RadiantSwan's Musings & Spiritual Prose

FULL MOON

2009-07-07T22:16:00.001-04:00

Tonight is the fullest of the full moon....

Dance joyously through her

all you who seek freedom and revel/ation....

She empowers...pulls and draws out

Like a swirling dervish

all the magic you hold within...

Release...Exhale...

The pull is strong

it's ALL GOOD....

Jade, Jade, Jade

2009-06-22T21:13:00.002-04:00

Today was a wonderfully sweet day. Finally got the boys out of the house and up to Hawk Mountain around 3pm. Such a wondrous ride through majestic Kempton. Then the slug up the mountain.

Boys have an adventurous side that I am just not used to but Mom is trying her best to relax. If they want to peer out over the rocks my heart does not need to race!!

My eldest said that if he dashed to pieces on the rocks and died just know that he died happy! Oy!

Anyway on the way home we stopped by a lovely antique shop. I had been wanting to take the boys there and show them the way cool Katana that was for sale.

It was an enjoyable stay in this nice shop.

Just as we were exiting I noticed a Jade plant that had to be nearly 3ft tall. It was a beaut! The owner told me that his wife liked to give people a piece because it grew so rapidly. He promptly called his wife to the front.

Lets just say I left the shop a very happy woman.

Below is the picture of my new Jade plant that was gifted to me today. When she handed the lush sprig to me I held it in my left hand and I could feel the energy pulsating through that branch. Amazing.

In the photo below you will find a lovely ceramic pot that I purchased from Catalpa and you will see a wee little bright Jade oval peeking out of the soil. That wee piece of Jade was gifted to me by my beautiful friend Lala. You will also see in the square dish another Jade sprig that Lala gave me when I did a Reflexology session for her. To the right you will see a vase of the lovely flowers that are growing in my garden.

Not to mention my crystals :-) A flat of white quartz crystal found in Bethlehem is propping up my Jade tree.

Behind the tree is a tall Lemurian crystal and right next to it is a beautiful bright green Jade leaf.

Oh and that green pot in front is one of my son's creations as well as the little blue abstract ceramic hiding in background

It is so beautiful when someone gives you a living gift! Thank you Janette!

Finding My....

2009-06-21T23:06:00.001-04:00

This evening around 7pm I took the boys to the pool to get in a swim in honor
of Summer Solstice. Pool was closed. I then convinced them to get the basketball
and go to the park.

For a while I watched them play a pick up game with some other teens that came to the park.

Just sat on the grass playing my djembe and doing very light meditation/mudras in appreciation
to mother earth, LIFE, Spirit....(God)....for my blessings and this beautiful season.

I was about to leave the park when I felt compelled to take a nice walk barefoot through the grass.

Suddenly the conversation I sat in on a week ago popped into my mind.

Someone said that when Dr. Andrew Weil has his new students he takes
them on a walk in a clover field and tells everyone to go find their four leaf clover.

How elusive is that? Well, I thought to myself....or shall I say Spirit said to me....
You will find your four leaf clover. I smiled because I have NEVER found a four leaf
clover before! You know the story.

Anyway I dropped to my knees and began looking...looking and looking...

Then looked up to see who was looking at me because there were lots of
people in the park watching children's baseball games.

I looked more...probably a total of ten minutes.

I was positive without a doubt I would find one. Then I said to myself, without defeat,
I will not find one here, is this clover anyway?

I got up to leave the park but was called over to this beautiful soulmate tree.
It was a tree that spoke to me as I passed by the first time. It was two trees growing
out of one trunk.

I went over to this tree and said hello. The tree told me to look down and I will find my
four leaf clover. So, dutifully and without doubt I dropped to my knees. There I looked
not even a minute...the thought came...will I find my clover? And within seconds of that
thought there was my four leaf clover.

Can not express the joy that I felt. It was like winning the lottery!

My beautiful clover is pressed between the pages of my book... ART PSALMS by Alex Grey

Affirming on so many levels.

Hope my story inspires you!
Peace/Shalom/Om Shanti!

Journey of You

2009-06-03T08:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, in my morning meditation Spirit impressed upon me:

"Life is a Journey to the center of Being"

May everyone have beautiful day! Remember each day is one more step in the journey of You! Place your steps wisely, with joy and trust that all will work out for the best, your highest good. And once your foot is firmly planted -- pay it forward! Bless another with your radiant smile and loving heart.

Trust in Life

2009-05-18T19:54:00.000-04:00

Trust...

Trust in Life...no matter what.

By trusting in Life you trust the process...

The process of Life unfolding.

Have faith that it will unfold in a way that helps you to be totally and uniquely you.

When you trust you are able to fully Love.

Fully love yourself and that which you see as others.

It may not seem easy but in the long run, when all is said and done it really is.

My lesson for today and always.

I Love You and Buddha Too

2009-03-06T15:21:00.001-05:00

Aspire Success

2009-02-03T05:31:00.003-05:00

Success.

Abundant Success.

What is Success?

This intriguing seven letter word on so many tongues, the star in so many eyes.

I dare you to define success as anything but the ability to stare at the person in the mirror, looking him or her straight in the eyes while saying not only do I love you totally and completely but I really like you as well!

But you have to really mean what you say, no matter what is going on around you and in your life.

If that is not abundant success I do not know what is.

Can you truly say this no matter the sum total of your bank account?

May you truly have a richly awarding day, it is the only way! :-)

Here I AM

2009-02-03T05:30:00.000-05:00

Life calls me to awaken and take her not always so gentle hand.

Here I AM, I answer, extend your hand to me and I shall hang on tight!

The Intuitive Way

2009-01-28T07:19:00.003-05:00

In nearly every religious tradition adherents are called to sit still and go within. Whether it is through prayer, meditation or simply being silent it is only through this state of being that we are able to connect with Divinity that resides within.

Be still and know that I AM. That is what SOURCE calls us to.

It is that still small voice, sometimes not so small, that tugs at us or calls to us to go this way or that. Only when we take the time to listen to our inner voice will we have what we need to move forward in a way that is fulfilling to our souls.

The inner guide is called intuition and I believe this inner guide is our spark of Divinity which dwells within or you can envision it as the cord that connects us to our spark of Divinity connect us ultimately to the SOURCE of LIFE.

There are some that naturally follow that inner guide. And there are some of us who have yet to learn to trust that inner guide.

If you are looking to expand or jump start your innate intuitive I highly suggest you check out Penney Peirce's book:

THE INTUITIVE WAY: The Definitive Guide to Increasing Your Awareness.
(THE CLASSIC PIONEERING WORK ON INTUITION DEVELOPMENT)

The Intuitive Way: The Definitive Guide to Increasing Your Awareness

I am usually weary of any book that calls itself "Definitive" however you will not be disappointed.
I have the first edition copy of this workbook style guide.

Penney Peirce sensitively and intuitively guides you through the process of awakening to your inner awareness. She really does a wonderful job of this. I was very impressed with this book. It is like having a wonderful seminar in your hands. It is definitely NOT a boring read.

I have the 1997/2005 edition however there is a new edition coming out in September 2009 which has been expanded by at least 80 pages if not more.

Below is a link to the new edition and afterward a link to the older edition if you like to get started now.

Enjoy!

New Edition 2009:

The Intuitive Way: The Definitive Guide to Increasing Your Awareness

Older Edition 2005:

Intuitive Way: The Definitive Guide to Increasing Your Awareness

Trust me, you will not be disappointed in this more than adequate and well grounded book/workbook.

Thank you Penney Peirce, you rock!

In Your Back Yard

2009-01-22T10:12:00.007-05:00

In million's of back yards across the country lies a much maligned and disgraced plant that is the target numerous assassination attempts.

This plant is so disliked that it is not even given the honour of being called a plant. Plants are something wanted, nurtured and cultivated. No this special being that has the potential to bless us in so many ways is given the ill gotten name "Weed".

What comes to mind when you here the term weed?

Pest. Annoyance. Destructive. Ugly and unwanted.

That is what most people normally think of when they see, hear the name of or think about the Dandelion.

The Dandelion is also known as Lioin's Tooth, Priest's Crown and the lovely name we remember from our childhood, Puffball.
Oh the joy of a child when the come across a dandelion ready to disperse its seeds. Blow on a dandelion and make a wish. Watch as its multitudes of seeds as the wind carries them off. They resemble sparkly angelic fairies as they dance away in the wind.

Oh the angst of adults when these see the dread Dandelion popping its head up out of their rich, lush and carefully manicured lawn. The Dandelion is no longer a gift waiting to explode so that its seeds dance away like fairies, no, the dandelion is a much abhorred aberration of what a beautiful lawn should be.
A few years back while at one of the local Middle Eastern grocery stores I came across a beautiful bundle of Dandelion greens for sale. Up until that point I had not idea that these beautifully hated "weeds" could be eaten.

Being adventurous as I am when it comes to vegies I decided to buy the bundle and cook them for dinner that night. Actually they were pretty tasty sauteed in EVOO and onions.

They were bitter!

Last year I was the local Mennonite health/bulk foods store and I came across a bag of Dandelion tea.

Of course I bought it. And a few weeks later I decided to look up my new found item in my book: "The Little Herb Encyclopedia" by Jack Ritchason, N.D.

I found so many interesting and surprising tidbits of information regarding this royal weed.

Dandelions are rich in potassium and are a natural diuretic. It is also helps to detoxify the system thus benefiting stiff joints. It is known to help reduce serum cholesterol.

European herbalist use it to treat diabetes and liver ailments. The Dandelion greens is a super source of vitamin A, so high that it makes it a carrot bush. It also acts as a gentle laxative. Contains all of the nutritive salts thus aiding in blood purifying.
Juice from the stem can be used to treat acne and warts.

When you eat the greens it helps to improve the enamel teeth.

Some aliments that are listed that Dandelion may help with are:

Acne
Age Spots
Anemia
Bladder
Arthritis
Blood cleanser
Constipation
Corns
Digestive disorders
Fatigue
Gas
Hypoglycemia
Pancreas
Stomach
Yeast Infections

The list above is very short. Check out the book to see more information. So before you decided to de-weed or shall I say de-flower your lawn of the beautiful majestic dandelion plant please think twice.

Pluck some up from your yard. Enjoy a fresh salad, sauteed greens or drink as a tea.

The above post is only a snippet. I encourage you to do your own research. I drink Dandelion tea every day at least one cup.

Of course you should never attempt to self medicate and if you are in need of medical help please seek a qualified medical professional. :-)

Hugs Are Banned

2009-01-11T20:14:00.004-05:00

Today I went for a much needed walk around town with my 14 year old 8th grade son.

My boy took me to the Dollar store for window shopping and then we went over to CVS where he bought a DOVE chocolate bar for his dear mother.

We passed by three late middle aged folks (2 men and 1 woman) chatting just before the entrance to the CVS. One of the men said to my son and me, "Hi, girls."

Mind you my son looks NOTHING like a girl, female or woman.

Well I kept walking but my son stopped and turned his 5'11 frame around and just looked at the man who in turned said, "Oh I mean and boy, sorry!"

It was amusing. Especially to know that I can still pass for "a girl" even though I am pushing 40 years.

We left the CVS and took a nice walk over to my friend's, Marilyn Fox, house. I had two of her jazz cd's that I needed to return.

About a block from Marilyn's house my son proceeds to tell me that hugging has been banned at his middle school.

The announcement went something like how would you like it if the teachers were hugging in the hall. The students are told that hugging should be done on their own time not during school.

Let me tell you that I do not understand this situation. Inappropriate touching such as kissing between boys and girls is one thing...but not hugging a friend? That's another.

Human touch is a fundamental necessity of life. Yes, touch is important. Many a baby has failed to thrive when human touch is out of the equation. No matter how much food and or medication as person is given for what ever ailment if they are not touched they will not make it.

When you eliminate contact with another person there are direr consequence to be had.

I was very happy to know that the kids ignore this rule and give each other hugs anyway.

Yes, I was happy to know this!

A pat on the back, a kiss on the cheek and a good ole fashioned hug are basic and necessary fundamental building blocks of life that can not be over done.

Have you hugged someone today? If no one is around, hug yourself and (the cherry on the top) tell yourself how much you love you!

Another blog post on hugging.....

Touched By An Angel

2009-01-05T14:44:00.001-05:00

You be the "judge"

and one more take

Time in a bottle

2008-12-31T21:59:00.002-05:00

Do you wear a watch?

I do not wear a watch.

Why? Because I flat
out refuse to be a slave
to time.

Who told you time is money?

Where did that mentality come from?

Do you have any idea how the calendar
came into being?

Think about it.

Do you find it confusing that our
counted months are 28, 29, 30, 31 days?

I am old enough to know better
but I still must count my toes
to figure which month ends in which number.

I do not wear a watch because I refuse
to be a slave to time.

Time as someone told us we should count
time. Who decided this?

Is it natural?

Tick, tock....we tumble through the
calendar the way a gerbil tramples
his exercise wheel.....

Let us rethink: January, February,
March, April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, November & December.

Where Peace Begins

2008-12-25T17:16:00.000-05:00

Thich Nhat Hanh

"Peace begins with your beautiful smile".

Resting on Roots

2008-12-25T16:19:00.004-05:00

Today I took a luxurious walk to the park.

The town is quiet. Almost not a car on the street.

Our society invests a lot of energy into
creating the sacred space of Christmas celebration.

What would happen if we invested this same energy,
this same intensity of energy into creating sacred space
of peace.

We human beings have been gifted with a Divine
gift of creating sacred space. This space we can
fill with peace, loving kindness and everything else
that is holy.

Energy follows intent.

At the park I enjoyed sitting on the beautiful roots
of a magnificent tree. He was tall and sturdy and old.
I asked him to keep me warm as I sat next to him
and he did. I rested against his side for about 20 minutes
and I enjoyed every bit of it.

May we all know the gift of creation that we possess.

May we create sacred space in each moment of our lives.

Space that is filled with peace, with love and happiness.

May we not fear inviting others into our space. Especially those
that we deem different from us.

Gabriel

2008-12-21T16:07:00.002-05:00

It was the symbol for Gabriel that appeared in my third eye when I received my second Reiki 1 initiation. I had no idea what the symbol was until I saw a video of Rabbi Gershon Winkler. He had four archangel symbols on his drum. I was blown away when I saw again the one that came to my mind. I feel very blessed to have experienced this. Before my initiation I had never seen that symbol before or known that it was linked to Gabriel.

Gabriel ("God is my strength")- An Arch Angel.

One of the two highest ranking angels. He is the angel of mercy, annunciation, resurrection, vengeance, death and revelation. He presides over paradise and is the ruling angel of the first heaven.

This archangel is a primary messenger of God, bringing divine announcements and revelations to humankind, acting as an intermediary between heaven and earth and helping us to interpret our dreams and our visions.

Gabriel grants wishes and hopes to mortals, as well as joy, mercy, understanding of mysteries, truth, justice, miracles and love.

Essene prayer: "Gabriel, Angel of Life, enter my limbs and give strength to my whole body".

(resource: internet)

Love Blossom

2008-12-17T07:36:00.001-05:00

Humans love.
Flowers blossom.
Sky blue.
Deep and wide.

True Inspiration

2008-12-10T16:11:00.003-05:00

True inspiration goes beyond simply making another feel good.

True inspiration is the ability to touch the Soul of "other" in which she insperiences a moment of Oneness - for one moment between moments duality ceases to exists and in that moment she breathes, she inspires in recognition of the Oneness.....,the true Unity of all.

It is this moment - this moment between moments where duality is not reality - that gives one a minute taste of bliss, of nirvana, of heave.

An insperience (inner "experience") that reveals that we are truly capable. We are truly One.

hah (breathe).......release

om shanti shanti

Reiki Awakening

2008-12-03T13:25:00.002-05:00

When you get a chance check out Alice over at ReikiAwakening.

She has awesome energy!

Intention

2008-12-03T13:15:00.003-05:00

This lovely and perfect quote was posted by a guy on Twitter.

It is powerful, enjoy!

A day's productivity/effectiveness is not measured by intention but by implementation. Your life goes where your energy flows.

Inner Visions Crystals

2008-11-26T09:21:00.002-05:00

Looking for crystals online?

Inner Vision Crystals on eBay has an awesome selection and the folks seem really kind.

And their direct web address is: InnerVisionCrystals

Enjoy!

.

Reiki Therapy: ABC News Spot

2008-11-25T20:20:00.001-05:00

Reiki Therapy

Enjoy!

Truth I AM

2008-11-10T20:17:00.003-05:00

We have total Truth within us at all times.

We have but to be still and silent to insperience Truth.

Truth comes within the moments between moments.

Those times in which there is no time and you can not quantify
nor qualify.

However, you must be open. You must have the heart innocence
of a child.

Because Truth will whisper in your ear when you least expect.

Will you be still enough to listen? To recognize Truth when it
speaks in you?

Be Still and know that I AM.

*

There will be a time when you can no longer say I believe in this or I believe in that...

You will just insperience and you will know and you have no need to justify.

Simply and utterly because I AM THAT I AM.

YOU.

There Are Times

2008-10-27T20:41:00.002-04:00

There are times where you feel tested.

You know, the moments that you go through that you are presented with a choice in how you will respond.

Will the old tape play or will you choose to walk in the Light that you are.

It is that moment where you will show that you have actually learned and walked just a step up the spiritual evolutionary ladder.

You are better than what you had been in the past.

You are becoming, or rather I should say you are manifesting your true spiritual potential. You are being that person you can be proud of....

But what if you choose, once again, the old tape?

You choose to react. You choose to fear.

That is okay only if you choose to learn from that moment. My thoughts.

We are all on a journey. To be who we truly are....

Divine Sparks of Life, filled with LOVE being Love... being of service to others.

Yes, at times we may fall short of the mark, however in this moment only we can choose to be who we truly are....

Today I had a situation that happened to me that on one level with which I was not necessarily happy.

In that moment I chose not to gripe or to be upset. I chose not to hyperventilate or to become angry. Why? Because I know that I have also at times fallen short of the same mark.

I picked up my copy of BEING of the SUN, shortly after the episode, and here is the page that I opened to:

....each day is an opportunity to truly help mankind in your potential to relaxation & bliss. you peaceful vibrations affect everything & everyone around you.

This brought a smile to my face and reinforced my choice to just let go of the issue and not dwell on it negatively.

And yes, I was proud of myself in that moment for making a choice that I could be proud of....
And I know, pride comes before the fall....so even that too I must keep in check... not be overly attached to success or to so called failure....

It truly is all about balance.....

*sigh....

Interesting and Helpful

2008-10-24T08:46:00.002-04:00

Here are some of my favorite links over the years that I feel may be of some use:

http://curezone.com/

http://www.healthandyoga.com

http://www.thiaoouba.com

Leslie Goldman: Interesting

Chocolate Cake

2008-10-13T16:36:00.002-04:00

Today I ate far to much chocolate cake than I should have.

It was so tempting.

That lush, moist rich dark interior with its sugar icy white exterior.

Too much chocolate cake.

Yes my tongue and lips enjoyed every morsel.

But my head pounds and my sugar levels scream.

I forgive myself.

I've learned something new.

I have a weakness, too much chocolate cake.

Love is the answer

2008-10-08T16:15:00.003-04:00

Love is the answer
to all Life's ills.

You can look for it
everywhere but you'll
never find it in pills.

Love is the answer
to all Life's ills.

Don't fret. Don't cry
or worry about the silly
little spills.

Love is the answer
to all Life's ills.

I know my poetry up there is a bit corny but that is okay.

Life sometimes feels as though it is falling apart around me but that is okay!

Today is a good day even though my transmission is dead and I need a new car. Today is a good day even though the bills are due. I am still not feeling blue. Blue is a lovely colour too!

Today is a good day even though I awoke this morning with every ache imaginable.

I am happy to be here. Happy to see the faces of my children. Happy to see my neighbor's faces too!

Happy day! Happy day!

Thank you Source of LIFE for this very happy day!

Rosh Chodesh

2008-09-28T22:43:00.003-04:00

Head of the Month...New Moon

Blessed New Moon
Completely hiding your glory.

What gifts do you have to share
with us this mysterious phase?

How will you teach us the way?
What depths shall we grow?

Thank you for your faithfulness,
leading us the way
'round the cycle
of Life.

New Moon. Soft and dark.
Gloriously hidden.

You inspire and encourage us
to never cease our plans our goals
the journey through our destiny.

New Moon.

Welcome. Thank you.
Mysteriously you, New Moon.

Remember When Pride Was About Quality?

2008-09-16T17:10:00.003-04:00

Yes, I remember when...

You would purchase a washing machine and it would last for near ever. I even have a toaster oven that is at least 35 years old and STILL works.

Remember when companies took pride in their products and gained their reputations through quality.

Nowadays seems that true quality is literally out the door. You purchase an item and unless you pay an arm, a leg and your first born and that firstborn's firstborn you will not get much true quality.

You will either get an item made in China for pennies on the dollar or a poorly made in USA product.

I remember when purchasing Pepperidge Farm cookies was a treat.

Not just because of the price but because of the yummy quality. The Milano cookie was just as lovely (aesthetics and taste) as its exotic name.

Milano cookies used to look as if they were handmade.

Have you seen a Milano cookie lately? Does it look the same to you? Mind you I should stay away from all refined sugars and flours but every now and then I sneak a peak and eat one or two. Today I bought a pack and it was just as they were several months back...the quality has REALLY gone down hill both in looks and in taste.

Has American society totally turned to fluff? Something of no substance where even Milano cookies lose their appeal?

*sigh

Emma Thompson is Brilliantly Beautiful

2008-09-09T16:34:00.007-04:00

I am forever grateful and thankful to such brilliant thespians as Britain's Ms. Emma Thompson for the passion and commitment they put into their craft.

A true actor is an artist, a living masterpiece unfolding before our very eyes.

Emma Thompson is an artist.

I've never been a "star worshiper" or into celebrities.
But as I said before Emma Thompson is no celebrity or a star. She is an artist.

Thank you Ms. Thompson for following your dreams you have blessed humanity with beautiful works of fine art. Gaia will be proud of you once she is able to comprehend all that her mother has and will accomplish both on stage and at home.

She is definitely someone with whom I'd enjoy sitting with and having a cup of tea. Every character she has become she has made believeable, alive, real and deep.

Even when she did the voice over in that Will Farrell movie where she place the author attempting to write her latest novel. Stranger Than Fiction.

Start with Dead Again and move forward to Much Ado About Nothing...ain't she grand? Then sit down with tea and lots of hankies when you absorb Wit.

And I even liked her as Nanny McPhee ;-).

Then you will see what I see. Then you will say...Thank you Sister Emma, you rock!

above image courtesy of: TheAge.com.au Read the Article

this image courtesy of Flickr

Dr. Nancy Mao Gevirtz

2008-09-08T19:43:00.006-04:00

Nancy and I were acquaintances and both members of the same Jewish community she always had a kind word and a smile when we greeted each other. We both had a child in the same class for several years at the Jewish Day School. Nancy's daughter, Rachel, was my son's classmate.

At first I was told that Nancy was retiring from practicing medicine because she was ill, it was not until I saw her several months later that I realized just how ill she was.

We were arriving one evening to attend a school play, I believe it was the 4th grade play. I saw Nancy for the first time and I could tell that she was in a great deal of pain and it was a struggle to stand let alone walk. My emotional reaction was to cry that evening for her, her children and her husband.

You see the smile in this photo...this is the smile that Nancy always had...And as her illness wore on I could still see her smile as she attended various functions for her daughter.

Nancy never stopped smiling or living.

Only this evening as my son and I took a walk did I learn that Nancy passed on a few weeks ago. My heart broke right there in the middle of the sidewalk several blocks from home.

I mourn for Nancy and the loss of her children. As a mother I understand how we want to be there to watch our children grow.

Nancy was a loving and devoted mother and she continued to smile. This is the way I will always remember Nancy.

You and your beautiful smile will be missed Nancy.

May your family be comforted among the mourners of Tzion.

Nancy, may you find comfort and rest in the shelter of The Most High. Baruch'Hu.

Dr. Nancy Mao Gevirtz
Dr. Nancy Mao Gevirtz of South Whitehall Township, passed away on August 25, after a valiant battle with scleroderma. She was 48. She was the daughter of Rita Mao Myrick, wife of Bert Myrick and the late Joseph T.K. Mao. She was married to Dr. Jeffrey Gevirtz for 17 years. Nancy graduated from Dumont High School, New Jersey, in 1978, Brown University in 1982, and Rutgers Medical School in 1986. She did her clinical medicine at Hartford Hospital in 1990. Nancy practiced medicine for 10 years with Sam Bub, M.D. and Associates and worked as a summer camp physician at Camp Harlam. Nancy has been an active and beloved leader in her community for many years. She received the George Feldman Achievement Award for her service to the Jewish community, she was president of the Womens Division of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley (J.F.L.V.) and served on the boards of the J.F.L.V., the Jewish Day School and Congregation Keneseth Israel (K.I.). She was a member of K.I. and of Temple Beth El. Survivors: Husband; mother; her children, Sam and Rachel; sisters, Elaine Hui, wife of Dr. Thomas Hui, Kim Judge, wife of Glenn Judge; sister-in-law, Tracy Weinstein, wife of Dr. David Weinstein; brother-in-law, Stephen Gevirtz, husband of Karen Gevirtz, and their families; and by many friends whose lives she touched so deeply. Services: Funeral services will be held today, August 27 at 11 a.m. in Congregation Keneseth Isreal, 2227 Chew Street, Allentown. Shiva will be observed at the Gevirtz residence August 27, 28, 30, 31, and September 1 at 7 p.m. with Minyan at 8 p.m. Arrangements by Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Home, Allentown. Contributions: In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, 702 N. 22nd Street, Allentown, PA 18104, the Scleroderma Foundation, Attn: Donations, 300 Rosewood Drive Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923 or by calling 1-800-722-4673, or to the charity of your choice.
Published in the Morning Call on 8/27/2008

Purpose of Meditation

2008-09-04T10:17:00.005-04:00

What is the purpose of meditation?

Sitting there in seemingly torturous and utter silence all alone...

It is to bring you back to the ultimate ground zero.

To bring you to that moment before the moment of your "creation" in this material existence.

To allow you to insperience the indwelling presence of the Divine, of YOUR spark of the Divine.

Because it is only in the insperience of that moment are you able to touch true joy, true nirvana, true bliss...heaven.

Then...it is in those moments where you are in complete peace (shalem/shalom) that you are able to truly KNOW.

From there you are able to over come seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Only from there are you able to answer the questions for which you need answers.

The purpose of meditation is to be still and know that I AM.

Go back to the time where you are confronted with a question...even seemingly simple trivia and you KNOW the answer... you know that you know the answer...it is on the tip of your tongue but you can not bring forth the words. Try as you might, strain...groan but nothing comes out.

Only when you let go....you stop striving....you have a moment of mental silence and then...only then does the answer spring forth.

Imagine what you will be able to answer, accomplish if you purposely sat still....be still and know that I AM.

Just imagine....

image courtesy of: Raja Yoga

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Greatest Disservice

2008-09-03T07:42:00.004-04:00

Greatest disservice ever served...

Being told that our minds are finite, that there things we are unable to grasp.

If we are part and parcel of the Infinite, sparks of the Divine dwell within us then I would surmise that our minds are infinite as well.

We see life through a darkened window. But to sit still and go within we are able to cleanse and open that window.

We are not handicapped. Perhaps our body has limitations but each of us, if we are still should be able to tap into the Infinite pool of consciousness that exists, that we are--that I AM.

I refuse to sit back and accept the limitations foisted upon me through mental conditioning. How about you?

What we accept in Heaven (our spiritual consciousness) we will have here on Earth (our bodies/physical plane).

I accept Infinite possibilities without limitations.

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Energy Therapy-For real

2008-09-02T08:17:00.007-04:00

Energy therapy: for real.

I know... I am being just a little facetious with my subtitle.

Energy is real. We are real. Energy therapy is also very real.

Dictionary.com definition of therapy: 2. a curative power or quality.

Did you know that you contain within yourself the power to heal yourself? You have the power to assist others in healing themselves.

Wait a minute, before you know you start asking for lab results...Healing can and does happen on ALL levels of being...mental, physical, emotions and spirit. Not necessarily on all the same time.

But, suffice it to say, there are all sorts of healing. If you ask me my personal definition of healing I would say that healing is when you come to a place of peace and balance within. Therefore one can be healed emotionally or spiritually even if their body may still be attacked by cancer. Something to think about.

Something as simple as saying I love you has the power to heal. Even a simple greeting like Hello and a smile has the power to heal.

Mother Earth has the power to heal. Just trying walking in the grass barefoot. Not a quick brisk walk but a slow meandering enjoyable enjoying of the soft green grass and even the deep brown of the soil. All of these have the power to heal.

But you must be still. Healing can only come about when there is a balance, a peace and a centerdness of being.

Dictionary.com definition of Heal:

1.	to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment.

2.	to bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between people or groups, usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile: They tried to heal the rift between them but were unsuccessful.

3.	to free from evil; cleanse; purify: to heal the soul.

Energy heals. Calm, peacefilled energy helps to bring you to state of balance where healing can begin.

Everything we do and everything we are has a vibration...a healing vibration.

I read a really interesting article in the Tahaastu magazine over the weekend. The article is discussing using the flowers to heal. Well everyone knows about giving flowers to someone who is ill. And many people know about Bach remedies and the use of herbs in healing.

But what about using the pure unadulterated energy from flowers to heal? I mean not even cutting, drying or distilling flowers but keeping the whole and intact on the flower and only harnessing (read: bottling) their energy!

The idea just blew me away. But you know it something to ponder. As I was cleaning my living room yesterday I went out to my small mother earth garden and plucked some of the zinnias and my 6ft marigolds and put them about the house to harness their energy so to speak.

The marigolds, my favorite from my ISCKON ashram days, were set on a speaker directly in front of the blowing fan. And after being open to the idea of just accepting the energy from the flower...I could indeed feel the vibrations coming from the marigolds as they sat in front of the fan.

Makes me wonder...take this one step forward...with purest of intent, is it possible to call upon the energy of......to utilize for healing?

You know, think about it...the world, the Universe, your Spirit....INFINITE... filled with Infinite possibilities.

Take a moment. Be still. Insperience.
Explore: Indian Flower Therapy Article from Tathaastu

image courtesy of Sacbee.com

Insperience I AM

2008-09-01T19:49:00.013-04:00

Today was/is a beautifully radiant day. Slow and easy as I enjoyed, with my children, the last official (if not technically speaking) day of summer.

Sat out in the garden on my blanket and beach chair enjoying the fresh grass, bumble bees, fuschia and red zinnias still blooming while reading a good book- Tree of Life Meditation System by Ra Un Nefer Amen.

I then did some much needed dusting in the living room, dabbled with the dishes, the battle of never ending laundry and a pit stop at the local grocery store to stock up on weekly staples. See, each and every day I pack my children's lunch for school as there is no kasher lunch plan besides my homemade is healthier. ;-)

I did enjoy watching a few episodes of MONK and just a half of one of Star Trek:TNG. Gotta love those all day television series marathons.

Dinner was pulled off without a hitch. Some fresh local Romaine and Green Leaf lettuce, chopped beets, zucchini, fresh from my own little farm tomatoes and homemade salad dressing. Okay, I may as well detail the dressing: EV olive oil, hot curry powder, tamari sauce, a pinch of cane sugar, fresh lemon juice and a dash of water.

It was the soup that helped my eldest boy feel his best! For some reason today he was feeling under the weather, perhaps a little to hot in his upper bunk bed during his nap time. But after the Adzuki bean soup that I made with love for him he is feeling a bit better.

I've enjoyed the two chapters that I have read thus far from T.O.L.M. It is from this reading that I have for the first time encountered the word insperience.

How beautiful and so deeply meaningful is this word insperience which is counter to the so much sought after and Webster defined experience.

Can you feel it? Can you insperience it's meaning, it's being.

I find it profound indeed.

This word is a useful term to almost describe what happens deep within ones being. It is indeed the being still and knowing.

Generally we are all seeking to experience. We experience hot or cold. We experience relationships and going.

How oft do we consider what we insperience.

Experience can be defined and quantified, grasped and dissected.

What of insperience?

It is that infinite state of which words can not describe?

It can not be bought, traded, sold or categorized.

It is.

Be still and know that I AM...within which you may begin your insperience...after that...there are no words.

My Garden

2008-08-24T15:34:00.004-04:00

This morning I spent time in my garden.

Blessed Sun caressing my sun-burnt skin,
beaming rays of ultra violet love to nourish
my bronzed melanin.

Zinnias, daisies, butterflies and bumble bees
thank you for blessing me with your amazing
colour and flutter of your wings.

This morning I spent time with my garden.

Copyright © Radiant Swan

Bonsai

2008-08-12T08:01:00.001-04:00

Bonsai & Reiki

Miss Potter

2008-08-11T10:51:00.002-04:00

The sweetest most endearing movie.

Just saw it yesterday.

Miss Potter

Now

2008-08-11T08:20:00.005-04:00

Now is all there is.

There is no yesterday and there is no tomorrow. The only gift we have is this moment, this now.

We have two choices.

We can choose to be in fear right now. To worry, to fear that we are not being heard. To worry, to fear that we do not have enough money. To fear that we are right and that they will take it away from us.

We can choose to be in love right now. To trust that all is ok, that all will be ok. To trust that we are heard and will be heard. To trust that we will be accepted. To trust that the money is there and that we have more than enough.

Either choice has action to follow. Action follows thought. Inaction is action.

We can choose to do nothing.

We can choose to accept Krishna's words to Arjuna...that is our duty to do (act) our part in the world.

Will we do our duty through the lens of fear? Will we choose to do our duty through the lens of love?

Love is trust. Love is tolerance. Love is seeing the positive.

Now is all there is. I choose to exist in Now with Love as my partner. Accepting myself. Accepting you. Trusting that I will be fine no matter what you choose to do. I choose to act in Love. And should I falter, should I miss the mark what will I choose. Should I choose fear? Be angry with myself and ashamed of myself.

I will forgive myself. I will then choose to accept myself through Love.

Love is forgiveness.

I choose love now.

Just for Now.

Copyright © Radiant Swan

08.08.08

2008-08-08T08:08:00.001-04:00

Eight has been a theme that has played out through out my Life.

Eight is a beautiful number!

Mayim-Water of Life

2008-08-07T09:06:00.002-04:00

A video I made on a camping trip last year....

One of the spirits that make me happy...

Love Personified

2008-08-06T16:41:00.004-04:00

My youngest son's favorite colour is Green.

Green is the colour of growth, renewal and love.

The heart Chakra is represented by the colour green in Western
thought.

My youngest son is a Taurus and he has green eyes.

He is fierce in all he does. He is passionate and loving.
His love is quick and his temper is quick. Yes, he tries my patience
at times.

At other times, most of the times he gives me love like no other.

He brings tons of smiles to my heart.

Today he saw an elderly gentleman playing lovely tunes on his harmonica.

He asked his eldest brother for a dollar to give to the man, his way
of saying thank you for the music. I told him that I do not think the
man takes donations. My green eyed bundle of love was adamant about it
and his loving older brother more than willing to oblige and sponsor this
act.

So I consented.

The boy with the tosseled chestnut brown silky hair, who normally likes to moan
"I'm too shy", walked over to the gentleman and handed him the dollar bill
and thanked him for the music.

My heart chakra swelled with love and pride that I AM his Mamma.

Thank you Source of Love, Joy and Life for allowing me to be the vessel through
which this beautiful boy...soon to be beautiful man, came into the world in this life. Bless me to be open and humble enough to be the best mother he needs to help him reach his goals in this Life.

I AM.

I AM so thankful for LOVE.

It Really Is

2008-08-01T18:14:00.002-04:00

It really is the little things in life that truly matter.

Like how I told Paul today how much his warm smile and hello when ever he sees me pass by really means to me.

It makes my day. And helps to make my life happier.

It really is the little things in life that truly matter.

Take a moment to let someone you know how much they mean to you.

Holy Grail Your Rx

2008-07-22T23:25:00.002-04:00

Where are USA prescription drugs manufactured? In the USA?

NaturalNews

You can come to your own conclusion.

Do Your Homework

2008-07-16T08:21:00.002-04:00

Honour the moment that you are in NOW.

Do your homework.

Be honest with yourself.

Have questions?

Pray. Go within. Be still.

Be honest with yourself and trust what you see.

Trust in yourself and do not doubt.

Trust can only be established once you have entered
internal dialog with the Divine that is within you.

But you must do your homework first...what ever your
assignment is.....

Unconditional Love

2008-07-09T23:15:00.003-04:00

*sigh....

What are the steps to unconditional love? I mean truly realising and actuating unconditional love.

Dare I say that there are NO steps to unconditional love. Why not? Because you already are unconditional love. It is about remembrance. It is about allowing the dry husks to fall from around you.

What was my "aha" moment?

Unconditional love is....

When you cease the desire or need to hold another accountable.

Then I thought to myself...could I imagine being constantly held accountable for all the crazy, inane, ridiculous and out right wrong paths I have taken in my life?

Wow! What a daunting and scary prospect.

Yes, I must let go the need to hold other accountable.

It is the process or part of the process of just letting go.

Breathe.

Breathe the Breath of Life....stop holding your breath and exhale.

Only when you exhale can you let a fresh breath of Life in.

Needing to hold other accountable is like holding your breath!

Think on this and let it sink in.

I love you.

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

P.S. I love you

2008-06-18T18:58:00.002-04:00

Just finished watching P.S. I love you

Has got to be one of the most beautiful Life affirming movies.

Death is as much as part of living as life is.

Another spectacularly deep and beautiful movie is The Fountain
Mind you The Fountain is not for the faint of heart, nor for those
who need their movies to be spelled out for them. It is in fact
enlightening.

Day 170

2008-06-17T14:08:00.003-04:00

From the book KABBALAH 365 edited by Rabbi Gershon Winkler

Day 170

All beings--all of them--are interconnected one within the other, and support one another, and it is impossible for any one of them to exist without the other. Likewise, there are wondrous medicines in all of the four merka'vot (vehicles of divine manifestation)--Still Beings, Sprouting Beings, Wildlife Beings, and Talking Beings.

-Sixteenth-century Rabbi Yeshayahu ben Avraham
in Sh'lah ahl M'sechet Yoma, Perek Derech Chayyim V'tocha'chat Musar, No. 29

Awaken

2008-06-12T07:34:00.006-04:00

east
luminance rises

casting it's gilded rays

magnifying ecstasy

serpent coils

seeking to climb

ladder to gold

kiss the third

receive her blessings

dandelions daisies

alfalfa to balance

beautiful breath of life

water of waters

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Today is Beautiful

2008-06-05T20:36:00.003-04:00

Today is a beautiful day.

Today, I spent a bit of time reflecting on my Grandfather's passing, thinking on him and then realized that it is one month day of crossing over and that it is the 21st yahrzeit of the passing of his youngest daughter my Aunt Terri Inez Griffin, she was the dancer.

On my computer at work I have a post it note that says:

I love you Grandaddy, I hope you are happy.

I shed some tears. Let the emotion out. And after much self talk I became full of a lot of Love and Joy. I wanted so much to give our financial advisor a hug...just cause I really wanted one...I refrained cause I did not want her thinking I'd lost my mind. However, I am sure she would have obliged me, she is very sweet and kind. But I absorbed that feeling within and hugged myself. :-)

I released it all to Spirit.

Upon returning home from work around noon I discovered that the reliable postal service delivered the book I ordered by Rabbi Gershon Winkler entitled "Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism".

For well over the past year I had been contemplating purchasing this book. What took me so long, I do not know. A fellow blogger posted a YouTube video of Rabbi Gershon in which he is being interviewed and then proceeds to play the hand drum. On his drum he points out several symbols related to one of the four archangels. Lo and behold one of the angel symbols was the very symbol that came to mind when I received my second Reiki One empowerment! Needless to say I was completely blown away. For the past year I had been wondering what the symbol meant.

Not only that but his book has already answered or shall I say confirmed some other questions that had been burning.

Today is a beautiful day.

Home Made Almond Milk

2008-06-01T20:14:00.005-04:00

Organic non-pasteurized milk is my preference but Martin's Country market closed down years ago and was replaced by a car dealership. Yeah for progress!

There is nothing like thick, creamy cold milk in a lovely old fashioned glass bottle. Diversity is good and thank heavens for the Amish and Mennonites around here.

But fresh milk of that sorts is out of reach at the moment.

Eventually I switched to Soy milk but the information on its healthfulness is so mixed that I'd rather shy away from it. I've learned that eating large amounts of soy products from NON-fermented soy beans is not a good thing. Something about the mimicking hormones that may not be good for growing boys or grown women for that matter. So then I switched to manufactured rice milk. But even rice milk doesn't sit well with me.

Well I decided to go the way of homemade almond milk. So once again I go over to the Mennonite store, not the one that closed down but one located on a small dairy farm where they sell fabric not milk, and I purchased some cheese cloth.

I used the cheese cloth to drain/strain my almond milk concoction. Add a little raw sugar (in lieu of the maple syrup I neglected to pick up at the other Mennonite grocer (health food bulk store) coupled with a bit of vanilla extract.

How many ways can you say yum! Try out the recipe I picked up from Mahanandi
My knowledge of the Sanskrit language is very rudimentary. Mostly its what I picked up from studying at the Hindi Temple years ago. Maha means Great and Ananda is Bliss.... so I surmise the website to mean Great Bliss.

Well this Almond milk was close to bliss for me! Enjoy!

P.s. I used 6 cups of water instead of 5 so I guess it was a bit thinner but it was still yummy!

image courtesy of<

Tribute to Theophilus Griffin

2008-05-31T08:28:00.007-04:00

On May 5, 2008 my grandaddy, Theophilus Griffin, passed away at home. We believe it to be a heart attack. My granmom was there with him. By the time the paramedics arrived it was too late. He was two months shy of his 80th birthday and he died in his home with his wife of 59 years whom he had known for 67 years.

By all appearances and American standards my Grandaddy and Granmom for that matter were an amazing couple who achieved the American dream. And through all of our ups and downs I love them both very much and proud of what they represented in our American culture.

They were both college educated people. My Grandaddy graduated from Tennessee State University where he was a Q-dog Omega Psi Phi and a Jazz alto-Saxophone player. He even played jazz saxophone at Carnegie Hall. In high school he was president of his senior class. He was tall, about 6'2, very handsome and everyone loved him. Yes, he had lots of friends.

He married my GranMommy, a model and wonderfully creative woman, in 1949 and they had 4 lovely children. One daughter, my Mother, is the hippie/creative who taught me unconditional love, the middle daughter a debutant and medical student and the youngest daughter a groundbreaking beauty pageant queen, actress and Broadway dancer (42nd Street, Chicago, Cotton Club movie-only to name just a few) and the son became an electrician whose two sons will son be signed to major league baseball teams.

They played bridge often with their club. They belonged to the Epicureans. And I remember while growing up as a young child they would often host cocktail parties. They lived the quintessential upper-middle class lifestyle. For a Black American couple having been born in the late 1920's this was an achievement beyond measure.

My Grandaddy worked for Western Electric and then AT&T as a supervisor where he retired after 39 years. He was known as Mr. T. He wisely invested in land and stocks so that when he and my Grandmommy, a Registered Nurse, retired they moved to a 5 acre rural lot and enjoyed their remaining years together. They indeed lived the "good life".

My fondest memories of my Grandaddy was traveling around in his 1975 brown (his favorite colour) Lincoln Continental (his favorite luxury car which he returned to in later life even after having two Cadillacs) and watching him use his CB radio to communicate with truckers. He handle was Big T and I fancied myself as Little T.

I could go on and on about my Grandfather and Grandparents achievements in this world, they were numerous, but I will not belabor the issue. I'm proud of their accomplishments and what they represent in American society.

Thank you Grandaddy for leading your family the way you thought best. Thank you for not being afraid to be yourself. Thank you for not "selling out". Thank you for representing strength. Thank you for being you the only way you knew how. I love you.

I wish you well on your journey in the next world. I wish you well in the lessons you have learned, the love you have gained and where ever you will go to next. Yes, I too will be there after I live out my lot in this life.
*********************************************************************************

Being with my family as we prepared for my Grandaddy's funeral was a very emotional time for me. I had so many issues and thoughts that needed resolving. After returning home there has been one song that I have been unconsciously singing for the past two weeks. That song is Whitney Houston's Greatest Love of All.

As I drank my yerba mate that song came to me even stronger so I looked it up on YouTube. All I could do was cry as I watched Whitney belt out this beautiful and spiritually edifying song. The lyrics of this song are profound, they feed my soul, thank you Whitney.

I dedicate this song to my Grandaddy, Theophilus Griffin, and to myself, his granddaughter.

Learning to let go is one of the greatest lessons. Letting go of pain, of expectations, of worry and letting go of what you think is right or wrong.

Death is the greatest teacher of letting go.

Yeah Right

2008-05-26T15:15:00.000-04:00

(CNN) -- A passenger who landed at Tokyo's Narita airport over the weekend has ended up with a surprise souvenir courtesy of customs officials -- a package of cannabis.

Sniffer dogs failed to find the cannabis after it had been slipped into a passenger's bag.

A customs official hid the package in a suitcase belonging to a passenger arriving from Hong Kong as part of an exercise for sniffer dogs on Sunday, Reuters.com reported.

However, staff then lost track of the drugs and suitcase during the exercise, a spokeswoman for Tokyo customs said.

Customs regulations specify that a training suitcase be used for such exercises, but the official had used passengers' suitcases for similar purposes in the past, domestic media reported.

Tokyo customs has asked anyone who finds the package to return it.

Full Moon of May

2008-05-19T17:02:00.004-04:00

Full Moon of May
So much energy at play

Lessons to heal
New plans to fulfill.

*************

This month kicked off with amazing energy. Sadness, loss but understanding and new platform.

Energetic motions coming full force and full circle. Big changes ahead. Changes that were long over due that fear clouded the way.

But the fog is lifted. Love releases.

Courage to forge...energy to move forward.

**************

Great Spirit, Spiral of Life....thank you for unexpected blessings....through death there is new life.

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Poetry for The Sun

2008-05-18T22:11:00.007-04:00

I've always written about my love for Mother Moon
and now its time to write about Father Sun because
he, The Sun, drawn from water, has recently inspired me.

*********************************
His face is liken unto the Sun

Warm and glowing

His words are like the sun's rays
that give life and edify

A touch that caresses

His Sun in My Moon

La Luna El Sol

The Sun

Come...
Let your countenance
warm my face

Your radiance caress my soul

Brilliant are your rays

Loving are your ways

My Moon a reflection of your glory

You, the Sun, drawn from the deepest of waters

Me, the Moon, encouraging your tides to wash over
cleansing the shore of Mother Earth and the consciousness
of her people.

Sister Mother Moon a reflection of your glory

**************************

Dedicated to the one who was drawn from the deepest waters.

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Snakes in DreamTime

2008-05-01T20:35:00.006-04:00

Last night I dreamt of snakes.

I am not particularly afraid of snakes. Actually I am more phobic regarding spiders. Just about anything that has more than 4 legs and creeps and crawls around the floor, wall or drops from the ceiling or out of trees--totally freaks me out beyond belief.

Yes, spider's petrify me. Hopefully one day I will overcome my fear of them. Come to think of it the other day as I waited for my youngest son to get out of school one or two spiders crawled up and around my leg and I did not panic. I simply brushed the first one away and then when another or the first one came back I brushed off the spider again and just go up and stood on the parking lot. I did not get the shivers, shakes or queasy stomach. What progress without even thinking of it. Yeah me!

I digress.

But, last night I dreamt of snakes, well actually it was morning when I had this dream. There were at least 8 to 10 snakes in the room in which I was standing. In the dream I did not have any fear or worry for the snakes being there, however, someone told me that one of the snakes was venomous. I began to worry about which one was venomous as I wanted to avoid getting bit.

I was very calm as I began to leave the room in order to avoid that one snake. Even as I began to make my way out of the room I still did not have any deep seated fear.

Strangely though the snakes began to follow me. It was like they really liked me and wanted to be around me. I tried to sneak out of the room and lots of little snakes followed me wanting to be near me.

I began to walk down the hallway trying to leave the snakes and thats when I woke up.

What strikes me about this dream was that I was in no way worried about the snakes...other than avoiding the venomous one. I was not fearful.

**
Snakes represent death and rebirth... change. In many cultures snakes represent healing. Snakes are one of the five animals in Chinese philosophy. The Chinese power totem animals include Snake, Tigers, Dragons, Leopards and the Crane. I would guess that Snakes represent earth, Dragons represent fire, Cranes represent water.... But I could be wrong. I need to look this up.

snake image borrowed from........

Coincidentally the image of the above snake looks like several of the snakes in my dream....the oranges were tiny and looked like corn snakes. I have never heard of corn snakes until I saw this image.

And one more note...the last three nights I have slept with five decent sized crystals right above my head....sort of like a crown. 3 very clear quartz crystals and 2 optical calcite crystals and I must say I have had some very clear and vivid dreams....thus the snake dream.

More on Joy

2008-04-13T19:21:00.003-04:00

Let us live Joyfully.....Let us live on spiritual bliss, radiating spiritual light.
~~Dhammapada 197-201

How does one live joyfully?

To live in gratitude for all things. To appreciate even the cloudy, rainy and cool weather day.

To be in awe of perforated toilet paper.

To lie on the grass at night marveling at the numerous flickering heavenly luminaries and when you lose your counting space in them laugh as you start over.....

To smile when the other driver takes the parking space you were waiting patiently for.....

To be in gratitude for a glass of water.

To live in joy... to live joyfully....

So let it be....

This work by Tamu Ngina is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Peace & Joy

2008-04-11T10:26:00.002-04:00

Peace and Joy are the stepping stones to Divine Consciousness.
~~~Swami Amar Jyoti

Just for today....

I will have Peace and I will have Joy

Just for today I will have Peace.......

And the fighting teenagers who live within my home
will not hinder that peace. My children are peace

My children are joy

Peace will descend and Just for today we will all know Peace. ;-)

************
This prayer/mantra of mine is posted for free use by any parent or parent figure
who is blessed with the presence of children of any age from infancy to adult....

Just over the Rainbow

2008-04-07T19:46:00.003-04:00

Well, you know sometimes life does not play out as you would like. Sometimes there are bumps in the road...the windy and crooked paths, major dips in the valley and wide, deep gullies that are seemingly endless.

But through it all Remember to breathe! Because Life is the refiners fire! Life on this place we call Earth is but one large classroom. Where we have lessons to learn, tests we pass or sometimes miss the mark.

We never fail as long as we continue to believe in ourselves and believe in our mission and continue to grow, improve and refine ourselves.

photo credit:

ReiKi vs Usui System of Natural Healing

2008-04-03T07:35:00.003-04:00

I found this lovely quote which completely explains what I was trying to convey in previous posts.

As to how someone can use Reiki (universal spiritual energy) even though they are not "attuned" to Reiki. :-)

Vinny Amador summed it on perfectly on his website.

Reiki (Usui) the "system" and Reiki the "energy"

Most Masters do not differentiate between Reiki the "system" and Reiki the "energy" when talking about Reiki. Reiki the "energy" is the divine energy from the creator that is available to all creation on an equal basis that we use in the Reiki System for healing. Other systems such as Chi Gung, Seichim/SKHM, and others utilize this energy as well. Reiki, the universal life energy, is one name for the energy. When discussing Reiki the system, it would seem to be a different matter. Usui Reiki, or the Usui System of Natural Healing has certain characteristics. They would seem to be a series of principles, hand positions, symbols and attunements that are used in a fairly specific way. That is the "system" of Reiki.

What many do not realise is that Reiki is just one of the names of 7 different identified energies. The concept of REIKI existed BEFORE Usui Sensei.

What he came up with was his OWN system of utilising reiki.

So yes, a person can use Reiki however they are not using Usui Reiki (THE METHOD) if they were not properly taught/attuned to it......

*************
What are the 7 different identified energies in Japanese?

The Spirit of Reiki by Lubeck, Petter, Rand

1. Kekki: The form of Ki that provides living being with nourishing strength.... Kek derived from Ketsu which means blood

2. Shioke: The is the form of Ki that gives the body the structure in which the vitality (Kekki) can gather and have an effect...

This is the ki of the salt or the Ki of the minerals.

(SHEREE just sent out her email today regarding CELL SALTS...i am a big proponent making sure they are balanced)

3. Mizuke: This the expression of Ki that allows relationships to function as the basis of communication. The Ki of Water. Making it possible to dissolve the separation and experience of joy, playfulness, and a sense of security when we are together in a physical sense

4. Kuki: The form of Ki that helps create the appropriate relationships for the respective being with other parts of the Creation by producing boundaries....opening up in a specific way, shaping, and striving is called Kuki. Ki of the gases or ki of the air.... Self fulfillment...growing becoming conscious of self....

5. Denki: The form of Ki that lends us our striving, ore relationship with the ego, and the urge to grow in a way considerate of others.... Ki of Thunder

6.Jiki: The form of Ki that helps us finding the precisely appropriate complement to our own being in every situation, that presents us with our unlived shadow aspects..... Magnetic power of Gathering Force

7 REIKI: The form of Ki that organizes the correct synergetic appication of all the subordinate forms of the life force in the holistic sense....

REIKI:
connects without binding
stimulates without overexciting
separates without creating isolation
calms with out causing rigidity
directs or attention to life and the love in the heart
creates clarity without a lack of involvement
wakes us up and supports the devlopement of all types of latent potentials....

*****************

Direct quotes and paraphrasing from the book THE SPIRIT OF REIKI by Lubeck, Petter, and Rand.

If there was only one book in Reiki you could afford to buy... this should be it.

I do not mean its the end all, but it does give you a good foundation.

image Lotus Press * Shangria-La from the book Reiki Best Practices

Quote of Day

2008-03-25T18:04:00.000-04:00

Quote of the Day - Walt Disney -

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

On Distant Attunements

2008-03-23T10:26:00.002-04:00

What you read below is an email I sent to my friend on the discussion of ReiKi that I somehow geared towards distant attunements....Thought it was interesting and wanted to share with you: (please excuse the typos)

I've empowered my middle son to Reiki 1, my youngest wasnt yet however I believe that he does work with the energy... (after all it is deep within us anyway...our connection to the Source) and I have empowered/attuned my mother to Reiki 1. That empowerment was a distant one....I am a believer in distant attunements...I find they work just like in person ones... after all Universal Spiritual Energy is infinite and all pervasive.... so it knows no time and space limitations. its the intent and of course commitment of both parties. The "sensations" I've felt were very similar in both cases...as I have received distant and in person attunements for all three levels. I've studied reiki with 5 different people -- 4 in person and 1 distant.

My very first attunement happened impromtu at a festival I attended. I had no idea what to expect...my experience was that my hands kept repeatedly heating up and cooling down...it was a wonderful experience and beginning and I will always be honored to have Lady Rachel,
an independent Reiki Master in Diane Steins tradition, in my lineage.

Prior to that my only experience had been from reading Diane Steins' book....(during which I had a spontaneous ReiKi experience) If ReiKi truly is Universal or Primal Spiritual Energy than it is possible to have spontaneous Reiki experience... spontaneous reconnections to the Source of Life and healing...cause that connections is always there if only we would tune into it. Its all very simple.

After reading Diane Steins' book Essential Reiki I was moved to repeat outloud that I accept healing from the Source of Life...and within several seconds I felt a surge of light energy come in thru my Left hand all the way down that side of my body....after that the pain I had been experiencing...that was growing worse and worse each day in my left leg especially and vein heaviness in both legs have NEVER come back.

After the attunement with my mother...she said her hands tingled greatly and she felt a warm calmness come over her..... She wanted to do it again soon.....

Some people are opposed to distant attunements. I think they are subject to individual situations and sincerity. It amazes me how people want to put absolutes on ReiKi.... how can you confine something that is infinite.... Spiritual Energy....which comes from the Source of Life... what ever that is.... God--etc..... is infinite and all pervasive.... Energy never dies it just transforms....
*****************
To this I append:

After all Usui-sensei's experience was a spontaneous one without the intervention of another human being.

I think after a while become once again disconnected from Truth and Source.

I am in no way belittling the need for a "teacher" or even the "teacher-student" dynamic.

However, I do believe that our finite minds at work tend to gear towards the conditioned state and continues to want to be imprisoned in Maya and separation... that we are indeed separated from the Source, that it is not within us and that we must have someone external set us straight.

At the same time I believe that my physical connection to you is important I also believe that I have my own connection....does that make any sense? I need you just as much as I don't need you....because we are ONE.....However, in this state of apparent separation we do need that connection to be manifested in the physical.

Existing in state of duality in this earth plane....it is and it is not.

Divine Mother

2008-03-18T22:14:00.002-04:00

*************
We are born from the womb of our Mothers....

We are born from the dark, black womb of our Mother....

From out of the void we came....

deep
dark
black hole springs Life....

spiraling inward
spiraling outward
(c) S.Swan
****************

The mightiest force in the
cosmos is the silent power of
Divine Mother's pure love.

Seek within your heart and
discover Her presence
there in the form of peace,
bliss, and divine love."
~~Sri KarunaMayi
****************

Shanti, Shanti, Shanti......

Hubble Ultra Deep Field Black Point

Strange Days & ChemBows

2008-03-17T09:05:00.004-04:00

HOPI WARN OF IMPENDING APOCALYPSE
Misty sun and moon halos now being seen around the earth fulfill one of the last signs, according to Hopi propecy, that signals the end of an age and that a Great Purification is about to begin.

"'Now we are at the very end of our trail. Many people no longer recognize the true path of the Great Spirit. They have, in fact, no respect for the Great Spirit or for our precious Mother Earth, who gives us all life.

Nature itself does not speak with a voice that we can easily understand... Who in this world can speak for nature and the spiritual energy that creates and flows through all life?''

Banyacya said it is necessary for human beings that have not separated themselves from the land and nature to speak out.

"If we humans do not wake up to the warnings, the great purification will come to destroy this world just as the previous worlds were destroyed.'' _ Hopi spiritual leader, Banyacya

Hopi Prophecy
http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096410637

**************************

Verily we are guilty of the seven deadly sins, what are they?

Gluttony, pride, greed....

Did you hear about the tornado that ripped through Atlanta? And we think it has nothing to with the destruction of the landscape...the clearing of trees and building of condos and new homes...the drying up of Lake Lanier.....the drought....

This is all a result of Western man's worship of the Almighty Dollar....we are killing our selves...yet our minds are too enslaved by high fructose corn syrup, fluoride, celebrity gossip & haute couture to remove our minds from the Matrix.

Blessed Great Spirit please allow us time to free our minds....

Homosexual Execuetions

2008-03-17T07:55:00.002-04:00

One day we will learn to act with loving compassion. Even for those for whom we may feel are errant in their ways. Stoning women because they were raped, chopping off hands for stealing, removing girls clitorises and sewing them up in the name of purity...when will this ever end.

Would we, as human beings, behave this way if we used more than 10% of our brain capacity?

*********
Gay Iranian granted asylum reprieve
Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:01pm GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - A gay Iranian teenager was granted a reprieve on Thursday from deportation to Iran, where he says he could be hanged for his homosexuality.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said in a statement that "in the light of new circumstances" 19-year-old Mehdi Kazemi's appeal for asylum should be reconsidered.

"This is very positive. But reconsidered doesn't mean he'll get a permit, they could still deny what he is asking," Kazemi's Dutch lawyer, Borg Palm, told Reuters by telephone.

Kazemi came to Britain to study in 2005, lawyers have said. He later learned that his lover in Iran had been hanged after being charged and convicted of sodomy. Homosexuality is illegal in the Islamic republic.

Fearing for his life, Kazemi sought asylum in Britain, but his claim was rejected.

Members of the Lords urged Smith earlier on Thursday to show mercy and grant Kazemi asylum in Britain, where his uncle has lived for 30 years.

"We are deeply concerned at the possible execution of Mehdi Kazemi if he is refused asylum in the UK and is deported to Iran," read a letter to Smith signed by 63 members of the Lords.

Kazemi fled to the Netherlands and sought asylum there, but a Dutch court this week turned down his application, saying as he had applied in Britain he must return there to pursue his case.

He is due to be deported from the Netherlands back to Britain within days, the Independent said on Thursday.

Human rights groups and gay rights advocates have rallied to Kazemi's cause, highlighting the Iranian government's track record of executing homosexuals.

"If returned to Tehran, he will be at risk of imprisonment, torture and execution," said Peter Tatchell, the founder of Outrage, a gay rights group.

(Additional reporting by Katherine Baldwin and David Clarke in London and Svebor Kranjc and Catherine Hornby in Amsterdam; Editing by Catherine Evans)

© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved.

Attention Please

2008-03-16T17:17:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine brought this to my attention. You may read on here or click the link to read in totality:
http://www.hopefortruth.com/Lbam_Articles/75_for_aerial_spray.htm

Spraying of Toxic Biological Chemicals Over San Francisco Announced

People of the world, the US Government is planning to poison more than two million people, in California, using an untested biological "pesticide" this summer. Your attention and action on this subject is needed in the most important way.

On January 24th, 2008, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Chuck Conner announced the availability of $74.5 million in emergency funding to combat the light brown apple moth (LBAM) infestation in California (1). President Bush's recent budget proposal sent to Congress sets aside $330 Million to eradicate plant pests, like the Light Brown Apple Moth.

On Febuary 13th, 2008, the CDFA and USDA, in conjunction, announced their action plan for aerial spraying untested poison on people. This is from the CDFA Press Release "Aerial treatments are expected to begin June 1 in the infested areas of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, with subsequent aerial treatments expected to begin August 1 in San Francisco, Daly City, Colma, Oakland, Piedmont, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Tiburon and Belvedere. The treatments in these areas are designed to be reapplied at 30- to 90-day intervals while the moths are active." (http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=08-010)

This is now clear and reprehensible evidence of State and Federal Government's attempting to commit a large scale crime against the American people. Let's forget about supposed Terrorists for a second, and lets pay attention to this biological attack planned on our fellow neighbors. The presence of a minuscule pest, no more dangerous than an ant, is no excuse to douse millions with chemicals. Remember, this aerial "treatment" plan is to disrupt the mating habits of a harmless apple moth. Disrupting mating habits does not eliminate the moth, nor is it an effective or proven treatment to stop the apple moth. What should be of Alarm! is that their are NO CROPS IN CITIES! So why are they going to spray cities?

***********

Now here is where we all get together and sing Kum ba Yah .....

We are driven to distraction with all the high fructose corn syrup in our foods and all the celebrity gossip in the news.....all to distract us....

Reiki: India

2008-03-14T16:29:00.001-04:00

from Rons Bantwal
for Daijiworld Media Network � Mangalore (NR)

Mumbai, Mar 8: The GSB Sabha KCG organized a 'Reiki' programme 'Karuna Shakti Healing' by Dr Venkatesh K G Pai recently at Sri Balaji Mandir hall Kurla here.

Dr Venkatesh Pai, a Reiki grand master for the past 14 years has been imparting the knowledge of healing. He has trained around 2,500 people to learn and practice the art of healing oneself and others. He is the first Reiki master to have attained a doctorate in Reiki. He has been felicitated by the Indian Board of Alternative Medicines (IBAM) and awarded the 'Shiromani Award' and a gold medal.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a natural art of healing. It was first discovered by a theologian Dr Mikao Usui. 'Rei' means universal 'Ki' means the life force energy. There are different levels of teaching like first degree, second degree etc.

About Karuna Shakti Healing

Dr Venkatesh Pai encapsulated all his experience and discovered an advance level of Reiki called Karuna Shakti healing which gave a new dimension to healing purely based on Indian culture and beliefs. Beginners have to undergo a workshop-cum-seminar of Karuna Shakti healing.

Benefits of Karuna Shakti healing

In the advance and purest form of Reiki healing, the participants undergoing this course will attain and vibrate to the highest form of self healing. One can heal and cure oneself, the most common disorder/diseases namely diabetes, BP, sciatica, depression, stress and many other common health related problems.

As many as 27 members of GSB Sabha attended a full day workshop wherein information regarding KSH was imparted and trainees were taught to how to practice KSH . Then Karuna Shakti was infused within trainees through a process of meditation.

During the second session each member was asked to practice the healing process on his/her colleagues. Every one looked relaxed, energetic and a few even felt relief from joint pain. The overall opinion of the members was that the programme was effective, informative and satisfactory. A concluding session will be held after 21 days.

original article found here Daijiworld

The Matirx: Sophia Oracle

2008-03-09T20:34:00.004-04:00

May 13th 2006 04:15 AM

FACTS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CASE

THE FACTS YOU DON’T KNOW

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart owns the original copyrights (1981, 1983 and 1984) for The Third Eye, the manuscript from which The Terminator and The Matrix franchises were produced?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart’s book entitled “ The Third Eye “ was with Fox Studios for five years (1981 –1985)?

• Did you know that Fox Studios released Stewart’s work (The Third Eye) in 1984 as The Terminator and it was not until the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) notified her in 2001 that she learned about the theft?

• Did you know that in 1986, Sophia Stewart submitted The Third Eye to the Wachoski brothers and they never replied?

• Did you know that the 1994-copyrighted script titled The Matrix, owned by the Wachoski brothers, bears no resemblance to the 1999 movie release?

• Did you know that this same ’94 copyright was hidden from the State judge during Larry Wachowski divorce proceedings in 2003 and was never entered in the Federal court of Sophia Stewart’s case.

• Did you know that in July 2003 in an unrelated case Lawrence Wachoski said that he and his brother wrote The Matrix in 1993 and later on in that same case said it was not true?

• Did you know that the FBI investigated Stewart’s case because criminal copyright infringement is a federal crime?

• Did you know that the FBI found that The Terminator and The Matrix were based upon Sophia Stewart’s Epic The Third Eye?

• Did you know that there have been several revisions to the original Matrix movie released in 1999?

• Did you know that direct quotes were taken from Sophia Stewart’s work, The Third Eye?

• Did you know that an introduction was taken out of Sophia Stewart’s Epic “ The Third Eye “ and was used in verbatim for the opening of the original Matrix movie?

• Did you know that in 1999 Warner Brothers tried to settle the case with Sophia Stewart and negotiations broke down when she was advised not to settle by a studio insider?

• Did you know that in 2003, after waiting for the FBI to take action, Sophia Stewart went to court to fight for her rights as copyright owner?

• Did you know that the defendants hired the first judge’s son to defend them after the case was filed and that Judge Terry Hatter had to recuse himself from the case?

• Did you know that the lawyers representing the defendants admitted “ willful intent “ by claiming that the statue of limitations had run out for the Terminator?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart was represented by four of the most reputable law firms in the country; yet, they have not subpoenaed records & evidence, which are vital to winning her case?

• Did you know that Sophia’s case was written in the Law Review September 16, 2004, has received international attention, and is being monitored by lawyers and legal organizations around the country?

• Did you know that because of the possible indictments for criminal activities related to this case including copyright infringement, obstruction of justice, collusion, duplicity, and fraud, it is in the best interest of the defendants to settle the civil case to avoid criminal prosecution?

• Did you know that The Matrix won four Oscars, one of which was for the special effects which Sophia Stewart created and submitted with her original manuscript?

• Did you know that by 2006, The Matrix and The Terminator film franchises have earned over $2.5 billion dollars and to date Sophia Stewart, The Mother of The Matrix, has not received one dime for her work?

• Did you know that James Cameron never wrote the Terminator and his name is only part of the title in the ’84 copyright?

• Did you know that Gale Ann Hurd’s own Production Company called Pacific Western hired her as an employee to write the Terminator and that Hemdale Film is claiming to be the owner on the copyright?

• Did you know while in Federal Court Fox denied distributing the ’84 Terminator yet, they did distribute the film in Germany?

• Did you know that the March 31, 1999 nationwide release of the Matrix movie was not registered until April 16, 1999 raising questions on ownership and why a film would be published and released the same day?

• Did you know that Warner Brothers’ claim is there is no “ source work “ for the Matrix movie?

• Did you that Warner Brothers has stated the Matrix film is based on an original screenplay, and contains an original story?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart has several letters of access from Fox and certified return receipts?

• Did you know that Carrie-Ann Moss (Trinity) starred in a 1993 Canadian television series called Matrix?

• Did you know that the Wachowski Brothers in an interview with Steve Hockensmith admitted they never wrote the first Matrix film instead they hired comic-book artist to draw the entire movie?

• Did you know after Sophia Stewart contacted the Wachowski Brothers they signed a contract with Warner Brothers to never do any interviews on the Matrix movie?

• Did you know in a May 13, 2004 letter to Sophia Stewart that Fox admitted to distributing “ Terminator 1 “ in the home video market in foreign territories and claim that they had limited involvement with “ Terminator1 “?

• Did you know that the Wachowski brothers had already defaulted by more than 30 days in the federal courts before Warner Brother lawyers decided to defend them?

• Did you know that an African American woman named Sophia Stewart created the matrix movie?

• Did you know that the same law firm defended all eight of the defendants in the Matrix case?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewarts own lawyers prevented her from going to trial because they failed to answer the admissions, failed to put in the evidence and they did not defend the opposition to block Sophia Stewart from speaking?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart got a letter of access dated May 19 1999 from Warner Brothers comparing her original draft of The Third Eye with the Matrix Movie?

• Did you know that all of the characters and some of the special effects in the Matrix I film were created by Sophia Stewart?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart has been in the federal court system since April 24, 2003, for over three years?

• Did you know that the quote “Ill be back” made world famous by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was created by Sophia Stewart, and is a direct quote from Sophia Stewarts Epic The Third Eye?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart has already made history because her Matrix case is recorded in the courts and has been heard and read about around the entire world?

• Did you know why Sophia Stewart was prevented from going to trial and why going to trial would have sent the defendants to jail?

• Did you know that the FBI violated Sophia Stewart’s Civil & Constitutional Rights because she did not get due process of the law, and the government failed to protect her copyrights?

• Did you know that the Oracle in the Matrix movie was based on the real life of Sophia Stewart?

• Did you know that Sophia Stewart has been using the Matrix and Terminator for years and no countersuits have ever been filed?

• Did you know the defendants have never denied that Sophia Stewart wrote the Matrix or Terminator?

ALL EYES ON ME Inc.

Good Morning- You are what you eat

2008-03-04T05:55:00.006-05:00

Good Morning! Not quite 6am here.

And I have yet to turn off my Dr. Thompson sleep cd.

I began using Dr. Jeffery Thompson's Brain Wave music to help me sleep after a hospitalization I had a year and half ago.

I was emotionally drained, on edge and vulnerable that I could not sleep for fear that something would happen to me related to my hospitalization. Not a good place to be in when you are alone, far from family and have children to care for.

The emotional mud slide was building up due to lack of sleep that only after using these sleep cds (He has cds for Creativity, Meditation, etc...as well) was I able to actually go into a sleep at night and began to emotionally heal and physically heal.

Being sleep deprived and emotionally stressed after an illness can leave one very open and vulnerable.

Thankfully I have healed since then and move towards greater and greater strengths. :-)

You can find out more about Dr. Jeffrey Thompson via his website Center for NeuroAcoustic Research.

To this day I continue to be a big fan and highly recommend his music.

Remember I told you about a Physiology exam I was to take? Well I almost aced it.... missed one question out of 48. And I also made an A (missed one) on the short terminology quiz that was given.

Photo Sunrise by Steve Locke

I'd like to share with you an article a dear friend of mine sent to me last night. I went and searched the original source and it is linked below.

************************************************************************************
You are what you eat, so eat well.

Whole Food Signatures

A stupendous insight of civilisations past has now been confirmed by today's investigative, nutritional sciences. They have shown that what was once called "The Doctrine of Signatures" was astoundingly correct.

Referred to in the classical period of Rome as the "Law of Similarities" it is now called by scientists, "Teleological Nutritional Targeting".

It now contends that every whole food has a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function and that this pattern acts as a signal or sign as to the benefit the food provides the eater.

For instance:

	A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
	A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.
	Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
	A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebelums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuro-transmitters for brain function.
	Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
	Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
	Egg Plant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervicle cancers. And how profound is this? .... it takes exactly 9 months to grow an Avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 phytolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
	Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
	Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
	Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
	Grapefruits, Oranges, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mamary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
	Onions look like body cells. Todays research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial lasyers of the eyes
	Bananas, Cucumber, Zuchini and more target the size and strengh of the male sexual organ. It's true!
	Peanuts have a profound effect on the testicles and sexual libido. Peanuts were banned as a food for males by the church ofin during the middle ages. Most people don't realize that arginine, the main component of Viagra, comes from peanuts.

http://www.dontolmaninternational.com/portal/content/view/24/95/

Get Chia

2008-03-02T16:14:00.001-05:00

CHIA SEED IS NOW FEATURED

(Pg. #150) IN THE NEW BOOK:

"YOU - STAYING YOUNG"

WRITTEN BY DR. OZ FROM

THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW!

Chia Seeds are THE BEST source of

Omega-3 & Omega-6 essential fatty acids!

These seeds are perfect for diabetics &

people watching or trying to lose weight.

Chia Seeds are also very beneficial to the

heart and extremely high in fiber, calcium, high

quality protein, slowly processed carbohydrates

and loaded with vitamins & minerals and antioxidants!

The health benefits of Omega-3

fatty acids are becoming widely known.

What is not as well known is that the

chia seed is THE BEST source of Omega-3.

CHIA SEED IS BETTER THAN

FISH OIL & FLAX SEED!

Chia seed is high in protein

and high in calcium. 5 times the calcium of milk, 631 mg per 100 grams of seed.

Chia seeds are also high in protein,

with 18 grams per 100 grams of seed.

The optimum ratio of Omega-3 to

Omega-6 should be 3:1.

Chia seed provides that ratio.

Chia seed is hydrophilic.

Absorbing up to 14 times

(Mix @ 9-10 times) its weight in water.

This helps extend energy and endurance.

Chia seed is rich in antioxidant oils.

Chia contains chlorogenic acid, and

caffeic acid as well as myricetin,

quercetin, and kaempferol flavonols.

These compounds are both primary and synergistic antioxidants that contribute

to the strong antioxidant activity of chia.

Chia seed is also low in sodium.

Only 19 mg per 100 grams.

Brunch on Leap Day

2008-02-29T11:17:00.004-05:00

It's a leap year. Yeah. Whatever that means :-)

So, this morning I did so much running around. Had to run to the store in order to purchase some decent dress/casual pants for my middle son who is going on a Shabbat trip. Then I needed to rush back in order to watch my eldest son play Prometheus in a class skit.

Unbeknown to me the school changed the time of the skit and I missed it. When I arrived to the school and the principal met me he had nothing but praise for my two sons. They are pleasant, caring and well mannered. He took me to the classroom and asked the teacher to allow the students to do an encore presentation.

It was at that moment that I was reminded that all the running around and stressin out for the boys is well worth it as they make me so proud to be their mother.

I then rushed over to the market to purchase some white and yellow sweet yams. I grouped them together with a few okra and some chopped up collard greens and steamed them in my pot.

You see the photo below... that was my morning's brunch I ate around 11am today. I thinly sliced some red onion and draped over the collards with curry/masala spice and drizzled with a touch of XV olive oil. On the yams is a bit of goat feta, cayenne and a pinch of sunflower oil. And over the okra is just a dab of roasted Sesame oil.

All I can say is YUM!! And thank the Most High for such wonderful nourishment.

Steaming sounds blah to you? Try it and then sprinkle your seasoning on top. Remember to only use Celtic Sea salt.

Ministerial, Life Updates

2008-02-28T07:34:00.003-05:00

My life has been a journey through valleys, peaks and even plains.

You know, the proud moments and even the not so proud moments but learning
valuable lessons nonetheless...happy ones and heartbreaking ones.

Muddling my way through LIFE with the commitment to learn what I need to learn and to operate with compassion both for myself and for others. As one sagely figure once said, "You who is without sin-cast the first stone".

So most of you know that I received my ministerial ordination after interview, essay and life commitment past and present.

My ordination is in Spiritual Healing and I've done and am constantly in action to build up the foundation and house of my ordination.

I am proud to say that yesterday I completed my training in Hospice care.

This has been a wonderful opportunity and wonderful time of reflection and learning.

My gifts to put into action in the Hospice care will be the training I've had in Reiki, Reflexology & Aromatherapy.

Reiki for me will continue to be a life long work and study in the spiritual energy field. I've completed (?) the initial foundation for Reiki training up till Reiki Master level both distant learning and in-person learning. I decided on this route so that I will have a wide range of people and philosophical/practical thoughts to learn from.

In fact it was the Reiki Master Teacher I prayed to meet that introduced me to the Hospice Care program. It was my prayer/hope to meet a teacher that was committed to giving of herself to help others. And...we found each other.

The power of prayer/hope and intent is very powerful.

I put a question mark next to "completed" in regards to Reiki training as I believe that ones training is never fully complete, it is a daily or life long practice. Of working with spiritual energy that surrounds and flows through us all.

I am also finishing my diploma in Reflexology. This therapy is not regulated in my state however I wanted to make sure I have a full and solid foundation in the art so that I am able to really offer something meaningful to clients.

As part of the program I've been deeply entrenched in Anatomy and Physiology. As a matter of fact I am studying hard for an up coming final.

Physiology is FASCINATING. The human body is this intricate and advanced mechanism. It can only make me saw WOW!

My favorite organ is the liver!!!!

If more of us understood how the body actually works and how delicate it is to maintain homeostasis I believe we would be kinder and more concerned about what we put or don't put into it.

This is just a minute glimpse into the commitment I have made to my spiritual ministerial ordination, self and life.

Patently Amazing

2008-02-28T05:26:00.004-05:00

Patently Amazing: Caring Companies Place Private Eco-Technologies in Public Domain

Here’s the kind of corporate largesse the world could use a lot more of: In mid-January, IBM, Nokia, Pitney-Bowes, and Sony banded together to create the Eco-Patent Commons, a public domain depository for previously private patents for new environmentally-friendly technologies. Patents in the Commons can be used by anyone for any purpose and the companies hope that by releasing them for free public use they’ll encourage innovation and a better world.

Read Seventh Generation's The Non-Toxic Times NewsLetter For more Information

***This renews my hope in the goodness of big corporations.****

Hope Springs Eternal

2008-02-27T16:06:00.001-05:00

Will post more on THIS hamsa later....................enjoy.....

The Dance of Being~LIFE

2008-02-27T15:47:00.006-05:00

One of my Beloved and Beautiful Sisters of Light sent this quote to me....It comes from Kabbalah tradition at the same time it also reminds me of the dance of Lord Shiva.

"Rhythm is the basis of life, not steady forward progress. The forces of creation, destruction, and preservation have a whirling, dynamic interaction."

I dedicate this post to Ms. LaLa

Life is cyclical not linear. How's your circle rolling/flowing...undulating, dilating and spiraling?

image credit http://www.pitt.edu/~asian/week-7/week-7.html

Spiritual Gems

2008-02-25T08:00:00.005-05:00

" I am ever present to those who have realized me in every creature. Seeing all life as my manifestation, they are never separated from me. They worship me in the hearts of all, and all their actions proceed from me. Wherever they live, they abide in me"

From THE Bhagavad Gita translation by Eknath Easwaran

Life, as I see it is a journey...a journey through rough and rugged terrain. A place where we come to learn and refine our souls. We have lessons to learn and obstacles to overcome. It has been my constant companion, the desire to grow, learn and become better than I was.

As the late Eknath Easwaran put it, "...to emerge from this life victorious".

What makes us victorious in this life? Well, I will share my opinion--When we remember to be compassionate not only to others but to ourselves. When we remember to love others as ourself and remember to love ourselves. When we seek to learn from every turn, every meeting and every "mistake".

When finally learn to have peace within ourselves knowing that we encounter in our lives nothing which we we can not overcome. When we acknowledge our responsibility for our lives and our choices. And in the end when we truly learn what we are to focus on ... that which is love, compassion, and true peace.

When we have those in the scope of our lives.. those who cross our paths that can not focus on their own growth, their own lessons but choose instead to focus on the splinter in your eye while ignoring the beam in their's. This metaphor I borrow from Jesus of Nazareth--we should look upon them with love, compassion and peace and not judge them.

We realize that they also on a journey but their level of self realization should have no bearing on our own. We pray for them to have greater understanding and growth as we pray for ourselves.

To emerge from this life Victorious....knowing that you are have grown fully into YOU shining forth your own spark of the Divine.

Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita (God's Song) tells Arjuna that there are two paths.

Be fearless and pure; never waver in your determination or your dedication to the spiritual life. Give freely. Be self-controlled, sincere, truthful,loving, and full of the desire to serve. Realize the truth of the scriptures; learn to be detached and to take joy in renunciation.

Do not get angry or harm any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show good will to all.

Cultivate vigor, patience, will, purity; avoid malice and pride. Then, Arjuna, you will achieve your divine destiny.

Other qualities, Arjuna, make a person more and more inhuman: hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, cruelty, ignorance

.

It is never too late to choose the right path as long as breath is in you. Choosing the right path is emerging from life victorious.

Choose each day to be victorious in your life.

Above image is from Bhaktivedanta The Bhagavad Gita

Full Moon

2008-02-20T07:45:00.003-05:00

Beloved,

We are blessed to see another full Moon. Blessed full moon a reflection of the Sun's glory. Set in the heavens to remind us that even in the darkest of hours we are not alone.

Some believe that the time of the full Moon is one of strength and a fullness of being. Set your goals, set your intentions during the time of the full Moon.

Go out to her tonight and bask in her luminescence. Raise your hands to the heavens and affirm that you are...Affirm that you are blessed...You are blessed with abundance.

Abundance comes in all forms. Abundance of Love. Abundance of light upon your path. Abundance of family and friends. Abundance in any area of your life including finances.

What is it that you feel you need? You lack nothing. You must only trust that it is yours waiting for you to be open to it. Love, kindness, monetary help? Get out your paper and pen and write your check out to yourself during your time of the full Moon.

Write out your desire....payable to you. Trust in your intention to receive blessings from the Source of Life. Trust and do not worry. Continue about your life and seek a way to incorporate that blessing in your life even before you "see" it. Whether it is discipline-- incorporating habits that will open the gates.

Enjoy this beautiful full Moon you see today, at this moment...right now.

image credit: http://www.aiis.com.au/meditations.html

Ancient Nubia

2008-02-19T15:14:00.001-05:00

Tribute to Ancient Nubia the forefathers of Ancient Khemet.

Be enlightened and Enjoy.

10 to Avoid

2008-02-19T13:15:00.002-05:00

10 Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients To Avoid

Many of these ingredients are contained in "Natural" personal care products

1. Imidazolidinyl Urea and Diazolidinyl Urea — These are the most commonly used preservatives after the parabens. They are well established as a primary cause of contact dermatitis (American Academy of Dermatology). Two trade names for these chemicals are Germall II and Germall 115. Neither of the Germall chemicals have a good antifungal, and must be combined with other preservatives. Germall 115 releases formaldehyde at just over 10°. These chemicals are toxic.

2. Methyl, Propyl, Butyl, and Ethyl Paraben — Used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend shelf life of products. Widely used even though they are known to be toxic. Have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Methyl paraben combines benzoic acid with the methyl group of chemicals. Highly toxic.

3. Petrolatum — Petrolatum is mineral oil jelly, and mineral oil causes a lot of problems when used on the skin—it can produce photosensitivity (i.e., promotes sun damage), and it tends to interfere with the body's own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dry skin and chapping. You are being sold a product that creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is very cheap.

4. Propylene Glycol — Ideally this is a vegetable glycerine mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural. Usually it is a synthetic petrochemical mix used as a humectant. Has been known to cause allergic and toxic reactions.

5. PVP/VA Copolymer — A petroleum-derived chemical used in hairsprays, wavesets and other cosmetics. It can be considered toxic, since particles may contribute to foreign bodies in the lungs of sensitive persons.

6. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate — This synthetic substance is used in shampoos for its detergent and foam-building abilities. It causes eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, and allergic reactions. It is frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the parenthetic explanation "comes from coconut".

7. Stearalkonium Chloride — A chemical used in hair conditioners and creams. Causes allergic reactions. Stearalkonium chloride was developed by the fabric industry as a fabric softener, and is a lot cheaper and easier to use in hair conditioning formulas than proteins or herbals, which do help hair health. Toxic.

8. Synthetic Colors — The synthetic colors used to supposedly make a cosmetic "pretty" should be avoided at all costs, along with hair dyes. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number. Example: FD&C Red No. 6 / D&C Green No. 6. Synthetic colors are believed to be cancer-causing agents. If a cosmetic has them in it, don't use the cosmetic.

9. Synthetic Fragrances — The synthetic fragrances used in cosmetics can have as many as 200 ingredients. There is no way to know what the chemicals are, since on the label it will simply say "Fragrance". Some of the problems caused by these chemicals are headaches, dizziness, rash, hyperpigmentation, violent coughing, vomiting, skin irritation, and the list goes on. Advice: Don't buy a cosmetic that has the word "Fragrance" on the ingredients label.

10. Triethanolamine (TEA) — Often used in cosmetics to adjust the pH, and used with many fatty acids to convert acid to salt (stearate), which then becomes the base for a cleanser. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

Summary

Look for natural ingredients in the products you buy. Do not use cosmetics that are artificially colored. Is the shampoo green or blue? Very likely it contains a coal-tar color. Does the product contain a synthetic fragrance? Don't use it. Are any of the chemicals listed above on the ingredients label? Don't use it. You may find out that some of your allergic problems will suddenly go away when you no longer use cosmetics with synthetics and petrochemicals.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/toxic_cosmetics.cfm

Be Still

2008-02-18T17:29:00.002-05:00

What is your intention for today?

Have you taken a moment to be still and to listen to your inner voice?

Have you taken a moment to thank the Source of Life for your blessings?

Do you have blessings to be thankful for?

Do something good for yourself. Take time to be still today and listen to your heart of hearts.

Are you allowing your light to shine?

What is it that you want out of LIFE?

Spiritual Aroma

2008-02-13T19:31:00.001-05:00

What essential oil speaks to you, lately.....

For me it has been Lemon.

Lemon has a scent that represents smiles, Sunshine and bright blessings.

I find it very uplifting especially during these winter months

It is good energizing.... I think most all citrus is but lemon is special.

What does Valerie Worwood say about LEMON in Aromatherapy for the Soul aka The Fragrant Heavens?

Lemon is vitalizing and purifying to the mind, body and soul. It allows directness and clarity in prayer. Angels often use this vibration to send feelings of happiness and calmness to us, to remind us to use the fertility and richness of the planet correctly.

Creative Treat

2008-02-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

Sharing with you here a slide show by one of my new favorite spiritual artists. Her name is El* Brooks and she lives in South Australia. Aboriginal dreamtime spiritual creations seem to influence her work. Thank you El* for the gift of you, for sharing.

Find more photos like this on Lightworkers Healing Federation

New Moon

2008-02-07T08:46:00.000-05:00

We entered the New Moon phase last night. So today is the first full day of our beautiful New Moon.

The celebration of the new moon is a women's holy day in the Hebrew tradition. Rosh Chodesh as it is called. A time to rest, relax and just be. Celebrating the start of a new month.

New moon is also a good time for starting new projects, implement new goals and work towards growth in what ever endeavor you have set forth.

I believe it is very important to take time and acknowledge the cycles of our planets. Those very cycles are very much a part of your life and should be witnessed. The changing of the seasons and even night into day.

When we take time to observe change that is going on around us...the ebb and flow of life's energy it helps us to stay centered and focus on what is within.

Our body is part and parcel of the earth and what ever affects the earth also affects our body, mind and spirit.

I am thankful for the opportunity to see yet another New Moon in my lifetime here on Mother Earth.

Just for Today, I will take time to acknowledge the wonders of the passing of time. And will be that much more conscientious of how I number my days.

Your Mind Is Controlled

2008-02-05T14:37:00.000-05:00

What Dreams Are Made Of

2008-02-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

"Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream." ~~Lao Tzu

"Nuture your mind with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes." ~~Benjamin Disraeli

"There are times to cultivate and create, when you nurture your world and give birth to new ideas and ventures. There are times of flourishing and abundance, when life feels in full bloom, energized and expanding. And there are times of fruition, when things come to an end. They have reached their climax and must be harvested before they begin to fade. And finally of course, there are times that are cold and cutting and empty, times when the spring of new beginnings seems like a distant drea. Those rhythms in life are natural events. They weave into one another as day follows night, bringing not messages of hope and fear, but messages of how things are." ~~Chogyam Trungpa

image from http://www.easy-dream-interpretation.com/

Spiritual Life of Trees

2008-01-31T09:08:00.001-05:00

Recently in my area our government has created a bypass which connects one area of the county to another. This bypass is a traffic gift. What once took nearly an half hour to drive now takes 15 to 20 tops.

Also noticeable on the drive are all the new subdivisions that have cropped up. New houses, new townhomes and new apartment complexes. What saddens me and should sadden you are all the trees that were cut down to clear the land in order to build new homes.
Why should this sadden you? We simply do not understand how our survival on planet Earth is profoundly interconnected and directly related to the life of trees.

It is no coincidence that one of the main spiritual or religious symbols in the world is the Tree of Life.

First, our quality of air is directed related to the quantity of trees available for purifying the air that we breathe.

What do I mean? Well it is basic biology. Trees take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. We in turn breathe in oxygen and....can you feel the connection?

Judaism there is the holy day Tu'beshvat....which is celebrated as New Year of Trees. Where one can plant a tree or be more ecologically conscious. The meal or seder acknowledges all the trees give to us.

Life should not be about how much money we can earn. How much land can be cleared, how much real estate can be built and how wealthy we can become from the sell of....

My spiritual path includes honouring Trees and what they do for us to sustain our life. All life on earth. Please be mindful of trees. They give us shelter, food, fuel...and air.

image from http://www.innerharmony.com.au/

Just For Today

2008-01-29T07:39:00.001-05:00

In my opinion Usui-sensei was a very wise man by leaving us the inheritance of the Gokai & the Five precepts.

Just for Today....is a very simple maxim but profound in so many ways.

It reminds us to Be Here Now... that only Today, only this moment is all that we can
or need to work with.

What issue are you dealing with? What issue causes you to fret, to become anxious about and lose sleep?

Just for Today... tell yourself...

Just For Today....
I will not worry....

or

Just For Today
I will not smoke....

Just for Today....

What ever your issue is when it crops up to hover over you
recite this gokai and add your own precept behind it or just use
the one Usui-sensei our Reiki Master left for us.....

And it is important, while reciting, to remember to BREATHE...Life?energy is truly in the Breath.

>>>>>

JT from one of the Reiki Forums I am apart of posted this in response:

Henry David Thoreau said;

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."

and

"Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains."

Full Moon & Affirmation

2008-01-22T18:28:00.000-05:00

I could not let this day go by without paying homage to the full moon.

She is beautiful, She is divine.
Without her life as we know it
could not be....

Below is an excerpt from Rabbi Jill Hammer: Jewish Cycles of the Moon....

The Full Moon: Keseh

The fifteenth of the Hebrew month is the full moon. The Psalms use the word keseh to describe a festive time, and some commentators believe this word refers to the full moon. Keseh is like kos, cup, and the full moon is like a brimming cup of abundance. Many festivals of freedom and abundance, such as Sukkot, Tu B'Shevat, Purim, and Passover, fall on the full moon.......

In the Zohar, the full moon signals the time when the Divine womb creates
pure and blessed souls. It is the time when the moon and sun, which in kabbalists thought represent the feminine and masculine faces of God, are most in contact. The Zohar writes that at the full moon the Shekhinah is called field of apples, while at the dark moon She is called field of Anatot (meaning poverty).

*********************************

Today is also Tu'beshvat... New Year of Trees...in honour of said festival we will plan Venus fly traps :-)

************

Not necessarily connected with the full moon...I'd like to share with you an affirmation...a declaration to remind yourself when ever you may be feeling a little less than...what ever that "than" may be.

I AM

Essential Elements of Spiritual Discipline

2008-01-14T16:46:00.000-05:00

Essential Elements Of Spiritual Discipline

1. Be virtuous at any cost-Virtue is the road to immortality

2. Physical Exercise-The body is the temple for the spirit. Keep it healthy through moderate exercise which balances the energies in the body,such as Indian Hatha Yoga,Chinese Chi Kung,or Tai Chi

3. Breathing exercise-breathing properly produces health by proper distrubution of Ra-Sekhem Life Force,Chi,Prana and develops spiritual vitality

4. Silence-2 hours daily -"The abomination of the soul: too much talking it is!"
The mind is fond of indulging in debates,argument and nonsense,curtail its opportunity to develop impure thoughts by keeping it quiet,and thinking before you say anything.

5. Study teachiings-Study the teachings and take time in silence or in a study group setting to think about them and/or discuss them as they pertain to your life,the community,the world and the cosmos.

6. Listen-Keep your ears open to the words of wisdom. Always be willing to listen and to accept the truth,even if it seems to contradict and old teaching you had accepted as truth.

7. Reflection-Think about the teachings every time you read or hear them, it sometimes takes a while for them to be fully understood and accepted by the mind.

8. Meditation-When you are able to stay still in a quiet room or other location,begin the practice of meditating even 5 minutes a day,building up to longer periods.

9. Right action-perform selfless service at least once a day,expecting no reward. Remember Charity begins at home

10. Hekau-Utter words of power in any language but with full understanding of the meaning repeatedly beginning with 5 minutes a day and gradually building up to an hour or more each day. Utter prayers in morning upon waking up and in the evening before bed.

11. Vegetarian Diet

12. Wake Up with the sun

13. Go to bed with the moon

14. Do not use drugs or alcohol

15. Cultivate Contentment-you will be surprised at the number of things you can do without. Unnecessary wants and cravings agitate the mind.

16. Keep a diary-Stick to a spiritual routine.The dairy will help you understand yourself better.

17. Do not speak to much on spiritual matters-Too much debating causes mental agitation;also those who are not ready to understand the teaching may consider you insane. "Speak to those who understand you"

18. If at all possible, keep company and study under a spiritual perceptor

19. Do work that is in keeping with your personality,goals and aspirations

I found the above on Assata Shakur's forum and thought I would share it with you.

DONNA EDEN & Eden Energy Medicine

2008-01-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

Donna Eden is doing wonders for Western Humanity and the world for that matter by reminding us of the greatest living medicine out there.

I recommend purchasing her Energy Medicine Introductory DVD kit & Book

Video Clip 1 Intro to Energy Medicine.

TRACING THE MERIDIANS..... learning your Meridians is VERY important to maintaining your energy level. Part 1

Tracing the MERIDIANS.... Part 2

Thank you Donna Eden for all that you have contributed

Find out more by visiting INNERSOURCE.NET

The Japanese Art of Reiki

2008-01-01T17:48:00.000-05:00

A new book to add to your Reiki shelf.

A very important book that will add a wonderful and important dimension to your Reiki practice as a personal spiritual path.

Frans and Bronwen of The International House of Reiki will be teaching in the USA in 2008
check out their website for more details.

http://reiki.net.au

THE JAPANESE ART OF REIKI by Bronwen Stienes

2008

2008-01-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

May this year be a good one for you.

Full of love, light and spiritual/emotional growth.

May be just what you need to be the best you that
you can be.

Saying So Long

2007-12-30T18:09:00.000-05:00

Saying So long to a long and interesting year.

Exciting new ventures, knowledge gained, and wisdom attained.

A year of choices not too sound, followed by choices that were sound or at least seem so for the time being.

New friends made, good bye to those once thought friends but were not really.

Relationships on borrowed time that on the one hand never should have been allowed in but if it weren't for them the flowering bud of knowledge could not open into an everlasting blossom of wisdom.

So it is okay. No regrets. Because in the end what really counts is what really matters.

How can you appreciate the good times for what they truly are unless you have weathered through the seemingly bad times.

I appreciate all those who have been apart of my life this past year.

Even those in particular who caused what seemed at the time to be pain.

But true relationships can be reconciled and this year I reconciled three relationships so I see much in my favor.

I have been blessed.

My health has been good. The health of my children even better.

I hope that all I have endured is not for naught.

I hope that I have learned to be softer, less judgmental, more loving and more open.

Open to love and open to change.

And for those that I may have inadvertently (no matter how "on purpose" my actions
may have seemed) caused pain, please forgive me and instead of resentment use what you have gone through as a means or method to grown in your own life...to truly appreciate what you have...and to learn also to never been in judgment of others....and to learn also to approach life in a kinder gentler way. As I have. Because no one has the market cornered on pain, long suffering or being wronged.

Although I'd like for it to be smooth and hassle free the better of me prays that this year will be good for me as well, that I may grow more into who I truly am.

And may my light shine brightly...may I always remember the spark of the Divine that glows within me. May I honor my spark and may I honor your spark because we are one and the same.

May my children truly grow into compassionate beings, loving people, sensitive and willing to contribute to healing.

And may you continue to grow, blossom and shine brightly as you forge ahead in your time that you have on this blue and green bubble.

I love you.

The Five Objects of the Reiki Ryoho

2007-12-26T08:13:00.000-05:00

According to Kimiko Koyama, the five objects of the Reiki Ryoho are:

1. Tai (body) Ken (health)

The body is the temple of God. Knowing this, we should take care of it and worship in it. Ultimately, we will not be able to endure the experience of enlightenment without a healthy body. We can make the body strong with Reiki, meditation, proper diet , and ...laughter!

2. En (relation, connection, fate, love, karma) Bi (beauty)

Beauty and love go hand in hand. If you see the beauty in every being sentient or insentient, you are bound to live a peaceful and fulfilled life.

3. Kokoro (heart and mind) Makoto (sincerity, authenticity)

Kokoro, the unity of heart and mind, is already mentioned elsewhere. The way to achieve this unity of heart and mind is by being our authentic selves.

4. Sai (talent) Chikara (power)

Talent and power go together. When we follow our talent the result is a power that no one can resist. There's no need to fear our own abilities!

5. Tsutome (duty) Do (work)

Our duty is to work on ourselves. In whatever we do, we should give the best we have. There's no need to hold back what we can give to others--and to ourselves.

Measure Spiritual Journey

2007-12-25T12:41:00.001-05:00

from the book CHAKRAS FOR STARTERS by Savitri Simpson

Remember, too, that it is important not to assess the value of your meditations or measure your spiritual progress b whether or not you experience phenomena, such as colours or sounds that may or may not come to you.

Paramhansa Yogananda said: "The path to God is not a circus." Rather, observe how you are changing as a person in daily life. As one great saint put it: "Your religion is tested best in the cold light of day."

Distant Healing Network

2007-12-24T14:45:00.000-05:00

Volunteering is very important. Giving back.

Origins of The Distant Healing Network

The-DHN was established on May 8th, 1996, by Elwin Reed RM.

The Words of Elwin Reed - RM

I took my Reiki III, ART, Karuna I and II, and finally my Reiki Master training from a local Master/Teacher (Maureen Pysklevic) who is very much a traditionalist in her approach to training. She has her Master students do a six month period of "internship" (for lack of a better word) combined with weekly mentorship sessions during that period. She "suggests" that the students take on some humanitarian endeavour relating to Reiki during the internship. This might be something like visiting a senior's home to give free Reiki, or offering your services at a centre for palliative care. I was casting about for something to take on, when the idea of putting up a Healing Request Page occurred to me.

I put up the page with the form in the Gateway pages, now at http://www.the-synergy.com/, thinking I might get a couple of requests a week that I could work on. I've forgotten the exact numbers by now, but I think there was something like two requests the first week, five the second and it continued to grow from there.

At first I enlisted the help of some of the other students at Maureen's Reiki Centre, giving them their cases by telephone. One night while browsing William Rand's website, I got the idea of e-mailing some of the people who had their names and messages posted on the Guest Page, asking them to volunteer. The first to reply was Rick Rivard. Other early volunteers were Jean Girling, Lois Hutchison and Robyn Walters.

I know I had over thirty volunteers, it may have even been over forty, before Rick took over a bunch of them and became the first Group Leader. I think it was about a year after it started that I put in place the first Case Managers. The rest, as they say, is history ...............

Return to: The-DHN Home Page

Full Moon

2007-12-23T20:57:00.001-05:00

Mama Luna, you are beautiful and full.

Thank you for your milky white....

Your satiny silver and gray....

You make my face glow

with love
with glee

You are beautiful and full

and remind me most of the beauty within....

The Five Objects of the Reiki Ryoho: #1

2007-12-23T10:14:00.000-05:00

Tai (Body) Ken (Health)

The body is the temple of God. Knowing this, we should take care of it and worship in it. Ultimately, we will not be able to endure the experience of enlightenment without a healthy body. We can make the body strong withe Reiki, meditation, proper diet, and...laughter!

(the spirit of reiki; lotus press)

The Emergence of ReiKiMan

2007-12-20T17:43:00.000-05:00

Uh, have you met ReiKiMan?

I just received my issue of Reiki News Magazine....

and I've encountered The Emergence of Reikiman....

at first glance I thought it was "corny" (i know, that word dates me)
but then after reading the comic...it was pretty cool.....

The woman has an issue with her Reiki flow... and after a bit... Reikiman shows up.... you will have to read the issue to see whats up....

If you have read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts....

Where is ReikiWoman, Reikiboy and Reikigirl?

Aura Colours

2007-12-20T09:59:00.000-05:00

From the website: Reiki For Holistic Health

WHAT IS THE AURA?

The aura is the electromagnetic field that surrounds the human body (Human Energy Field-HEF) and every organism and object in the Universe.

The Human Energy Field as a collection of electro - magnetic energies of varying densities that permeate through and emit or exit from the physical body of a living person. These particles of energy are suspended around the healthy human body in an oval shaped field. This "auric egg" emits out from the body approximately 2-3 feet (1 metre on average) on all sides. It extends above the head and below the feet into the ground.

To see a photo of the aura, please click here.

WHAT DOES AN AURA CONSIST OF?

The aura consist of seven levels/layers/auric bodies . Each one of the subtle bodies that exist around the physical body, has its own unique frequency. They are interrelated, and affect one another and the person's feelings, emotions, thinking, behaviour, and health as well. Therefore a state of imbalance in one of the bodies leads to a state of imbalance in the others.

THE AURIC BODIES AND YOUR NEEDS ON EACH LEVEL OF AURIC FIELD

1) Physical auric body - Physical sensations. Simple physical comfort, pleasure, health.

2) The etheric auric body - Emotions with respect to self. Self-acceptance and self love.

3) Vital auric body - Rational mind. To understand the

situation in a clear, linear, rational way.

4) Astral (emotional) body - Relations with others. Loving interaction with friends and family.

5) Lower mental auric body - Divine will within. To align with the divine will within, to make commitment to speak and follow the truth.

6) Higher mental auric body - Divine love, and spiritual ecstasy.

7) Spiritual (intuitive) body - Divine mind, serenity. To be connected to divine mind and to understand the greater universal pattern.

AURA COLOR MEANINGS

RED AURA COLOR: Relates to the physical body, hart or circulation. The densest color, it creates the most friction. Friction attracts or repels; money worries or obsessions; anger or unforgiveness; anxiety or nervousness

Deep Red: Grounded, realistic, active, strong will-power, survival-oriented.

Muddied red: Anger (repelling)

Clear red: Powerful, energetic, competitive, sexual, passionate

Pink-bright and light: Loving, tender, sensitive, sensual, artistic, affection, purity, compassion; new or revieved romantic relationship. Can indicate clairaudience.

Dark and murky pink: Immature and/or dishonest nature

Orange Red: Confidence, creative power

In a good, bright and pure state, red energy can serve as a healthy ego.

ORANGE AURA COLOR: Relates to reproductive organs and emotions. The color of vitality, vigor, good health and excitement. Lots of energy and stamina, creative, productive, adventurous, courageous, outgoing social nature; currently experiencing stress related to apetites and addictions;

Orange-Yellow: Creative, intelligent, detail oriented, perfectionist, scientific.

YELLOW AURA COLOR: Relates to the spleen and life energy. It is the color of awakening, inspiration, intelligence and action shared, creative, playful, optimistic, easy-going.

Light or pale yellow: Emerging psychic and spiritual awareness; optimism and hopefulness; positive excitement about new ideas.

Bright lemon-yellow: Struggling to maintain power and control in a personal or business relationship; fear of losing control, prestige, respect, and/or power.

Clear gold metallic, shiny and bright: Spiritual energy and power activated and awakened; an inspired person.

Dark brownish yellow or gold: A student, or one who is straining at studying; overly analitical to the point of feeling fatigued or stressed; trying to make up for "lost time" by learning everything all at once.

GREEN AURA COLOR: Relates to heart and lungs. It is a very comfortable, healthy color of nature. When seen in the aura this usually represents growth and balance, and most of all, something that leads to change. Love of people, animals, nature; teacher; social

Bright emerald green: A healer, also a love-centered person

Yellow-Green: Creative with heart, communicative

Dark or muddy forest green: Jealousy, resentment, feeling like a victim of the world; blaming self or others; insecurity and low self-esteem; lack of understanding personal responsibility; sensitive to perceived criticism

Turquoise: Relates to the immune system. Sensitive, compassionate, healer, therapist.

BLU AURA COLOR: Relates to the throat, thyroid. Cool, calm, and collected. Caring, loving, love to help others, sensitive, intuitive.

Soft blue: Peacefulness, clarity and communication; truthful; intuitive

Bright royal blue: Clairvoyant; highly spiritual nature; generous; on the right path; new opportunities are coming

Dark or muddy blue: Fear of the future; fear of self-expression; fear of facing or speaking the truth

INDIGO AURA COLOR: Relates to the third eye, visual and pituitary gland. Intuitive, sensitive, deep feeling.

VIOLET AURA COLOR: Relates to crown, pineal gland and nervous system. The most sensitive and wisest of colors. This is the intuitive color in the aura, and reveals psychic power of attunement with self. Intuitive, visionary, futuristic, idealistic, artistic, magical.

LAVENDER AURA COLOR: Imagination, visionary, daydreamer, etheric.

SILVER AURA COLOR: This is the color of abundance, both spiritual and physical. Lots of bright silver can reflect to plenty of money, and/or awakening of the cosmic mind.

Bright metallic silver: Receptive to new ideas; intuitive; nurturing

Dark and muddy gray: Residue of fear is accumulating in the body, with a potential for health problems, especially if gray clusters seen in specific areas of the body

GOLD AURA COLOR: The color of enlightenment and divine protection. When seen within the aura, it says that the person is being guided by their highest good. It is divine guidance. Protection, wisdom, inner knowledge, spiritual mind, intuitive thinker.

BLACK AURA COLOR: Draws or pulls energy to it and in so doing, transforms it. It captures light and consumes it. Usually indicates long-term unforgiveness (toward others or another) collected in a specific area of the body, which can lead to health problems; also, entitities within a person's aura, chakras, or body; past life hurts; unreleased grief from abortions if it appears in the ovaries

WHITE AURA COLOR: Reflects other energy. A pure state of light. Often represents a new, not yet designated energy in the aura. Spiritual, etheric and non-physical qualities, transcendent, higher dimensions. Purity and truth; angelic qualities.

White sparkles or flashes of white light: angels are nearby; can indicate that the person is pregnant or will be soon

EARTH AURA COLORS: Soil, wood, mineral, plant. These colors display a love of the Earth, of being grounded and is seen in those who live and work on the outdoors....construction, farming, etc. These colors are important and are a good sign.

RAINBOWS: Rainbow-colored stripes, sticking out like sunbeams from the hand, head or body: A Reiki healer, or a starperson (someone who is in the first incarnation on Earth)

PASTELS: A sensitive blend of light and color, more so than basic colors. Shows sensitivity and a need for serenity.

DIRTY BROWN OVERLAY: Holding on to energies. Insecurity.

DIRTY GRAY OVERLY: Blocking energies. Guardedness.

http://www.reiki-for-holistic-health.com/auracolormeanings.html