Teachings according to Don Juan
(by anthropologist named Castaneda)
17 May 2010

Each path is only one of a million paths.  Therefore, you must always keep in mind that a path is only a path.  If you feel that you must not follow it, you need not stay with it under any circumstances. 

Any path is only a path. 

There is no affront to yourself or others in dropping it, if that is what your heart tells you to do.  But your decision to keep on the path or to leave it must be free of fear and ambition. 

I warn you: look at every path closely and deliberately.  Try it as many times as you think necessary.Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question.   "Does this path have a heart?"

All paths are the same.  They lead nowhere. 

There are paths going through the brush or into the brush or under the brush.  “Does this path have a heart?” - is the only question. 
If it does, then the path is good. 
If it does not, it is of no use”

Everyone has his own path.  There are a thousand paths to discovering yourself, to becoming you.  Do not allow anyone to impose their path on you

I EXIST, I AM, I AM HERE, I AM BECOMING, I MAKE MY LIFE AND NO ONE ELSE MAKES IT FOR ME. I CHOOSE MY PATH.

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Cosmic Support
21 April 2010

The path that speeds us toward our dreams can be quite a challenging one at times, and often very complex, so it quite natural that we easily become bogged down in confusion and insecurities, and often want to give up before we have really started.

Why is it that we so often hesitate at the start of a new path and question our purpose or our capabilities, when we should be moving forward joyously and eager to discover what our destiny has in store for us? Is it that we fear failure, or that we fear that our success will become more than we can handle? Either way, we should put aside the fear that causes us to doubt all, and allow the universe to carry out its plans for us, which include the quests we chose before our birth and the goals that we formulated in adulthood.

Our part of the deal is to work diligently to fulfill our potential and accomplish our missions, as we accept that the universe is watching over us, and believe that it will facilitate our eventual success.  By doing so, the universe will then provide us with the assistance and opportunities that enable us to make significant progress on our journeys of ambition.

It is important that during our journey we always remember, “Nothing happens without purpose!”
In saying this, we need to understand that whether, we attract success or repel it, depends on our willingness to stay open to a wide range of possibilities and to embrace concepts like synchronicity.  The universe is always ready to care for our needs, but we must not write off its loving attention as mere circumstance or chance.

Likewise, we must endeavor to ensure that our egos do not become a barrier that prevents us from recognizing that even perceived mistakes and strife can be profound lessons that smooth the progress of personal evolution.  When we understand that we only need to enthusiastically try our best to realize our objectives, the universe will take care of the details, propelling us forward in its unstoppable current.  We may not always immediately understand the significance of certain experiences, but our trust will help us choose wisely at each crossroads.

The universe wants to see you accomplish your goals.  No matter how many times you have hesitated and put things off, it will always be there to put its plan for you in motion at the first sign of your faith.

The universe will provide you with guidance and, if you heed that guidance, you will find your formerly stressful quest for success will become a journey of great joy. Keep in mind always that The Universe has a Support Plan for You.

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Strive to be Unique!
11 April 2010

Imagine what this world would be like if everyone had the opportunity to be encouraged to be a unique human being that we potentially are able to become.  Unfortunately, “our life teachers” are usually more interested in teaching and moulding us to become replicas of them, to an extent that we are able to “parrot” them.  In this way, the teacher feels that he has succeeded and we are brainwashed to believing that we have “arrived”!

I would like to share the following story of “The animal school” with you, in order to shed some light on the importance of uniqueness.

“A rabbit, bird, fish, squirrel, duck, and so on, all decided to start a school.  Everybody sat down to write a curriculum.  The rabbit insisted that running had to be in the curriculum.  The bird insisted that flying be in the curriculum.  The fish insisted that swimming be in the curriculum.  The squirrel insisted perpendicular tree climbing be in the curriculum.  All the other animals wanted their specialty to be in the curriculum too, so they put everything in and then made the glorious mistake of insisting that all the animals take all of the courses.

The rabbit was magnificent in running; nobody could run like the rabbit.  But the curriculum committee insisted that it was good intellectual and emotional discipline to teach the rabbit flying.  So they insisted that the rabbit learn to fly, as they put him on this branch and said, “Fly, rabbit!”  The poor thing jumped off, broke a leg and fractured his skull.  He became brain damaged and then could not run very well, either.  So instead of an A in running, he got a C in running.  And he got a D in flying because he was trying.  And so the curriculum committee was happy.

The same lesson of teaching was applied with the bird- he could fly like a freak all over the place, do loops and loops, and he was making an A, but they insisted that he should burrow holes in the ground like a mole.  Of course he broke his wings and his beak and everything else and then he could not fly. But they were perfectly happy to give him a C in flying, and so on.

At the end of the graduation the Valedictorian was presented to a retarded eel, because he could do almost everything fairly well.

The wise owl dropped out and now votes “no” on all tax elections that have to do with schools!”
Is it not ridiculous, that you may be a genius, or one of the greatest writers in the world, but that you cannot get into a university unless you pass trigonometry?  For what?!?  You can’t get your Senior School Matriculation certificate without passing this and that!  Look at a list of dropouts: William Faulkner, John F. Kennedy, Thomas Edison, to mention a few.  They couldn’t face the traditional school of learning!
How long does it take the student to realize that what the teacher is really saying is “To pass, I want you to reproduce what I am and do”?

R.D.Laing says, “We are satisfied when we’ve made people like ourselves out of our children: frustrated, sick, blind, deaf, but with high I.Q’s”

As individuals we must not be satisfied with just becoming like everyone else. We must fight the system and become unique as we walk in love and truth. Don’t be afraid, but rather embrace your uniqueness and become satisfied with becoming yourself.

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A Dream
28 March 2010

It’s vital for everyone to have “a Dream”… or two. To have a dream, gives one’s action, direction.

So begin by defining what it is that you really want, and what you want to get out of achieving your dream. Then make sure to form a clear image in your mind of that particular dream that you want to achieve. Believe it to be real by playing the part as if your dream has already materialized!

Remember that setbacks are really “set-ups for a come-back”, therefore do not become disheartened but rather let your mind remember, that everything that happens is there to teach you and help you grow into your dream.

It takes 17 yes’s (I can) to neutralize a single “I can’t.

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Relationships
16 March 2010

One of the saddest things is the person who has invested everything in a relationship and when the relationship ends they sadly ask themselves, “What do I do now?”

Often we feel that if we are loved by someone or if we love someone, then it is only natural to want to become the same person. This I find to be absurd, as if we truly love someone then our goal should be to want them to be all that they are and we should encourage them every inch of the way to becoming just that.

Everytime they do something that helps them to grow or learn something to help them to become more, we should dance and celebrate the occasion.  You will not be growing apart by doing this, but rather you will be gaining the opportunity to grow together, hand in hand, and not melting one into the other.

You are a unique person, therefore it is impossible to melt into somebody else.

Your aim should be to always maintain who you are and to continue to grow through change, because eventually you will once again be faced with the “you”

The poet, Gibran once said in a poem of his, “Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one also be alone.  Even as the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver to the same music…..

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping, for only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.  Stand together and yet not too near together for the pillars of the temple, in order to hold the temple up, stand apart.  The oak tree and the cypress do not grow in each others’ shadow.

Don’t ever grow in anybody’s shadow, for it is there that you will wilt and forget who you are. You will lose you, and if you have lost you, then you have lost the most essential thing you have.

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The Process of Life
3 March 2010

Some people believe relationships come to us as assignments or projects, in this “school” that we call “life on earth”.

These relationships may last for weeks; some even for a lifetime, but they all come to teach us big lessons that are meant to spur our growth as people.

Often, as we look back on these relationships, we realize that they have brought us extraordinary moments which we didn’t see clearly at the time, but only when it was too late.  But then again, is it not our greatest mistakes that carry our largest lessons?

And so it is, that if we pay attention, we realize that it is through these lessons that we are sble to become wiser if “we turn our hindsight into foresight that can reveal insight”.

In other words, it is important in life to “let your past  serve you”
and not for “you to serve your past”

No human lives life by making NO mistakes at all. We are all designed to make mistakes, for it is those very mistakes that carry us through to higher levels of wisdom, if we choose to learn from them.
In other words, we should not carry on  “repeating” that same mistake, but should rather “turn the wound into wisdom”

Too many people spend too much time and energy on blame, for the “mistakes” that they have made.  They blame their bosses for not being happy at work, they blame strangers on the road for making them moody, they blame their partners for bad business decisions, they blame their parents for their insecurities……that all lead to making “mistakes”

But, one should always bear in mind, that by blaming others, you take on the role of “playing the victim”.

You are then essentially saying, that you are powerless and unable to lead your own life, without those around you making a change

Your question of thought is probably, “How do we change this mindset?”
 The only way to make that change is to take the lead, take responsibility and learn from your mistakes.

Our lives are nothing more than a series of moments – if you miss the moments, you miss your life.

Learn to embrace each moment, learn from each moment by making every moment count. Be aware of taking responsibility of your thoughts and actions and know that every action, no matter how small, plays an important part in the process of your life.

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What is Karma?
February 2010

Karma is the “Butterfly Effect”. It is the belief that what you do and say affects everything around you on a cosmic level.

Those that believe in reincarnation therefore also believe that your karma effects who you will come back as, in the next life.

The important lesson to learn from the concept of Karma is that it isn’t really all about you at all (as far as you as an individual is concerned) but it has to do with “all things”, or the “universal you”.

Karma is a philosophy of understanding and realization that “life effects life”.

If you know your actions cause an imbalance or pain, and those actions, in return, come full circle and affect your own happiness, then you will be more careful in both word and deed.

When things go horribly wrong in one’s life, we often look to “karma” and question why we are being punished, therefore neglecting to take responsibility in the choices we have made and the decisions we have taken and the cause that has lead up to the effect that we now sit with.

“A short story tells of a man who sees an old shoe in the road.  It reminds him that he needs a new pair of shoes, and, subsequently he decides to drive to the nearest shoe store.  While there, he meets the woman he will marry and have three children with.  To the man who threw the old shoe out, it was merely a useless item that cluttered space in his closet.  However, to the man that met his future wife at the shoe store that day, it was one of many occurrences in his life that led to a legacy of love, children, grandchildren and so on”.

This is an example of true karma.

This is not to say that we should go out and throw away our shoes in order to create happy marriages for others, but rather it is an example of how many seemingly small, insignificant actions can have monumental effects on the world and others around us.

Just for today, take responsibility of your thoughts and actions and know that every action no matter how small plays an important part in the process of life.

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What new positive habits or rituals have you decided to adopt in 2010?
January 2010

With the first month of 2010 already behind us, if you have not already set yourself goals for the new year, it’s time you did so! 
Setting goals is a positive start to get onto that road that needs to be tackled and traveled.

Perhaps it is time you need to look at adding some form of physical routine to your daily tasks?
Maybe you feel the desire to exercise at least once a day or even once a week as a start to a Healthier Lifestyle?

Perhaps it is time to relax with a fiction or non-fiction book, and read something interesting and new on a regular basis?  This will not only increase your mind power, but it will allow you the pleasure of entering and stepping into “another world” filled with adjectives, images and creativity of the mind.

Perhaps it is quiet time that you need most?  This can be achieved by setting aside a few minutes every day whereby time is allocated to meditation and/or prayer.  Through this personal quiet time that you may choose to take advantage of, stillness can be found that will enable you to reach out and find solutions to questions that you need answered.

New positive habits are the key to making yourself a better person, and adding value to your “self”.
They are often more challenging than they seem, as change is never easy and we all seem to want to resist even the smallest of changes.  But once these positive changes have taken place in our lives, we reap the benefits from them.  Nothing is impossible if we set our minds to it!

All it takes is ‘willpower” and staying power on your part and a whole new door can be opened to a New You! 

21 days is all it takes to change a habit and replace it with another.

Be brave and make the changes, set new goals and look forward to an exciting journey ahead for 2010!

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Getting ready for the Summer Holidays

With the Festive Season approaching and time for getting ourselves “bikini ready” in order to hit the beaches, we all seem to be making efforts in getting “the body” into shape. I see how the gyms seem to fill up more and more everyday, with new faces as everyone has the same thought… “gotta get into shape, leaner legs, a firm butt and flat belly before December holidays”.

And so we start our new, and so often, very “short-lived”, hectic regime of strict dieting and excessive training…..Everyone looking for that quick fix!

Unfortunately I am the bearer of bad news today, and have to honestly say that there is no quick fix out there, and no magic potion in a bottle to change your body overnight. Besides wreaking havoc with your metabolism and mood swings, fad diets are not the answer to a toned body and healthy mind.

The answer is to ensure that you maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes eating the correct foods in the correct portions, hydrating your body with sufficient water intake, maintaining a positive attitude towards life and most importantly, “keeping the balance”.

People whose glass is always half full tend to live longer and have fewer life-threatening diseases than the ones whose glass is always half empty.

So my message to you all, as you get ready to hit the beaches this summer is this……
Take stock of your life and the blessings that you have,
Be gentle on your body, which carries you around everyday to where you need to go,
Allow your mind to dream a little and don’t get caught up in other people’s issues,
Allow your soul to enjoy new experiences,
Find your balance,
Drink plenty of water and eat healthy balanced meals,
Have fun!!
And don’t forget the sunscreen!!

Just for this moment take time to enjoy the real you!

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I have re-read a book I read a few years ago called “HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT AND WANT WHAT YOU HAVE” and it got me thinking, so I thought I should share these thoughts with you. How often do we want things so badly and put so much energy into obtaining them, and then, just so easily, let it slip through our fingers?

We all seem to do this, time and time again.

Like when we want a job so badly, but once we have this job we do not pay attention to it and let our game slide. Often we desire a certain person in our life so badly that it hurts, but once they are a part of our life we treat them “badly”, we show them unkindness, lack of acknowledgement, forgetting even to say thank you to them for the little things that we would normally say thank you for, to a complete stranger.

Partners who have been together for some time, so often forget to say bless you when the other sneezes or thank you when a door is opened. How sad our relationships sometimes become when we do not put time and energy into them.

How easily we all seem to take things and one another for granted in a short space of time. Yet, we ourselves know how much more we would do, or say, if and when someone else shows us the appreciation and acknowledgement we deserve. Our answer to our relationships going downhill would be “the other person has changed, the other person does not understand, the other person just does what they want with no consideration for us” But we need to take a close look at ourselves and ask if “WE” always show compassion and consideration, or are we so focused on changing the habits of others to suit our own needs or insecurities that we lose focus in the fact that maybe they need to work through these things at their own pace, and not ours!

We are all so afraid of being judged but yet we judge those closest to us all the time and make them feel bad about just being who they are and who they need to be at any given moment.

Often in relationships we seem to always repeat the same cycle and therefore find ourselves in relationships we consider to be “bad”. What we need to do is take a look at ourselves first and acknowledge the past hurts and present insecurities that we carry about with us, that makes us the person we are presently, and to notice how this affects us and our ways of thinking and acting.

By being positive, we manifest and create more positive around us, in the same way if we are in a negative space, we create negative situations around us. The more we judge others, the more we will find that we are being judged. So remember the importance in the saying…WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS HAVING A HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
When we ourselves or those around us have a “human” experience, and just let go, enjoy the moment, and have fun, do not become judgmental with yourself or others. This will cause a sadness to be experienced, that is so unnecessary.

“Living in the past” is also something we as humans tend to do often. It is so easy to get into the groove of blaming every feeling, action and thought on something from our past and not taking responsibility of our own life instead of using the energy to find ways and solutions of improvement and enlightment.

By analyzing our every move and the moves and actions of others, we truly miss out on the moment at hand and so easily lose the enjoyment that we have. By worrying about “if we will still be happy in the future”, takes away our joy of the present that we are able to achieve.
How ridiculous our thoughts sometimes become, so ridiculous that it takes away the special present moment and replaces it with moments of misery and worry.

I often talk about balance in my workshops, and today I remind you of the true meaning of balance. Remember to not only balance work and play, busy and quiet time, but also spiritual and human experiences

It is not a bad thing to make human mistakes, so why do we treat ourselves so harshly when we do? If we learn from all these experiences we only grow at a faster rate. Being fearful of death only limits the life we have ahead. When making spiritual imperfections, we so often tend to look for answers, blame karma, look into our past or sometimes look for things that are not even there. Move forward! If you can’t forgive yourself for being human you set yourself up to experience a total emptiness. Your “fun tank” will remain empty and you will yearn for something out there to make you happy, to make you feel whole, when in all honesty, the very something you are looking for, is already inside you - Love and responsibility!

Love for ourselves and taking responsibility for ourselves first is of utmost importance.

You cannot take responsibility for “the others”. They are walking their own path, which we cannot walk for them. By trying to walk another’s path is stealing his experiences, lessons and joy. Rather try accepting someone unconditionally and not trying to persuade them to do things your way. Accept and love them for what they truly are, yes sure if there is a real problem, discuss it, listen and compromise, but don’t compromise your true self in any way. Show the other person respect and do not try to force them to compromise their true self either.

So in conclusion I say, be softer on yourself, show understanding, be less judgmental and live in the moment because it’s all you are guaranteed to have, and always remember to allow others to do the same.

Don’t hold back on the love you have to give yourself or others, give it all. Take the risk. Show gratitude for the big and small things (like a door being opened for you), make your moments. Look for the beauty in everything, and love like there is no tomorrow!

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And if they exclude you for being different, remember this: We are all unique, but only brave souls live according to their desires

So many of us allow ourselves to become wrapped up in other people’s worlds and desires, thus leaving little space for us to follow our own dreams as we become manipulated and moulded into what others expect of us..

Before we know it, we have become a “new” person, a person that we do not fully understand and often, one who we do not even like.

Many people are living miserable lives because they are walking in the shadow of someone else, trying their best to be something and someone who they are not. Hoping that they will be accepted and not excluded for being different. But it is this “difference” that makes us all special in our very own unique way.

How boring life would be if we were all clones, walking around doing and saying the same thing!

Just for this moment, be brave.
Be yourself.
Be different.
Live according to your own desires.
Live!

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Allow your Soul to enjoy the precious time given

Is it not ironic that so many of us say that we would do anything just for a little more time in our day?  We all have the same allotment of 24 hours in a day, but the key is how we use that time.

 Last week I was having coffee with a new friend of mine and she mentioned how precious her time was to her and therefore she did not give away her time or energy to people who insisted on gossiping about others.  Over the years I myself have learned to avoid asking certain types of questions that I know are likely to lead to lengthy or unnecessary conversation unless I truly want to be holding a conversation and I have the time to do so.  I am sure too that there are many instances in your daily lives where you  honestly do not have the time or energy to engage in idle chatter, which is likely to lead to further unwanted conversation.

On the surface this may not seem like a big deal, but when you add up all the wasted minutes initiated in the babble around you, you will be amazed at just how much extra time you have in the day, to do the things that are important to you, and also just how much more positive and energized you will feel at the end of the day. You will no longer look back on the day and wish you had that extra thirty minutes to get something done.

By taking control of what you say and how you say it, will bring about a sense of freedom, self empowerment and upliftment within and also a new experience of a better quality of life. Your days will become less stressful as you take control of your time and manage your life within the precious seconds you have been given on this earth.

A book I read many years ago referred to “time” and the importance of “living in the now”.
Living in the now is an important “event” to be participating in.
A chapter that I recall that always makes me smile is how the old oak tree and the eagle were bemused when asked, “What is the time?”
“The time? The time is Now!” they replied.

Just for this moment, commit yourself to managing your time more effectively. Be aware of how important your time really is to you. Take the time you have right now, this very moment, invest it in those activities that count and use it wisely. Now is the only real time that you have, so make a point of realizing how important your time is, and make time to spend it well.

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Live your life in the direction you want it to be

Isn’t it just so strange how most of us seem to spend more time focusing on the lives of others and yet spend so very little time reflecting on our own lives and taking time to nurture ourselves? We love telling others to “relax and smell the roses”, “take some time out, you need it” we say. But yet we never seem to take time out ourselves, to pick and smell that special rose.

Many women, in particular, are so busy working at a career, running the home and taking care of everyone else that they end up being the last one on their list. Very often it is only at the crisis of a
life-threatening illness that we really get a wake-up call and find the time to assess our own lives. Only then do we realize that it is time to rediscover what we are passionate about and learn to let go of the superficial things and people in our life.

As adults we are seldom fully present in the moment with our own lives. We squander our time dwelling on past pain and hurts and the troubles of others that we have no control over. In this way, we pollute the richness of our own present.

In reality, we can only experience the present and it is what we make of it that determines what is to come. Being a practicing psychic councilor myself, I often have patients coming to me for answers. I feel very strongly that people are far too willing to give their power away to the “expert”, whether being a psychic, doctor, therapist or fate itself. I think there is a level of truth to the idea of fate. I see fate as those pre-life choices that we make, like myself being born into a middle class white family, with two siblings, in a third world country. How I choose to live my life though, and make the choices I do, is really up to me. The future, being a set of probabilities, is what I choose to make of it. A good psychic can tune into your most probable future at a given time, but if you don’t like it, you do have the power to change it.

I love the way a healer once described these probabilities to me, many years ago. He said “Hold up your hand and spread your fingers wide apart. Imagine you are standing at the point of your wrist. Before you are 5 probable futures. The thumb pointing towards what may be the most wonderful one. Your pinky may be aligned to misery. The middle finger may be following the track of an average future. These futures exist as potentials. You can choose which one of them you wish to follow right now.”

Just for this moment, give up someone else’s idea of what your life should be. Take back your power, make your own choices, stay focused in the presence of your own life and live your life in the direction you want it to be.

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Adversity in attitude

On many occasions when desires of ours are not met and fulfilled as we wish them to be, we become angry, disappointed and disillusioned.

However, if one lives by the conviction that “whatever happens, happens for a reason and for our ultimate highest good” we then are able to reflect and see things differently.

Is it not so that we realize only much later that whatever happened truly was for our ultimate good and what we originally desired would not have been in our best interest?

Swami Sharananandji, a blind saint in India, used to say “One should forget the occurrence and remember the lesson it gives”.

We should strive to complete our day-to-day responsibilities to their fullest extent. If something unpleasant happens, it should be accepted with the firm belief that it was for our greater good. With this acceptance one is saved from numerous disappointments.

All adversity is based on “adversity in attitude”

As the saying goes “It is not your Aptitude, But your Attitude, that determines your Altitude”.

Whist maintaining such an attitude, we should never lose sight of an important warning on the subject. Which is: Attitude should be coupled with the performance of one’s responsibilities to the fullest capacity.

Therefore, by continuing to perform duties naturally everyone should strive to do Karma without any feeling of attachment, sorrow, happiness or expectation of outcome. Striving to perform a duty without attachment and pride will prevent an increase in tension of the mind and fear of the future.

Such acts are capable of making us free from the chains that hold us back from gaining freedom.

Just for this moment, remind yourself that your life is unfolding exactly according to the perfect plan of the universe. Nothing is without a purpouse - adjust your attitude accordingly.

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Mind – Body Connection

Through relaxation and breathing techniques and allowing ourselves to focus within, we open ourselves up to the natural flows of emotion and sensation.

This is not a difficult task for us to learn, one that will enable us to reach our body via our mind and emotions, or even alter our state of mental and emotional well-being by working on our bodies.

A breakthrough for the mind-body connection in orthodox medicine has been the emergence of “the field of psychoneuroimmunology”. Psychoneuroimmunology explores the link between the mind, the brain and the immune system. The idea behind this is that thoughts and attitudes affect our immune system through the release of certain neurotransmitters from the brain. States such as stress, anxiety and depression, lower the immune system.

A study in Norway in 1995 showed that those persons who scored highly in the anxiety test were about 25% more likely to have pre-malignancies.

Positive thoughts have a positive effect on our physical and emotional well-being. Therefore, being at
“dis-ease” causes us to encounter “disease”!

When you feel fulfilled and alive and are having fun, it rubs off on others. Optimism is infectious, so fake it until you make it.

Just for this moment, walk forward into the future bravely and with a positive frame of mind instead of anxiously focusing on the past.  Live in the moment and not in your head.  Instead of indulging in the negative mind-chatter, rather be aware of the moment of being alive and “smile”. . . . you will be surprised how good this will make you feel.

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The power of crystal healing

Crystals have been used since the dawning of civilization in healing and ceremonies. Energies of crystals are known as "universal energies" and when one receives these energies one can contact and synthesize with energies from which the entire universe is comprised. Whilst using the right intention when using the mineral, it will stimulate ones own personal energy and bring about the love, light and "good of the all".

Although we all have the infinite power of the universe within ourselves, it is easier to gain support from that which is outside of us and use crystals as a tool.  Crystals have been used for many centuries as a catalyst to becoming re-united with our source and assist in healing.

I am asked regularly how crystals have the power to heal and if anyone can use crystals in healing.  My answer is yes, you don’t need years of sitting on a mountain top with a crystal in your hand, chanting away, in order to heal with crystals.  You already have all the guidance waiting inside you, and just need to “connect” to it through the most powerful part of your “Master Mind” (you may prefer to think of it as trust or intuition).

Healing with crystals is not something that was only used in years gone by and in the days of Atlantis, it is available to us right now.  All you have to do is open up to the power of energy and allow the “magical force” to transport you to a divine space where you are able to discover wonderful hidden gifts that you have tucked away.

For those who feel angry, stressed, depressed, fearful, tired, lethargic, at dis-ease, drained, worried, demotivated…… sounds familiar??.... I offer the creation of a Crystal Healing Circle in your garden, in order to attract Healing, Love, Abundance and Wellness.  By creating The Healing Circles which includes significant crystals, the vibratory levels of the home is heightened and therefore enhances the potential to attain goals and manifestations of the owner. Read more on Crystal Healing Circles.

For more information on Crystal Healing Vibrations – click here.

When using crystals for any type of healing, one needs to follow a few simple steps:

• Selecting crystals for a specific outcome
• Cleansing the crystals
• Charging the crystals

In nature, crystals are always transmitting their energy. When we use them, we drain them. Like a battery, they need time to be re-charged before we can re-use them. There are numerous methods
cited for the cleansing and clearing of gemstones. Click here to read more.

The most commonly used crystal in healing are the:

• Clear Quartz
• Rose Quartz
• Amethyst

Clear Quartz
This crystal is often used to amplify both body energy and thoughts. It assists in the creation of power and can provide for clarity in thinking to enable thoughts to more effectively influence matter.
Traditionally the natural clear quartz crystal was said to both harmonize and align human energies and is recognized as a “stone of power”.
It is very often selected in order to facilitate both speaking with, and receiving information from the spiritual and other-worldly masters, teachers and healers, as well as maintaining balance, energy and protection during spiritual development and healing.

Rose Quartz
This crystal is known as the “stone of gentle love” bringing peace and calmness. It is said to produce a restful, cooling energy that restores calmness, balance and clarity to the emotions. The Rose Quartz has the ability to remove negativity and to reinstate the loving gentle forces of self-love. It is considered helpful in releasing impurities and healing emotions.

Amethyst
This purple stone is known as the “stone of spirituality and contentment”. The Amethyst balances the energies of the intellectual, emotional and physical bodies and provides a clear connection between the Earth plane and the other worlds. It can be used to clear the aura as well as stabilize and transmute any dysfunctional energy located within and relieve stress.

When using the Amethyst in healing it bestows stability, strength, invigoration and peace. Another important benefit is that it can be used to protect against physic attack. 

The Amethyst is one of many of the crystal family, which is used today to assist in releasing anger and increasing sincerity.

Mothers often place an Amethyst under their babies’ cots, in order to bring about peaceful sleep and calmness.

For more information on the different crystals and their meaning, visit Crystal Worlds.

Using symbols with Crystal Healing

Often a choice of a sacred geometry symbol is placed in the centre of the Crystal Healing Circle in order to personalize the healing space for the home. Surprisingly, in many cases when a choice is given to use the Pentagram Symbol of Sacred Geometry, the question arises, “Is that not a Satanist symbol?”

The Pentagram is one of the most important, but yet also the most controversial symbol in traditional sacred geometry.  This symbol is of the same family of geometrical patterns as the hexagram, the octagram, and the dodecagram.

For many years The Pentagram has developed a very strange reputation because it has been used as the emblem of wizards, pagans, and mystics of a wide array of traditions, and is also  feared by some people, revered by others, but ignored by very few.

Caught up in the pentagram’s interwoven lines, as well, is the entire question of magic, the ancient art of using the subtle powers of consciousness to reshape the universe of human experience, it’s simply a part of human potential.

Magic is the primal form of power, and all other kinds of power, such as political, economic, social, and spiritual.  As the pentagram stands for all forms of power, it needs to be used with the ability and responsibility that power always invokes.  It is a magical talisman and has the capacity to summon power of one kind or another if you choose to make use of it.

When using another branch of sacred geometry, the Hexagram / Merkaba in Crystal Healing Circles, I am asked if it is safe to use in a Christian home, as it is commonly known as The Star of David, a Jewish symbol.  But this symbol also has a place in Hinduism, Taoism, and several other traditions that are less well-known.

Merkaba, also spelled Merkabah, is the divine light vehicle allegedly used by ascended masters to connect with and reach those in tune with the higher realms. "Mer" means Light. "Ka" means Spirit. "Ba" means Body. Mer-Ka-Ba means the spirit/body surrounded by counter-rotating fields of light, (wheels within wheels), spirals of energy as in DNA, which transports spirit/body from one dimension to another.

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“Allow your Soul to have the Vision to reflect on the Vision of another Soul”

As humans, we all have the need to feel the sense of belonging. To feel understood, cherished, honoured, respected, acknowledged and “listened” to.

But how often do we show the above to others?

This past weekend I was sitting at a breakfast table with some friends and observed how the need to be heard, involved nothing more than waiting for the other person to stop talking. Infact, very often that morning there was no waiting, but rather more interrupting and speaking loud in order to take control of the conversation.

What I did observe, was that, my friend who had the most to say and probably knew the situation better than anyone else at the table, sat back as he calmly listened and tried to put his point across in a very calm way, only knowing that he truly was not being heard. What he had to say was of great importance and if the others seated, took the time to listen, they would have gained greater insight.

What he showed was that of the art listening and taking the time to truly understand another’s point of view and showing value to what they had to say. He cared for them as a person and showed respect.

Here are a few practical steps to become better at the art of listening written by Robin Sharma, bestselling author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari:

• If you are speaking and the person you are having a conversation with has not said something within the past 60 seconds, there is a good chance you have lost her/him and it’s time to stop talking so much
• Resist the temptation to interrupt.  Catch yourself just before you do so and pay more attention to the content of what the other person is saying to you
• If appropriate (that is, in a business setting), take notes.  Few things more readily show the other person in a conversation that you genuinely wish to learn from what he has to say than pulling out a notepad and making notes while he speaks
• After the other person makes her/his points, rather than immediately responding with your opinion, reflect on what you have just heard.  Saying something such as, “Just to make sure I understand you, are you saying….?” And doing so with complete sincerity will bring you much closer to the people you interact with every day of your life.
  

“We have two ears and one mouth for a reason: to listen twice as much as we speak”

Just for this moment, when someone else is speaking, do not use the time to formulate your own responses, but rather empathize with the point of view being made.

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Contemplations When Taking a Meal

Often with our very rushed lives, cooking and eating a meal becomes a chore, and we do not take note of the very importance of the process involved. Whilst visiting a Buddhist temple over the weekend, I was reminded once again, not to rush, but rather to meditate on the “Contemplations When Taking a Meal” as they put it…

1. Consider the work required in producing the food, be grateful for its sources
2. Judging from my own virtues, if no defects are found, I shall deserve this offering
3. I shall guard my heart cautiously from faults, greed in particular
4. To cure the weakening body, I shall consume this food as medicine
5. To tread on the spiritual path, I shall accept this offering

Just for this moment, see the love and joy in the moments you experience. Contemplate the Process of Taking
a Meal. Experience the taste and smell of the food and do not show haste when giving thanks.

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Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people.

He said, 'My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good - It is joy, peace, Love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins"?

The old Cherokee simply replied ... "The one you feed".

A Cherokee Indian Legend

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“Allow your Soul to have the Vision to reflect on the Vision of another Soul”

Whilst sitting at a quaint restaurant in Parkhurst, Johannesburg chatting over a delicious meal, my thoughts are interrupted by a very loud and crass voice of a slightly drunkard diner. My first thought is that of annoyance. How dare he bring his bad attitude to my “special place” of relaxation!

I’m sure this type of situation presents itself to you too on many occasions, allowing you to become irritated and perhaps even eventually leaving sooner than planned. A choice of reaction you choose
to make.

I turn around to give him “the look”, to put him in his place. To let him know that he is unwelcome and quite honestly put, that he is making a pest of himself. But, as my eyes meet his, I see a sadness reflected within, a sadness that his voice does not carry or hold. Why, I ask myself, does this man feel it necessary to behave in this manner, when it is not his truth to do so? Does he carry so much misery that he feels it necessary to make everyone around him miserable too? Perhaps he wears a mask? Yes, a mask, that so many of us choose to hide behind to camouflage the real person hiding away. It is this person that so many of us are afraid to be, lest the world discovers who we really are. It is much easier to pretend to be someone else, and therefore not allow ourselves to take responsibility for our actions or to open up the door of our pain-body and be judged by others - as they do.

We all long to be accepted and loved, but yet get so caught up in pushing others away to protect ourselves that we ultimately lose what we crave for the most.

“Love and Acceptance”

And so we act out and become someone that we are not. We put on our armour of steel and treat every day as a battle, and so the day becomes a private battle of war.

Just for this moment, see the love and joy in the moments you experience. Be mindful of how you choose to judge others. Reflect on the patterns of those around you and recognize that this may be a part of you that needs to be healed.