodily appearances. Dragons can be even more individualistic than we are.

Different species of dragons have different abilities and interests. Dragons connected with the element of Fire, or those of fire and volcanoes, for example, are primarily effective in getting thing moving or tearing down impossible barriers. Wind and Air dragons are creatures of creative and mental aspects. Water dragons help stabilize emotions, heal emotional pain and point you in the right direction to discover love and friendship. Earth dragons are interested in the acquiring of material possessions and the accomplishment of goals. These are very general descriptions of dragon interests and abilities, as draconic abilities over lap in many areas. It is best to work with a balance of types of dragons, with one particular dragon-aspect predominating, according to the intent of the ritual.
 
Above all, a magician must know her/himself, all the good and bad habits, and face them squarely. There cannot be any self-delusion if ritual is to be effective and positive in nature. And why would anyone want their rituals to be negative when there will eventually be such a price to pay?
 
The magician may choose to begin working dragon magick as an effort to better the physical life, and this is not a bad or wrong procedure. Working on physical needs and desires, and seeing them manifest, gives a budding magician great trust in her/his inner powers. When the physical body and the surrounding are in which the magician must life and work are well and cared for, when there is less struggle and strife in life, then the next logical step for the balanced person is to seek spiritual enlightenment.
 
After all, when the very foundation of magick and ritual is finally uncovered the magician finds that all ritual and spell working is meant to be a means for spiritual growth and development. Whether or not we choose to follow that upward path is an individual responsibility. We are each responsible for our choices in life, how we react to the choices of others around us, even to our being here in the first place. We have no right to place any blame on others for what is going worn in our lives. If you make a wrong decision, change it and learn from the experience. Dancing with the dragons can make this life-path a little easier and a lot more interesting.
 
 
Dancing with Dragons
D. J. Conway

Earth Goddesses – CORN WOMAN

Earth Goddesses – CORN WOMAN 

In Native American lore, it is the Corn Woman who is known as the “first mother.” It is said that there was once a time of great famine. The Corn Woman went to her husband and asked that he kill her. The husband, distraught, went to the tribe’s teacher, who confirmed that he must do as his wife asked. With great reluctance, he complied. He dragged her body around a field and burned her in the center of it. In a few months, corn and tobacco filled the field, saving the tribe from starvation.

In the Pawnee tribe, Corn Woman held rule over the west, while Buffalo Woman held the east. Together they guaranteed that the tribe had both meat and corn.

In one of the earliest tales, we find that the Corn Woman emerged from an older world, one in which animals were not slaughtered for food and hides but rather were treated as kin. The old world had a greater respect for life, be it animal or human. The people began to lose balance and greed crept in. The deer set forth a punishment for any who would eat of its flesh – man’s first known disease. Corn Woman thought it was time to begin again and restore balance and harmony to the people.

She watched her grandsons preparing to go out to hunt and asked them to stay. She said she would cook the finest meal they had ever tasted. The grandsons replied that they were hunters and must hunt, Corn Woman nodded sadly and went about creating her meal, but not before she asked her grandsons to respect the animal life they came across in the forest. The grandsons laughed.

Corn Woman cooked, all the while singing and blessing the food. When her grandsons returned home, she saw that they had killed a wild pig. She said nothing. They sat down and began to eat of her feast. Loudly, the grandsons proclaimed the food the best they had ever tasted and proceeded to eat their fill. They asked her where she had gotten the corn, but she did not answer. She just listened to the compliments and smiled.

The next day, the young men again reached for their weapons. Corn Woman cooked again. The aromas from her kitchen reached them out in the woods as they hunted. That day, they brought home a slain deer. Corn Woman said nothing. The grandsons gifted her with the deer, and she recognized it as an honor and so returned it to the forest. She sang long into the night, invading the dreams of her grandsons.

When they awoke the next morning, instead of reaching for their weapons, the grandsons asked Corn Woman to make them breakfast. She did and they ate until they were sleepy again. When they awoke from their naps, they gathered their weapons and set about preparing to hunt. Corn Woman asked the not to go. She said, “we have so much food already.” The grandsons said they were hunters and set out toward the forest. Corn Woman called after them to respect animal life.

While on the hunt, one of the young men asked the other where Corn Woman got all the corn she was using to cook with. The other man replied that he did not care and the he knew Corn Woman would only give him what was good for him. They returned home with a turkey but once again sat down to a delightful meal of corn.

After many days of wondering, the younger of the two grandsons decided to sneak back to the home and find out where Corn Woman was getting all of the corn. As he watched, she slapped her sides and the corn fell out of her body and into a basket at her side. He ran to tell his older brother. The eldest grandson was upset. He said. “this is a bad thing, an unnatural thing. We cannot eat our grandmother. Something has taken hold of her.”

That night the grandsons returned home in fear. Corn Woman piled their plates high but the two could not eat. Her heart grew heavy as she realized that they knew her secret. She began to age rapidly before their eyes. The youngest started to cry and beg forgiveness. Corn Woman replied, “Listen well, child. For I have no long as I am to tell you all you need know. I am the Corn Mother. I a her for your abundance, harmony, health and peace. When I pass, you are to drag my body through the field and plant me in the center. I will come back to you as tall, glorious plant, with yellow hair at my fruit. Do not eat all of the seeds; save some for the planting again the next year, so that I might be with you forever.” The grandsons swore to do as she wished. Thereafter they refused to hunt unless they were on the verge of starvation. Hence, balance and harmony returned to the people.

In the Navajo tribe, we find variations of the Corn Woman. According to Navajo beliefs, there was a Corn Girl (yellow corn) and a Corn Boy (white corn) sent forth by the creator god to bring corn to the tribe. Corn was sacred and the main food of the people and was also used in religious ceremonies. Shaman’s masks were fed corn meal to “bring them into being,” or animate them.

The Aztecs have their own version of the Corn Woman in Chicomecoatl, the goddess of sustenance. It was thought that yearly sacrifices held in her honor assured a good crop. Each year a young girl was chosen to represent Chicomecoatl and was ritually decapitated. Her blood was poured over a statue of the goddess as an offering. She was skinned and her flesh was them worn by a priest.

The Hopi and Pueblo tribes have the Blue Corn Maiden as their representative of Corn Woman. On a cold winter day, the Blue Corn Maiden went out in search of firewood. Normally this was not a task for her. While she was out searching, she ran across Winter Katsina, the spirit of winter. When Winter Katsina saw the Blue Corn Maiden, he immediately feel in love. He took her back to his house, whereupon he blocked the door and windows with ice and snow. He was very kind to her, but she was sad. She wanted to go home and make the blue corn grow for her people.

While Winter Katsina was out one day going about his duties, Blue Corn Maiden sneaked out and found four blades of Yucca plant. She stated a fire. As she did, in walked Summer Katsina, carrying more yucca and blue corn. When Winter Katsina returned, the two fought. Seemingly getting nowhere, they sat down to talk. They agreed that Blue Corn Maiden would live half the year with her people, during the reign of Summer Katsina, and the people would have corn. During the other half of the year, she would live with Winter Katsina, and the people would have no corn.

Calling The Dragon

Calling The Dragon

This ritual is for exactly what it states calling the Dragon or Dragons to
project their presence with such clarity that there is no question of knowing
that they are here. A greater reason for calling a Dragon into stronger presence is the stronger the auric vibrations of such a creature within the circle the stronger the ritual and power sent into your motivation for the ritual. When you use the Dragon call and feel the presence of one or more Dragons it is important that they are treated with respect. Take time to get acquainted with them before asking their help. Remember most Dragons are beneficial and helpful, but all Draconic temperaments are extremely sensitive so treat them with the greatest respect.

Ritual of Calling

Notes: Perform during bright noon or the waxing Moon for increasing magick, with the Full Moon being strongest; during evening hours or the waning Moon for decreasing magick, with the New Moon being the strongest. Use this ritual in conjunction with any spellworking. This ceremony is primarily used to summon the Dragon for a manifestation whether it be the rare physical type or, more likely the sharpening of the inner sight.

Supplies: Pentacle disk; Dragon pentacle; water chalice with a little fresh
water in it; dish of salt; wine chalice; black (left) and white (right) altar
candles; sword; wand; incense burner; appropriate incense; dragon’s blood and mugwort; dragon mirror; gong or bell; staff; paper and pen to write down any messages.

Use the Basic Dragon Ritual up to the insertion point of necessary chants for
specific Spellworkings. Hold the sword in power hand and staff in the other
while standing facing the altar and tap the staff three times on the floor while holding the sword pointed at the Dragon Pentacle. Chant in tones that vibrate body:

Come Draconis! By Your All-consuming Breath, I summon you. (tap staff three times)By Your Piercing Gaze, I Summon You (tap staff three times)By Your Mighty Strength, I Summon You (tap staff three times)By Your Wisdom Ancient and Cunning, I Summon You (tap staff three times)By Your Magick Deep and Old, I Summon You (tap staff three times)Come, Draconis, To My Call!

Once done summoning the Dragons it will be possible to feel power being sent from all directions by the half-seen Dragons. Listen for any messages the dragons may have. The Dragons’ presence can be felt by a sudden temperature change, prickly feeling between the shoulder blades, unusual currents of air, and other phenomena. If the Dragons are pleased with the Magician they often sound a deep vibrating rumble, almost like a Giant Cat’s Purr.

Making Dragon Magick

Making Dragon Magick

 
 
Half-close your eyes as you sit outside or near caves or rocks. If the light is bright, you may see the swirling iridescent silver, purple, gold, green and blue of the dragon outline shimmering ahead. Let the image enclose and energize you and breathe slowly and regularly, allowing the warm, shimmering colors to flow in and out of your own energy field, your aura. If you see nothing externally allow the image to build up in your mind and superimpose it in your imagination on the scene.
 
You may see an image of the dragon and her fabulous treasures within the cave or see her flying upwards towards the sun. There is no danger in this for she is a spiritual force, experienced through the layers of countless millennia.
 
You may feel very warm as though close to a bonfire and see sparks or sunbeams dancing in the air all around.
 
When you are ready, close your eyes and gently push away with your hands palms outwards and upright. Allow the energies to move away, or you may sense them fading spontaneously as the dragon moves on.
 
Don’t ask for anything. The experience is enough and will help you to move with confidence and attract and spread the abundance you need.
 
Be sure to take a bottle of water to drink afterwards and splash on your hairline, brow, throat and wrists or palms to cool you down.
 
While you are still there, take time to write in your Book of Shadows. You may have heard words in your mind as you experienced the dragons power or they may come now and even if you are not normally poetic, the encounter will trigger off rich and vivid descriptions of flying with the dragon, the mysterious smoke-filled air within the cave and metallic colors of your dragon. If you open your eyes in the night before sleep the colors may reform.
 
Afterwards is a good time to explore the caves and rocks, if accessible. Even if you are crammed in a tourist party, you can sense your dragon and maybe the special place that you connected with in your visions and see the shimmering silver and purples reflected on the dark walls.

The Five Stages of Spellcasting: An Alternative Stage 4

The Five Stages of Spellcasting: An Alternative Stage 4

 

 

If you are carrying out a healing spell or one for gentle love or letting go of sorrow, setting off psychic fireworks may seem a bit over the top.

Instead you may choose to infuse a healing herb mix with the power to relieve pain or exhaustion or infuse a dish of crystals so that they can afterwards be burned for peace in four directions. Gently directed power can be used to steer away in a psychic way someone who is making you unhappy.

“In a group celebration you may likewise not want to have everybody jumping up and down (it could certainly scare a baby at a blessing ceremony and a few elderly relatives at a hand fasting). You need instead to use the accumulated power and direct it into sanctity, whether that be the vows of a couple or of godparents. Or you might each make reflective wishes for the year ahead after the shouting of Happy New Year and banging of saucepan lids and blowing of whistles at a turning-of-the-year rite.”

Through the technique is straightforward it is like learning to do a hill start in a car – getting the clutch and accelerator in perfect balance so you can stay ready but motionless for as long as necessary.

When the power in your spell has built up to almost a climax instead of releasing it, hold it for a moment, keeping your movements and your voice steady and then begin to recite the words more slowly and more softly until your words fade through a whisper to silence and make your movements slower and gentler until your feet become still. The incense sticks, your hands or wand will likewise become still.

Point downward with smudge, incense sticks, wand or your hands toward the symbol at a 45-degree angle (slightly away if necessary so no ash falls on the symbol, herbs or crystals).

Push very gently, psychically holding your hands or sticks motionless, using words to make the power and light flow into the symbol. You may detect a rainbow aura or green light round the symbol.

When you feel the power ebbing, stand motionless and silent for a moment and then replace the wand, smudge or incense sticks in their place or holders or put your hands in front of you pointing downwards so any residual power can flow into the symbol or be used to heal the earth.

Leave the incense to burn through and whisper:

“May you be blessed.”

 

In a ritual this would be a good time for everyone to make personal offerings or quietly pass the symbol round and make low soft promises of practical ways you all personally will help to bring peace or work for the good of others. At a midwinter ceremony you would quietly, after the cry “The sun is born again,” light your candles one by one round the circle and make your own perhaps silent resolutions for bringing light back into your life and the world.

Applying the Feng Shui Five Elements to Your Home

Applying the Feng Shui Five Elements to Your Home

  • Erica Sofrina

By Erica Sofrina- Author of Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World.

Bringing nature into our homes is a key component of the teachings of Feng Shui. The goal is to have all of the five elements of fire, earth, metal, water and wood balanced in every room of of our living space. By studying the Feng Shui Five Elements theory we can gain valuable insights as to why our lives are out of balance by looking at the elemental imbalances in our homes.

I have worked with many clients to improve their young children’s sleeping habits along with teens who were suddenly out of control. The culprit is often found in the elemental imbalances in their bedrooms. By bringing these into balance the child or teen comes back into balance as well. Clients think I have worked magic but I am merely applying these ancient, tried and true principles (also used in Chinese medicine) to physical environments.

The five elements can also be used in a powerful way to heal health issues, and to assist in personal growth. If we find we are staying ‘too small’ in our lives, our environment will often reflect too little of the wood element. We would want to both wear and bring into our living space objects and colors that reflect this element as shown in the chart below.

Please see the list on the next page of what the elements mean and what we experience when we have too much or too little of them in our lives and take advantage of my free offer to send you information about working with the elements at the end of this article.

If you are feeling over expanded and overwhelmed, you are experiencing too much of the wood element. In this instance you would benefit by bringing into your living space objects and colors that represent the element that cuts wood, which is metal. An example of too much of the wood element might be found in an all-green bedroom with floral prints and wooden furniture. What you thought would be soothing actually feels overwhelming.

The metal element is represented by white and cream colors, pastels, circular shapes, rocks and stones and metal. By changing the floral bedspread to a pastel or cream color and accessorizing with whites and pastels, you will begin to bring the room back into elemental balance.

Below is a Five Elements Map that will show you how they work together to balance each other.

The elements when closest to their natural state will contain the most vibrant ‘chi’ or energy. However, there are colors, objects and shapes that represent these elements as well. Some are subtle and some more obvious. A tall cylindrical shape (reminding us of a tree) represents the wood element, along with medium blues and greens, anything made of wood, plants and trees and pictures of them.

Here is a short summary of what we experience when the elements are out of balance:

Wood is about growth as reflected in trees and plants. We want the right amount in our environment, not too much or too little. Too much wood = over-expansion and overwhelm. Too little=staying too small. Bring in objects, shapes textures and colors of the metal element to cut the wood, or those of the water element to increase it if there is too little. See the controlling and nurturing cycles of the chart.

Fire is about passion. Too much, however will result in aggression and overly impulsive behavior. Too little will reflect as lack of enthusiasm, motivation and warmth. Add water to douse the fire when there is too much and wood to increase the fire when there is too little.

Earth is about staying grounded and being present. Too much= overly discipline and conservative. Too little= spacey, ungrounded as well as infertility issues. Add fire to increase it when there is too little and wood to decrease it when there is too much.

Metal is about mental clarity and determination. Too much= rigidity and inability to compromise. Too little=lack of back bone and indecisiveness. Add earth to increase it and fire to melt it when there is too much. There is a reason those who live in all- white houses tend to also be rigid… bring in fire and warm it up!

Water is about connection to spirit and synchronicity in our lives. Too much= not enough structure and being ‘wishy-washy’. Too little =the need to dominate, lack of flow and connection to spirit. Add metal to increase it and earth to dam it up when there is too much.

Please note that you can also just take away items in a particular element to decrease the amount of it in a space, or add it when you need more, you do not necessarily have to use the elements that either control it or nurture it.

I encourage you to learn more about these powerful concepts and utilize this powerful knowledge if you or your loved ones are experiences any of the imbalances as described above. I have seen profound shifts in my own life and those of my clients when applying these tried and true, age-tested principles that come out of the ancient practice of Chinese medicine and Feng Shui.

Yin and Yang: The Key to a Balanced Home

Yin and Yang: The Key to a Balanced Home

  • Erica Sofrina

Have you ever been in a room that didn’t feel good to be in but you couldn’t figure out what was wrong? Chances are the Yin/Yang components were out of balance.

Yin and Yang is at the foundation of the Ancient Practice of Feng Shui. It has to do with the recognition that the universe is made up of opposite forces of energy, which cannot exist without each other. They are finely balanced and, like polar sides of a magnet, are innately attracted to each other.

The Yin/Yang symbol (picture at top) depicts two fish gliding together in perfect balance. Each carrying components of the other; the black fish with the white eye and the white fish with the black eye. The two swim together in perfect harmony creating a circle, the most ancient symbol depicting wholeness.

Feng Shui acknowledges that we are ancient creatures who naturally seek balance. If our living spaces are not balanced, our lives feel out of balance as well. By learning to work with the Yin and Yang components in our homes, we create supportive spaces that bring our lives back into harmony as well.

The concept of Yin refers to the feminine principle, which is passive, dark and yielding. Yang refers to the male principle, which is bright, active and extroverted.

In physical environments Yin objects would be reflected by circular shapes, darker more muted colors, lower darker rooms, upholstered furniture of soft chenille, velvet and corduroy fabrics, carpeting and area rugs, and smaller detailed prints. In building materials adobe, brick and stucco would be considered more Yin materials. In design history, the eras that incorporated Yin qualities would be the Victorian era, Louis IV and VI and the Baroque period.

In architecture the Bauhaus period in Germany from around 1919 – 1933 was the beginning of modernist design utilizing more Yang components. Slick glass and mirrors, metal and plastics, high, vast ceilings, bright angular spaces, bold stripes and geometric patterns, square, hard angular furniture without detail, flooring of hard woods, cement and tile, all reflect Yang design materials and features.

In balancing a home we want to first determine the use of the space and then incorporate the Yin and Yang qualities appropriate for it. Passive spaces should incorporate more Yin features and active spaces more Yang features. The key, however, is to make sure we always have some of both qualities and not an over abundance of either.

Yin rooms are the places you want the energy to calm down to support rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. Yin rooms would be bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, possibly family rooms and bathrooms.

In these rooms we would want to bring in more Yin features such as comfy furniture, more muted colors and lighting, plush fabrics and more detailed patterns and accessories. Having a bright, light ultra-modern bedroom with high ceilings and slick fabrics would not serve the occupants and will often translate to sleep disorders.

Yang spaces are the more active spaces such as children’s playrooms, kitchens, gyms, home offices, laundry rooms, family rooms (depending upon the use), hallways and garages. These spaces should incorporate more Yang components with brighter lighting, whites and/or bolder colors, more angular shaped furniture and accessories with less detail.

In using modern Yang qualities make sure to choose furniture with more rounded edges. Sharp-edged furniture is considered weapon-like in Feng Shui. It may be subtle, but you will never fully relax in a space that has objects that can injure you. Our homes always need to be ‘people friendly’ no matter the style of decor you are drawn to.

We also want to bring in all of the Five Elements, which include plants and things that are either from the natural world or represent nature. Ultra modern homes devoid of nature will never allow us to feel truly ‘at home’ because of our deep innate connection to the natural world.

The key is to have a balance of both Yin and Yang qualities in every room, emphasizing more Yin or Yang features depending upon the use of the room. Yang features will make the space more active and Yin features generate a more restful atmosphere. Make sure your design choices and styles are serving the people who need to occupy the space, and not the other way around!

Once we have achieved an appropriate Yin/Yang balance in each room, we will be well on our way to creating a balanced and harmonious home that supports, uplifts and nurtures our lives!

BASIC SKILLS FOR HEALING WITH YOUR HANDS

BASIC SKILLS FOR HEALING WITH YOUR HANDS

Anyone can learn to heal. You have to believe in you can and learn to connect to
Source.

You are like the ‘middle man’ who brings the healing from Source to the person.

Everyone has the ability to tap into ‘source’ and bring in energies of higher
vibration that heal and balance out the person’s Chi – Qi – life-force energies.

If the person you are with has overcome the emotional problems linked to the
ailment – you will be successful. This includes self-healing.

Ailments originate from many levels of our bodies – as we have seven sheath
bodies.

The physical level is where we experience the final manifestation of the ailment
because we live in third dimension.

For example – of the person has problems with a hand – they most likely do not
want to do something related to the use of that hand – usually the hand they
write with.

If you prefer to say a prayer or use ‘white light’ protection while you work –
please do so.

Some people ask their Source in the healing to be sure that the imbalanced
energies of the person do not come into your energy fields. You are there to
balance the person.

Basic skills for healing with your hands

You may prefer to wash your hands before and after the healing.

Find a place that is quiet to do your healing.

You can use soft music or no music.

The person you are working with should be a peace and feel comfortable that you
will do not harm to them – and WILL heal – or alleviate the problems.

DAY 1 – Connecting to Source

Let’s first determine which hand works best for you.

Hold both hands out in front of you – palms up.

Focus your attention on your left hand and experience the flow of energy coming
from your hand.

Next mentally focus on your right hand and see how strong the energy from that
hand feels.

One palm should feel stronger energy flow – hotter – more tingles – whatever
your body relates to!

Now place your hands – palms facing each other – just in front of you.

Keep them about 3 inches – 7.6 cm – apart.

Move your hands slowly – back and forth.

Feel the lines of energy between your palms.

Now slowly move your palms further away from each other.

See how far out you can go before you no longer feel the ‘pull’ of the energies.

When the energies stop – move your palms back and forth slightly in opposite
directions and you should continue to feel the energies.

If you had an aura camera it would record the lines of energy in photos.

Now let’s tap in to ‘source’!

Your mental frame of reference for Source could be – a white Light – a spirit
guide – a religious figure – healing master – your higher self – yourself as a
healer in another realm – the computer in the pyramid – a sea of consciousness
connecting all things – the grids – something external from our reality –
whatever.

Now connect with that source (Plug in)!

Allow that energy to come through you.

You may feel – hot – dizzy – exhilarated – other – depends on how out of balance
you are and how your physical vehicle (body) reacts to the energies!

Get used to that energy and balance your body’s flow of energy today.

DAY 2 – Healing another person with your hands

Once you understand and feel comfortable with the fact that you can heal with
your hands – try a healing on someone who has a simply ailment.

Be sure the person is comfortable with you.

Ask them about the problem and anything they wish to share about the onset of
the problem – including emotions related to that problem. Ex: I hate my job —
suddenly I fell down while on the job and hurt my back so I do not have to work!

Now don’t play shrink as that really pisses people off and you probably are not
qualified! Just Listen.

Don’t start getting into their issues – unless they want you too.

Keep the conversation brief and tell them to seek emotional help for their pain
perhaps with a professional.

There are many people out there with chemical imbalances who are finding out
about them at adult age – when tests should have been made in childhood! So who
knew in those years?

Have the person sit or lay down in a relaxed position.

You can use with music or just find a quiet place.

Sometimes healing in Nature works well!

Assure the person that you will do nothing to hurt him / her in any way or to
aggravate the situation.

Place your hand / hands within three inches from – or on the person in question.

You can close your eyes and see your connection to Source – or you can heal with
your eyes open.

If you have a specific symbol – word – or key – you would like to use – please
use it as it makes you feel comfortable.

Pause and allow the energies to begin to flow through your body.

This could take a few minutes . . .

Relax . . .

Breathe deeply if that helps you connect . . .

Ask spirit to protect and guide you and not allow any of the person’s imbalanced
energies to affect yours —
placing you in imbalance.

Next – do a ‘sweep’ of the body!

Open your eyes.

Keep hands about three inches from the person’s body – move your hands slowly
down the body – starting with the top of the head.

You are looking for changes in temperature levels, which is an indication of
improper flow of the Chi energies. If /when you feel this change tell the
person. They may say, “Oh yes, I have been having discomfort there, also.”

At the very least you are finding a problem.

Send that person a lot of healing energy by taping into Source and seeing it
entering their body in that place.

Send healing as is comfortable for both of you.

They may tell you they feel heat – or tingles.

Many healers like to send energy through the crown chakra and feel it moving
down through the person’s body.

We all find the way that works best for us.

There is no specific time frame for the healing. Do not look at the clock. There
should be no time constraints. The amount of time you spend with the person is
up to both of you!

If you receive mental image while healing someone – be discerning in what you
say.

It is usually best to say nothing.

DAY 3 – Working with Plants

Find a small plant – preferable one that has problems.

Place it on a table in front of you.

Place your hands in front of you, palms up.

Tap in to Source.

Feel the energies start to move through your body . . .

Feel the vibrations in the palms of your hands . . .

Place your hands on either side of the plant (about 3 inches away from the
plant).

Send energy back and forth between your palms.

Imagine the flow lines of positive energy between your hands.

Allow your mind to become one with the plant – connect energetically.

If you are telekinetic – the plant – or its leaves – may move slightly!

You may receive mental images from the plant.

‘See’ the plant healthy.

You may have to repeat this daily for several days.

DAY 4 – Healing Yourself

Sit down or lie down in a peaceful place . . .

Extend you palms upward . . .

Feel your connection to Source . . .

Feel the energies moving through the palms of your hands . . .

Relax . . . Breath deeply . . . Close your eyes . . .

Mentally connect with your physical body to see where there is pain . . .

Now place your hands on that area and send the healing energies.

If the pain is in your back. . You can send healing through the front of your
body and it will reach your back . . .

If you do not have pain . . . just place your hands on your heart chakra and
send energy of light and love. It will make you glow when you meet others today!
Pay attention to their reactions to you.

If your pain is emotional . . . placing your hand on your heart chakra will work
in the same way to help alleviate the pain.

Of course you can not erase emotional pain using your hands – but it can raise
your frequency and lift some of the depression. It can bring you some balance.

Yellow Dock Ointment

Yellow Dock Ointment

 
This ointment is great for annoying skin problems your pet may pick up such as ringworm on cats or mange type diseases in dogs. It will work on you too, for any sort of itchy or rashy things. To make this recipe, you need flowers of sulfur, available at the pharmacy, a small jar of vaseline, a bottle of apple cider vinegar and the roots. You will need to gather about 6 or 8 yellow dock roots. They are long yellow tap roots, and difficult to dig up. Look for plants growing in moist ground, it’s a bit easier to dig them there. Dice up your roots and place them into a small saucepan. Pour in enough apple cider vinegar to just cover them and simmer over low to medium heat until the roots are soft. Put the roots through the blender or a sieve to mash them thoroughly. Scrape the vaseline out of the jar into a bowl and add the mashed roots. Add 1 teaspoon of the flowers of sulfur. Stir to mix completely. You can put the blend back into the vaseline jar. To use just apply to the affected area twice a day for about a week, or less if it goes away sooner.

Drying Herbs

Drying Herbs

Any fresh Herbs can be dried. They should be picked and tied in small bunches. Hang them in the kitchen or a well-ventilated shed to dry. As soon as they are dried out, they should be crumbled into jars and stored in a dark place–they might look decorative hanging up, but will soon become dusty and begin to deteriorate.

Auras, Chakras, Light and Sleep Cycles

Auras, Chakras, Light and Sleep Cycles

  • Celeste Yarnall, Ph.D

What is an aura?

An aura is an electromagnetic energy field that surrounds, encompasses, and permeates all living things; it includes the being’s physical structure as well as its energetic outer layers. It is made up of four bodies outside the physical body: the etheric body (where some suggest our past life experiences may be stored), the emotional body, the mental body (two layers: higher and lower), and the spiritual body (three layers: higher, middle, and lower). The colors of an aura vary depending upon the condition of the being. Anyone can learn to see auras; there are also professional readers and even cameras that can photograph them.

Where are our chakras located?

First chakra (root/base of spine)
Second chakra (chi/below navel)
Third chakra (solar plexus)
Fourth chakra (heart)
Fifth chakra (throat)
Sixth chakra (third eye/brow)
Seventh chakra (crown/above head)

What are the Chakras?

The chakras are energy centers aligned along a spiral column in the etheric double; energy is absorbed from the surrounding air and brought through the chakras into the physical body. The Vedas, ancient texts of India, contain the first known reference to chakras. The chakras are considered to be spinning wheels of light energy. (Chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit.)

Various spiritual schools have different systems of identification for the chakras, but a widely accepted version identifies seven major chakras, beginning with the first, or root, chakra, located at the base of the spine and moving up the body to the seventh, or crown chakra, located a few inches above the top of the head. (There are also five minor chakras, at the hands and feet or in the case of our dogs and cats, their paws, {which I cover for our feline companions in my book The Complete Guide to Holistic Cat Care}, co authored with Jean Hofve, DVM) and then the hollow at the base of the skull, where the brain meets the spine. It is said that as we spiritually evolve, new chakras will emerge.)

Why are the various Chakras assigned colors?

A specific color is associated with each chakra because color can be used to stimulate, sedate, or balance the chakras and their associated organs.

The use of light and color in healing dates from ancient times. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is believed that there are cycles that are the most conducive for certain activities. In Chinese medicine, yang and yin symbolize light and dark. It is of utmost importance to honor our daily cycles of light turning into darkness, as our moon travels around our planet and our planet travels around our sun.

FIRST CHAKRA (root/base of spine)
Red stimulates the immune system by building up the blood and helps with detoxification. It is said that this color fights tumors, has an antiviral effect, and relates to the reproductive system and the procreative imperative to survive. Those with compromised immune systems may benefit by be ing surrounded by the color red as much as possible.

SECOND CHAKRA (chi/below navel)
Orange is said to be an appetite stimulant and a lung builder. It may depresse the parathyroid glands, and may stimulate the thyroid as well as the mammary glands in the production of milk for all types of mammals. Qi (chi) emanates from this chakra.

THIRD CHAKRA (solar plexus)
Yellow is thought to stimulate the gastrointestinal system and helps keep hormones in balance. It’s also said to be beneficial for the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and for diabetes and hard chronic tumors. The fear/fight/flight mechanism originates here.

FOURTH CHAKRA (heart)
Green is said to stabilize energy and is a bronchodilator. It may be beneficial in the treatment of infections. Many believe that love emanates from the heart chakra. Pink is the secondary color of the heart chakra.

FIFTH CHAKRA (throat)
Blue is said to aid in the healing of third-degree burns, scratches, sores, and infections. It may be beneficial for all fevers that respond quickly when used in conjunction with holistic remedies. Blue is a very cooling and sedating color. The related color turquoise can be soothing for irritations, inflammation, and itching. It may help induce sleep, and it should follow green in treating all infections. It is known as the chakra of self-expression.
See my note below regarding the importance of sleep.

SIXTH CHAKRA (third eye/brow)
Indigo worn around the neck is said to help stabilize the thyroid if a person or pet has a hyperthyroid condition. The third eye chakra is best known for providing living things with intuition and instinct.

SEVENTH CHAKRA (crown/above head)
Violet is said to increase the white blood cell count, stimulates the spleen, and is a color for high spiritual attainment in humans.

 

NOTE: When we don’t sleep in sync with seasonal light exposure, we not only alter our etheric double, our own aura and our own chakra’s but also alter our biological rhythms that control hormones and neurotransmitters determining appetite, fertility, and mental and physical health as well as those who share our living space with us, such as our children and companion animals.

By relying on artificial light to extend our days, we fool our bodies into living in a perpetual state of summer which is when our ancient ancestors were always anticipating the scarce food supply and forced inactivity of the coming winter, when we do this our body begins storing fat and slowing the metabolism to sustain us through months of hibernation and hunger that never arrive.

We, along with everyone who lives us with us in our homes, including our animals, are all extremely sensitive to natural light and dark rhythms. There is a strong case for all of us to sleep in the summer months between 10:00 p.m. (2200 hours) and 7:00 a.m. (0700), and starting at the Autumn Equinox between 9:00 p.m. (2100) and 6:00 a.m. (0600).

Our early ancestors obeyed these seasonal rules by honoring the seasons and their natural rhythm of light and dark. Our bodies generate a cascade of protective chemicals, including those that help prevent cancer, obesity, diabetes, and depression, to name but a few, only when we sleep deeply with no interference from any light leaks whatsoever, including the LEDs on electronic equipment, digital clocks, night lights, and the light leaks that seep in from outside. We all desperately need a true black night sleeping experience, that tracks with what we did before civilization turned the lights on everywhere. Think about creating a cool dark cave concept which truly produces a wonderful nights sleep. It’s also best to not have caffein after 3pm if you want to sleep well that evening.

The ramifications of not honoring this light and dark concept are enormous for our own health as well as that of all the living things in our household. If just one person leaves a light on in a sleep cycle and any part of our body can sense or feel it we all will suffer the consequences from this chronic addiction and abuse of light. This of course includes our computer screens and TV at night. There is a little trick which helps somewhat if you must work on your computer in the dark cycle and that is to have rose tinted lens made with your prescription in them. This is what I do: I remove my contacts where my glasses which have a rose tint to the lens’s which the eye optometrist called a plus 3 rose tint. You can also use them for driving at night and with or without a prescription they are said to help preserve some of the chemical cascade that we need to have take place in these precious evening hours of darkness when we must remain in artificial light.

I was astounded to learn that studies suggest that even tiny light leaks (0.2 lux), as little as a single candle flame, adversely affect our own health, our childrens health and that of our companion dogs and cats. If light leakage and subsequent lack of melatonin has been found to promote tumor growth. Could the use of light after dark actually be one of the causes of not only having an impact on tumor growth but cancer in people, in children and our pets, as well? So turn out those night lights everywhere in the house. And for a closer look at the importance of honoring light and dark cycles, see “Lights Out” by author, T. S. Wiley.

This simple adjustment in our sleep routine may actually have profound consequences in our own ability to heal ourselves on every level possible, including our chakra’s and etheric double.

I personally include the use of 2.5 mg.’s of sublingual (which you dissolve under your tongue) Melotonin, 30 minutes before bedtime.

Nothing said herein is meant to be construed as medical advice. Please be prudent and consult with your healthcare providers for any serious disorders. These idea’s are presented for informational purposes only and should be treated as such.

We can very easily begin to explore what role our aura and chakra’s play in our modern lives if the idea resonates with you. We can perhaps benefit in many ways when we are open to the ancient idea’s presented by many other cultures around the world. These cultures have all honored nature and the natural order of life from the dawn of our first foot prints on this planet. Perhaps we too can benefit by looking more closely at what we do in our own day to day lives in this modern hi-tech, brightly lit, big blue spinning ball, we live upon.

Your Chakra Colors and What They Do

Your Chakra Colors and What They Do

  • Annie B. Bond

 

For millennia, eight colors have been thought to correspond to energy centers in the body. Wearing or surrounding yourself with these colors leads to balance and inner healing. For example, if you want to open your heart, there is a color that corresponds to the heart that will help. If you need to speak your truth to someone, you can wear a throat-chakra-colored scarf for encouragement. Find out about the chakra colors and what they do.

Red – First chakra, base of the spine. Groundedness, trust, belonging, lessens feelings of mistrust.

Orange – Second chakra, belly just below the navel. Sensuality, emotion, creativity, lessens feelings of inferiority.

Yellow – Third chakra, solar plexus. Will, identity, commitment, lessens feelings of confusion.

Green – Fourth chakra, heart. Compassion, forgiveness, intimacy, lessens feelings of isolation.

Blue – Fifth chakra, throat. Expression, communication, power to manifest, generativity, lessens feelings of stagnation.

Indigo – Sixth chakra, third eye, between the eyes. Clear sight, intuition, integrity, lessens feelings of despair.

Violet – Seventh chakra, crown, top of the head. Spiritual connection, mastery, lessens feelings of distraction.

White – Eighth chakra, just above the head. Radiance, expansion, lessens feelings of limiting attachment.

Adapted from The Chakras in Shamanic Practice, by Susan J. Wright (Inner Traditions, 2007). Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan J. Wright. Reprinted by permission of Inner Traditions.
Adapted from The Chakras in Shamanic Practice, by Susan J. Wright (Inner Traditions, 2007).

WHAT CRYSTALS DO

WHAT CRYSTALS DO

Quartz crystals are a gift from the earth. They have the ability to amplify or strengthen the things in you that are positive, and can help you put away things that cause you fear or anger. They can strengthen your ability to be a loving person, and can enhance your abilities to enjoy life and accomplish the things you want in life. They can amplify intention, reduce stress, help with centering (balancing or calming), strengthen healing abilities, and surround you with protection by amplifying white light. Any healthy quartz crystal point can strengthen these things and help produce personal growth by amplifying the subtle energies that flow inside you.