Happy New Year - Out with the old, in with the new... energies, that is!

Out with the old, in with the new...

As we wrap-up our exploration of the Sacral Chakra, take a moment to think of the old patterns that stop you from fully expressing your passion, your creativity, your true relationships with yourself, others, God/Source/Universe, the animal kingdom, fairies and angels...

Where is the pain, anger, bitterness, resentment, frustration that block your true expression?  What are the roots of these emotions?  How are they expressed against your greatest good?  Write what blocks you on pieces of paper, old leaves or even kindling or a log if you feel it's a big block.  Make a big new year's eve bonfire, and release the symbols of your blocks in the flames.  As you watch the fire, consciously intend to let go of the stagnant emotion(s) or block(s) and replace the space it occupied within you with the warm, friendly, fiery glow of the fire and universal Love.

May your passion and the beauty of your true self ignite and shine in 2012!

Daily Reflection - Sacral Chakra (Crystals)

In this season of gift giving and receiving, think of gemstones and crystals as gifts from the Earth.  Work to receive their vibrational medicine with gratitude and grace.  It's easy to work with crystals, and you don't need to surround your crystal work with fluffy ceremonial practices unless it really helps you to centre yourself and make your mind receptive to the healing energies.  Wether or not you use any ceremonial practices from sunshine, moonlight, salt or 7-step cleansing process, do remember to always approach a crystal with respect.  If you approach a crystal as if it were an ordinary rock, you are setting blocks up in your mind preventing you to feel any energy shift.  The rock will remain a piece of jewelry or a table ornament for you.  Open your mind and approach crystals with respect, and you will feel their subtle energies vibrating through your body.  You may even discover that ordinary gravel rock can have healing properties too... (Every wonder why children collect them?)

I like to hold a crystal in the palm of my open hand, close my eyes, and take a deep breath to centre myself.  I ask the crystal if it wants to work with me and, if I'm working with someone else, if it wants to extend its healing properties to that person (or animal, plant, place).  I usually feel a tingling in my palm and a "knowing" in my energy field to prompt me to go ahead with healing work.  If I feel a sharp pain or uneasiness, I thank the crystal for its answer and put it back.

Crystals with a vibrational resonance to the Sacral Chakra are the carnelian, yellow/golden topaz, orange calcite, fire opal, moonstone and aquamarine.

Choose a clear carnelian of a deep orange colour.  Some carnelian are heat-treated which makes them cloudy, and this process changes its vibrational quality.  (I would not choose those for healing work.)  Carnelian helps energetically balance lower back problems and assists the kidneys.  It is said to be a protective stone - you could place some on your vision board to help protect and manifest your passions, creations or art -- even your children, as they are creations manifested from your spiritual as well as physical womb.

I enjoy wearing yellow topaz.  I have a brilliantly cut golden yellow topaz that shimmers in the sun.  Energetically, yellow topaz lends a golden glow to your aura.  It assists in balancing energies on elevated spiritual levels through all chakras.  I wear mine when I feel I need a spiritual boost, when I'm in a crowd for a boost to my immune system, and when I teach to boost that quiet assurance that people can't quite define...

Orange calcite is somewhat denser and its energies vibrate more with the physical level.  It works at clearing physical energy imbalances that manifest in such symptoms as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and endometriosis.  Work with orange calcite to move unwanted social and emotional conditioning out of your system through your Sacral Chakra.

The last three crystals discussed here -- fire opal, moonstone and aquamarine -- have more affinity with the "water" element of the Sacral Chakra.  Physically, the water element deals with the bladder and kidneys, and spiritually it deals with the emotions.

Fire opal can intensify our inner fire and stimulate our creativity - but work wisely: if you are not centred and clear prior to working with fire opal, you may intensify anger, social distress or sexual control.

Moonstone works beautifully with the element of the Divine Feminine.  It could be poetically referred to as a reflection of the moon on water - a reflection of the sacred feminine energies on the emotions.  Due to its association with the moon, this crystal helps balance cyclical issues of all kinds.  Work with moonstone at night to ease insomnia and sleep peacefully in the arms of the Divine Mother, or to enhance lucid dreaming and increase psychic abilities.  Remember to set your intention before working with moonstone (and any crystal!) as you want to align yourself with the properties of the crystal you are seeking. In the case of the moonstone, bless it and ask for a peaceful, rejuvenating night's sleep if you want to ease insomnia.  Simply placing it under your pillow may activate your dream state and you'll wake up tired in the morning from the night's psychic wanderings!

Aquamarine is such a beautiful crystal, whether it has been polished and cut or not.  Its colour can be that of a quiet pond, frozen water, or tropical water - which is why is can resonate very well with the emotional aspects of the Sacral Chakra.  Aquamarine is said to give strength in adversity.  Because its blue is also associated to the Throat Chakra, it can help you speak your truth however emotional it may be.

Enjoy these gifts from Mother Earth, and treat them with respect.  They ask for nothing more but to vibrate their healing energies through you and anchor more peace and harmony to this world through your balanced vibrations.

Daily Reflection - Sacral Chakra (Aromatherapy)

Keep breathing during this busy holiday season!  Aromatherapy can help you remember to breathe deeply : when there's a scent you like floating about, it makes it easier to stop for a moment and take a deep breath!  To support and strengthen your Sacral Chakra, try a mix of vanilla and sandalwood.  Add a few drops to your bath, to an aroma lamp or to a handkerchief when you're on the road.

Daily Reflection

Mother Mary prayed and meditated on the Miracle of Life happening in her body, that would change her life and that of fellow men for ever...

Pray and meditate on the Miracle of Love and Life slumbering in your heart and Sacral centre.  Allow you passion, art, craft to bloom and prosper.  Be grateful for all your blessings in this season and all year round.  May the Peace and Joy of Christmas be with you now and forever.

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra (Hara/Tan Tien/ Energy Centre)

The Sacral Chakra area is known in various traditions as holding sacred life energy.  In Japanese, this centre is known as the Hara, and in Chinese it is the Tan Tien.  Traditional Usui Reiki teaches how to maintain this energy centre; in fact, some authors believe it is essential to the work of a Reiki practitioner.  Strengthening this centre increases pranic flow in our aura, which in turn strengthens our body-mind-spirit complex.

An easy visualization to work on this energy centre is to imagine a ball of light in your lower abdomen.  As you inhale slowly and deeply, imagine this ball of light expanding.  As you exhale slowly, imagine this light has silvery or golden qualities that become stronger with every breath.  Take at least 7 deep, relaxing breaths and imagine this light surrounding you, strengthening you -- and protecting you throughout the holiday season!

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra

Each period of 7 years is "coloured" by a particular chakra.  The Sacral Chakra is linked to the ages of 8 to 14, where our emotional development consists of understanding our relationships to others.  Our ease, shyness or fear of relating to others and expressing our life's passion often stem from events in our childhood/pre-teen years.

The Sacral Chakra also colours the ages of 57 to 63, where there is need once more for social readaptation after retirement and/or the kids leaving the nest.  We must then redefine ourselves, our relationships, and how we want to express our passion to the world in our new post-work reality.

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra (Passion & Inner Light)

Think of your Sacral Chakra as your spiritual womb. This womb is healthy when fuelled with your passion. This womb contains the key ingredients of your inner light. Have you ever noticed how, when a person is aligned with his/her passion, this person has a glow from within -- similar to the glow of pregnancy?

Ask yourself - what turns on your passion? Writing, painting, woodworking? Dancing, hosting get-togethers, travelling? Organizing, building, cleaning? Hope for a better future, hope for new family members, peace? Do you let fear, anger, an excessive desire to please others (or yourself) crowd in and snuff your light?

At this time of year, most religious and spiritual traditions talk of ways to bring the Light into the world. It starts with you - what action can you do today to make your light shine just a bit brighter? How will you practice your passion? Who can you turn to for help if you find strong emotions get in the way? Be grateful for your helpers. And remember: when one of us shines, we help others shine brighter too.

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra

Can you locate your Sacral Chakra? Its center lies about 2 fingers width below your navel and corresponds to the spine's sacral vertebras - hence two of its names: Sacral and Navel Chakra.

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra (body movement)

To keep your Sacral Chakra balanced and its energy flowing, try dancing. From basic movements like circling your hips to bolder belly dancing, have fun moving your body confidently. As the saying goes, dance like no one is looking.  :)

Creativity and Stress: The OSM

As many spiritual authors tell us, we are here in this plane to co-create our reality.  We are meant to be conscious of our thoughts, emotions, feelings and actions.  We are meant to experience all we can in the physical realm to assist in our soul's growth.  When we are conscious of all these things, we are actively co-creating our life experience according to our soul's plan.

But sometimes, frankly, all this co-creation can be stressful and overwhelming.

There are things I have put in motion years ago that are now bearing fruit.  There are things I have wished for that are manifesting in a different way than what I had imagined.  The energy around me is buzzing, buzzing, buzzing with activity.  Add to the mix the creativity of the holiday season - creating an ambiance, creating gifts, creating expectations and responding to expectations, creating invitations.  Dust all that with the creativity of starting a new business, and acting on plans to leave the cushy yet dissatisfying day job.  Bake for a few weeks as you meditate on the Sacral Chakra and its links to creativity and stress...  and oh my goodness I didn't know I was baking in the pressure cooker!  Better take a breather and slowly release the pressure valve!!

Stress can be a strong vehicle for pushing us into action in our life's direction.  It is natural, and even necessary, when we step out of our comfort zone, as it helps us "fight" for and adapt to our newly co-created reality.  

I received training recently for my new business where the speaker talked of the OSM (Oh Sh*t Moment) -- that moment where you started your ride in the roller coaster and you wonder what you were thinking, and then WHHEEEEEE!  You let go, ride like a pro and realize it was fun.  And you would do it all over again.

At the moment, it is my stomach that is doing the loop-dee-loop.  As long as I remember to breathe down to my navel and let go of my grip on the handlebar, everything will work out just fine.  I know all this change is for my greatest good.  I am enjoying the ride.  I am finding the OM in my OSM.  

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra. Stress and Breathing.

The glands associated with the Sacral Chakra are the adrenals, associated with our response to stress and ancient "flight or fight" conditioning.  When stress, fear, anger are constant in your life, your normal hormonal secretions become unbalanced and physical illness occur - just think of all the illnesses associated with chronic stress.

Are you feeling stress this holiday season?  Remember to breathe deeply; when stressed, our breathing tends to be superficial and from the upper chest only.  It help me to place my hands on my belly, and drawing air in slowly, concentrating on moving air to my navel.

Beginner meditation practice teaches to inhale slowly, counting to 4, then hold your breath for a count of 4 before exhaling for a count of 4.  Counting keeps our mind busy and off the daily to-do-list.

Namaste.

Daily Reflection: Sacral Chakra - creativity

In December, we will be exploring our creativity centre, the Sacral Chakra.  It's a good time to take stock of where we've been, where we are now, and where we want to go: as we explore our creativity centre, we can reflect on how we want to create our present and our future.

In past months, we have worked on our Heart Chakra and opened ourselves to Love's guidance, with gratitude.  Then we have worked on the Root Chakra to help us stay grounded in the here and now and remain linked to Earth's creative energies.  Last month, we have worked on the Crown Chakra to open our communication line with the Divine.

This month is time put everything together in our creative womb to see what beauty and wonder we will create for ourselves, others and the world.  What "wonder-full" holiday gift will you create for yourself by the end of the month?

My postings may be less frequent this month, as I am in the midst of examining my creations of the past years and re-focusing my energies on what I really want to keep and create in the years to come.  And although I teach about the beauty and inevitability of change, I must admit that change can be difficult to deal with, especially when the ego loves the status quo and the comfort of "the devil you know"...  I'm sure I will be learning lots in this transition period so that I may be better able to coach others through their life transitions as well.

I invite you to visit my Facebook page (Way to the Well): I often share interesting links on that page which I do not link in this blog.  It's just an other way to stay connected through this transition.

As always, my thoughts of divine Love and Light are with you.  :)

When Miss Piggy stops by for a visit...

Have you seen the movie "Contact"?  In it, it is theorized that beings from other dimensions (or aliens) can take the form that is the most suitable for us to be receptive to their message.  In the movie, the being takes on the form of the main character's father so that she can overcome her fear and listen to the guidance provided. (And if I remember well, he does state that he is not her father but just took on this image, so he's not trying to mislead her).

It is similar in Reiki sessions, or any energy work session where our Crown Chakra and all our senses are open to receive messages from our guides: they take on a form that we can relate to so that we can understand the message on a more personal level.  In this context, it is possible for spirit guides to appear as cartoon characters, animated objects and natural elements which don't normally talk to us in human words.  

And so it was, during my last Reiki session.  Miss Piggy made a house call.  She announced that she is my mentor for this next leg of my journey and proceeded to clear my chakras, Miss Piggy style - full high heels, hair and makeup, and moving things around very decisively.  There's no messing around with her.  She knows what she wants, knows what is needed, and goes for it.  Nothing and no one dare stand in her way.

Well, I was never a big Muppets fan although I appreciate the occasional movie.  But I can certainly relate to the strength of character I need work on.  And I have to admit I am really excited about releasing my inner diva which I have been keeping in check for many years.

Like I often say, borrowing from Forrest Gump, "Reiki is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get."  :)

I never thought that opening up to my true self and doing all this Reiki work would lead me to a new business adventure selling 100% vegetal-based, chemical-free, cruelty-free skin care, body care and makeup products...  But I sure am loving it!  I feel alive again, rejuvenated, creative, empowered...  I thought that my spiritual development and all the hard work would lead me to a more austere, spiritual leader kind of life (no fun, but enlightened).  It appears that my lesson is that having fun and living one's passion is part and parcel of being enlightened.  Being spiritual does not mean poo-pooing glamour.  Helping the world and the people of this world feel better about themselves can include life's comforts.  When I shine with my passion, I help raise other people's vibrations much quicker and more effectively than any lecture I could give.

An other lesson to learn is that it's OK to be directive and to work towards concrete goals.   When I know what I want and work to meet that goal, I pave the way for others to follow.  Being directive is also about respecting our own needs, our own path.  It's about taking full responsibility for what happens to us in this life.  It does not exclude compassion and care for others - but if I don't care enough about "moi" as Miss Piggy would say, then how strong will I be to take care of others?

Thanks for the high-heeled kick in the butt, Miss Piggy.

Today, I wore heels, full makeup and got a glam haircut.  And I feel darn good about it too.  :D

Affirmations:

Today, I respect myself and I allow myself to shine.  

Today, I take care of myself - body, mind and spirit. 

Today, I see life as an adventure. 

 

Daily Reflection: Crown Chakra (Reiki work)

Being aware of my Crown Chakra, ensuring it is clear from ego-based thinking, and opening up to divine guidance is crucial in my Reiki sessions.

During Reiki sessions, I first connect myself to Universal Love Source through my Crown Chakra, and I ensure I remain connected to Earth by sending an energy cord through my Root Chakra to Gaia. Then I proceed to connect to my client's energy field and connect him/her to Source. 

In addition to the flow of healing energy beaming through my hands, many messages enter my energy field - and my client's - through the Crown. These messages can guide actions, shed light on choices to aid decision-making, clear outdated thinking patterns, and increase self-love and forgiveness to make space for healing.

If you would like to know what messages your guides have for you and have not (yet) attuned your senses to acknowledge the messages, consider booking a Reiki session with me. The session can be in my home, in yours or at a distance. Remember that in the Spirit world, there is no such thing as linear time and space, therefore when I work with energy the space between our physical selves is inconsequential. Distance Reiki works just as well as hands-on Reiki.

Sending you much love.

Daily Reflection: Crown Chakra (Charoite and Sugulite/Luvulite)

Charoite and Sugulite/luvulite are recently discovered crystals from deep within the earth. They range in colour from pale to deep violet.

Transformational stones, they are calming to the Crown Chakra. They are said to convert negative energies and psychic attacks manifesting as nightmares.

As these crystals are beneficial in reorganizing brain patterns, they calm disturbances resulting from autism, deep emotional problems, epilepsy and learning difficulties. They also help clear headaches and encourage deep sleep.

(Source: Patricia Mercier, The Chakra Bible)

Daily Reflection: Crown Chakra (D. Eden's Crown Pull Exercise)

Donna Eden's Crown Pull exercise is almost as good as getting a scalp massage at the hair stylist... Inhale deeply, exhale completely and relax.

A note on the benefits of this exercise, as found on page 58 of Donna Eden's "Energy Medicine for Women" book: 

"A great deal of energy is processed in your brain and skull, but it can become stagnant if it doesn't release and move out through the energy center at the top of your head (called the crown chakra in yoga tradition). The Crown Pull physically opens this chakra so energy can move through it. It clears the cobwebs from your mind and brings a calm to your nervous system, releasing mental congestion, refreshing your mind, and opening you to higher inspiration."

Enhance this exercise with your intention.  Affirm:  "I release mental congestion.  I release the cobwebs of my mind.  I am open to higher inspiration."

Enjoy! :)

Daily Reflection: Crown Chakra

Allow intuition to enter through your Crown Chakra, through your mind and into your heart. Allow infinite possibilities to unfold. Life CAN be magical! :)

"Cease trying to work everything out with your minds. It will get you nowhere. Live by intuition and inspiration and let your whole life be Revelation." ~Eileen Caddy

Daily Reflection: Crown Chakra (Seraphinite)

Seraphinite is a gorgeous dark green, veiny crystal. It clears away thought forms that have become stuck in the mental body and has a grounding effect.  It also assists with harmonizing the desires of your heart with those of your soul.

According to Hazel Raven, author of "The Angel Experience", Seraphinite is beneficial in establishing angelic connections, particularly with the Archangel Seraphiel.

I have a beautiful tear-drop Seraphinite mounted in a silver ring.  It is wonderful to wear.  I like to think it chose me - I was looking for something else at the metaphysical store, and this ring kept wanting my attention.  I asked to see it closer, and held it in the palm of my hand (I always hold crystals in my palm to see if they would "work" with me before bringing them home).  It did not want to go back to the display case and so I brought it home!  I find it has a peaceful yet strong energy.  It helps me connect with Universal Love and Peace.

Daily Reflection - Connecting to and sending world peace

Lest we forget...  Take time today to reflect on world peace.

Place a hand on your heart and smile...  Connect with universal Love and universal Peace.  Breathe in in through your Crown Chakra and feel it settling in your heart.  Breathe in...  Breathe out...

As you breathe out, think of breathing out peace and harmony from your heart.  With each breath in, you are pulling more love from the universe to your heart, and with each breath out you are creating a ripple effect of loving vibrations to the hearts of those around you, in your home, your community, your town, your county, your country, and to every corner of the world.  Continue with this visualization for at least one minute.

The world needs peace and harmony.  You can help be a builder of peace through your loving thoughts and peaceful actions.

Today, I will dedicate one hour of Reiki meditation in gratitude for the peace and harmony we have, for the peace builders of our world, and for the continued growth of peace and harmony on this planet.  If you want to join me in this prayer, you simply have to ask your higher self to connect to this intention.

A few years ago Ste-Thérèse de Lisieux asked me to light a rose-scented candle for world peace - I extend this invitation to you to uplift your intention and enhance your meditation time.

May peace be with you.

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection (Aromatherapy)

Aromatherapy enhances the connection of your soul-self with your physical-self. It helps align your personal will with divine will.  Aromatherapy can provide you with an instant feeling of peace - after all, it is the physical sense located the closest to the brain and can quickly alter brain chemistry.

For the Crown Chakra, I enjoy working with incense, mostly sage for clearing, and frankincense for deep spiritual connection.  Incense has been used in spiritual rituals in all major (and minor) religions around the world for thousands of years.  It is believed that the smoke produced from the burning of incense helps rise our prayers to the divine realm.

I also enjoy working with Rosewood essential oil.  Rosewood helps ground the Root chakra while gently opening the Crown.  I use this oil either in an aroma lamp, in my bath, or directly on my skin.  Rosewood helps the regeneration of cells, therefore it is great to reduce wrinkles and heal skin abrasions and scar tissue.  As much as possible, ensure that your Rosewood oil comes from a sustainable forest, as this species is endangered.

An other way to enjoy aromatherapy, especially while travelling, is to make what I call a little "sniff jar" that I carry in my purse.  It's a small 1 oz jar that seals tightly.  I place a tissue in it, then a few drops of essential oils on the tissue.  When I need an extra boost or a reminder of the intention I am working on, I open my jar and breathe in the aroma.  (And of course I do this in private! LOL!)   ;)

Daily Reflection: Crown Chakra (yoga poses)

Rejuvenate your brain; rejuvenate your body.  The yoga poses for the Crown Chakra are mostly inverted poses like the headstand and Crane.  As these are advanced poses -- and most of us have not done a headstand since childhood! -- look for the beginner variation of these poses, or drape yourself over a balance ball.

My High School math teacher once told the class that he used to study with his feet on the bed and his body on a plank placed at an angle to the bed...  (and he was a math whiz).  The important thing is to support your body, and gently increase the blood flow to your brain.

Be gentle with yourself, especially if you have high or low blood pressure, a heart condition or any other ailments for which an elevated lower body is contraindicated.

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection (Celestite Crystal)

A great crystal to work with when activating our Crown Chakra is Celestite.  As its name suggests, it is a celestial blue.  Its healing blue colour helps us connect to the universe out there, and since this crystal come from the Earth, it also helps us connect to the universe within.  Its gentle energy reminds us that we are co-creators of our reality, combining divine will and personal will.

What reality do you want to co-create today?

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection (Headaches & Migraines)

Imbalances related to the Crown Chakra typically pertain to thinking; communication between our physical, emotional and spiritual selves; withdrawal of energy; and obsessive fear from the past or future.   Therefore someone who suppresses thoughts or feelings, or who has obsessive thoughts may develop severe and recurrent headaches.  A person whose inner communication is imbalanced may develop epilepsy.  A person who has obsessive fearful thoughts about the past or the future may develop Parkinson's disease or paralysis.

When there are too many thoughts and ideas boiling in your head and your Crown is not balanced and properly open, it's like having a pressure cooker on top of your head - without the pressure valve.  The pressure will build, and expand and will have nowhere to go.  You may develop headaches and migraines at best; panic attacks and short-term paralysis at worse.

Note your thinking patterns and how your thoughts influence other systems in your body.  Note if a particular symptom appears when you think of something scary, traumatic or stressful to you.  Note how your breathing changes.  Note the frequency of these thoughts - are you obsessed by them?

When you feel headaches or other symptoms appearing, stop what you're doing/thinking.  Close your eyes and visualize your Root Chakra linked to the core of the Earth.  Pick your favourite star and throw a  long silvery rope from the top of your head to it.  Breathe.  Slowing down your breathing, and breathing from your belly, will slow down your thoughts and your symptoms may just as quickly go away.

Devote at least five minutes a day to this Earth core / Stars linking and breathing exercise.  You can do this exercise anywhere - on the bus during your commute, during lunch break, waiting for a meeting, in line at the grocery store...  No one will guess what you are doing, and you will do yourself a world of good.  And if you feel better, the world around you will feel better too.

Of course, always consult appropriate medical professionals for any severe physical and psychological symptom.

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection (Prayer)

A beautiful Louise Hay prayer this morning, shared in the Hay House Wisdom Community.  It connects the outer Universe with our Inner Universe.  Enjoy!

I am in charge of my own being. I guard my inner world for it is there that I create. I do whatever I need to do to keep my inner world peaceful. My inner peace is essential for my health and well being. 

I go within and find that space where all is quiet and serene. I may see it as a peaceful, deep quiet pool surrounded by green grass and tall, silent trees. I may feel it as white, billowy clouds upon which to lay and be caressed. I may hear it as flowing, delightful music soothing my senses. However I choose to experience my inner space, I find peace. 

At this center of peace, I am. I am the pureness and stillness of the center of my creative process. In peace I create. In peace, I love and move and experience life. Because I keep myself centered in inner peace, I have peace in my outer world. 

Though others may have discord and chaos, it touches me not for I declare peace for myself. Though there may be madness all around me, I am calm and peaceful. The Universe is one of great order and peacefulness, and I reflect this in my every moment of life. The stars and the planets do not need to be worried or fearful in order to maintain their heavenly orbits. Nor does chaotic thinking contribute to my peaceful existence in life. I choose to express peacefulness, for I am peace. And so it is.

Let’s affirm: When I find peace within, I create a peaceful world around me.

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection (Endocrine Glands)

Did you know that all 7 major Chakras are related to a specific endocrine gland?  The Crown Chakra is linked to the pineal and pituitary glands located in the brain.

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection

While the mental action of the Crown Chakra is Universal consciousness, its physical action is meditation, its spiritual action is unity through transcendental consciousness, its emotional action is beingness and its inner aspect is the release of karma. (Source: Patricia Mercier, The Chakra Bible)

Crown Chakra: Daily Reflection

Depending on the tradition, the colour of the Crown Chakra can be violet (the 7th colour of the rainbow), pure white, gold, silver or all of the shimmering colours of the rainbow at once, as the Light of infinite Consciousness enters your system. Visualize your thousand-petalled lotus - which colour(s) is it for you?

Crown Chakra daily reflection

Today, take a few deep breaths.  Release tension - from your body, from your mind, from your emotions.  Bring to mind the image of the Crown Chakra:  the thousand-petalled lotus flower, shimmering in bright light.  Feel this lotus on the top of your head, and know it is connected to pure consciousness.  YOU are connected to pure consciousness through your Crown Chakra.  Continue to inhale, consider this connection, and as you exhale say the word "Peace".

Root Chakra - daily reflections

The following daily reflections were published in October on the "Way to the Well" Facebook page.

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October... cool days, cold rain, harvest, taking out the fleece from storage bins... Wonderful! Time to turn inward and think of our Harvest; our ancestral, cultural and spiritual roots; and how our metaphysical roots help nourish and support our whole person, especially in darker days. That will be our theme this month.

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It's a cool rainy beautiful October day that makes me feel like cooking. The root chakra deals with safety and security issues, so the comfort foods we turn to as the weather cools down is a great way to start our "Roots" forum. Share your favourite root vegetable or comfort food recipe using the comment field. :)

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Did you know? One of the main functions of the Root Chakra, or Muladhara, is to "ground" us, or "root" us to Earth. Like trees, we pull up Earth energy through our feet and legs which act as our "roots". These roots also help us release spent energy back to Earth where it is cleansed and recycled.

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The traditional colour of the Root chakra is red. When you feel ungrounded or dizzy with your heads in the clouds, think of bringing in the colour red up from the Earth through your legs and through your body. Also send roots down from your legs and feet to the Earth. If you are often ungrounded, wear something red - clothing, jewelry, a crystal - to remind you to re-connect to Earth.

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According to Gestalt therapy - practiced by trained psychologists - pains and unease in the legs are a physical manifestation of childhood issues and traumas. In Holographic Reiki, legs also store tribal, family and "roots" issues: physical, spiritual, cultural, intellectual - what made you who you are today in your belief and behavioural systems. So when you have pain in your legs, send love and forgiveness to events in your childhood, to your teachers, to your family tree.

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Happy Thanksgiving Day! What better than a traditional family celebration to celebrate our roots - however big, small, reconstituted, chosen from friends, near or far away our family is; and however elaborate, commercialized, simple, or linked to harvest our tradition is.

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Needing a boost to feel more grounded? Explore scents and essential oils. These are typically "earthy" scents that evoke in your mind your connection with earth and nature. Since "Summer rain on hot pavement" or "Falling leaves under the Ash tree" have not been bottled (lol), try the traditional Cedarwood, Patchouli or Myrrh.

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The Root Chakra is about initiating new beginnings, life-force energy, connection to Earth and the material world and stability. According to yoga teachings, Root has an overall influence in your life between the ages of 0-7 and 50-56.

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The sanskrit term for the Root Chakra, Muladhara, means "the support of the root", "the keeper of the beginning" or the "bearer of the foundation".

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Affirmations to help balance negative manifestations linked to the Root chakra: I am safe and secure. All my basic needs are met. I rejoice in the power of life. I feel rejuvenated when I walk outdoors/in Nature.

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One way to take care of your Root Chakra is to take care of your body. Take some time today for a relaxing bath. Slough off dead skin. Moisturize. Give yourself/book a pedicure!! :)

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Honour your roots, honour your past, honour your predecessors. Here's a good Louise Hay quote to use as affirmation: "I bless the past with love, take a deep breath, and move gently into the new."

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The Root Chakra is also about your core belief system. Do you feel threatened, overwhelmed or disempowered by others's beliefs, social or institutional norms? Do you strongly impose your views on others? Do you live and let live? Look within to see what greater balance can be achieved. Change what you can. Let go of what no longer serves you.

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“The body at peace is stronger than the body at war. When you can free yourself of the random, uncontrollable stress that is always present, your body will start to be at peace.” Deepak Chopra

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As the foundation of your sense of safety and security, your Root Charka is linked to your sense of confidence in who you are, and whom you trust.

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Since the Root Chakra has an overall influence in your life between the ages of 0-7, these are formative years for your sense of self, of safety and of security. This is when you learn to trust the world around you. Do you see the world as a frightening place where people conspire against you, or do you generally trust life? What happened in your childhood to give you this sense? Where can you bring more balance? How are you contributing to the foundation of safety, security and trust in the children surrounding you?

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Did you know the Root Chakra is associated with physical bliss and enjoyment of life? Well balanced, the Root Chakra will help manifest a joyful life and help raise your spirit. Kundalini energy will be activated and reach upward to your Crown. An overactive Root Chakra may manifest as anger, anxiety, fear, and/or an addiction to physical intercourse. While sexual activity is good for the body, being addicted to it prevents sustained soul growth. Kundalini energy will not reach upward if overactive in the lower chakra.

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Consider the core issues of the Root Chakra (safety, security, connection to the Earth and physical world) in the context of well-being and physical appearance. Some people turn to food, sex, excessive physical exercise or bodily harm to give them a moment of feeling safe and in control of their bodies and emotions. Some people stop eating to prove to their minds that they are in control of at least their bodies. Some people develop constipation for retaining the fear in their bodies or explode in anger or may develop diarrhea for overly expressing the issues stored in this Chakra. Some people try all the diets around and can not loose weight, and develop cellulitis - they may still be holding on to past hurts. Now, balancing a chakra is not a magic pill that will make these symptoms disappear, but by exploring possible core issues, it will enhance the required inner work and healing each individual must do for him/herself.

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Time for some stretching! The yoga poses that support a balanced Root chakra are Warrior 1, Triangle, and Eagle poses. Center and ground yourself with Mountain pose before and after your practice. Namaste! :)

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Inhale, exhale. Fill your lungs completely, hold, then empty your lungs completely. Ah, what a beautiful Saturday. :) Enhance your breathing experience - and you exploration of the Root Chakra - with a few essential oils: cedar and pine are great cleansing scents. I mix a few drops in a pump bottle, add sea salt and spritz the air. They not only clean energy and help me breathe more deeply (because I really like the scent!) - these oils are also reputed to clear the air of cold and flu-causing viruses.

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As most crystals come from deep in the Earth - except those who have arrived with a meteorite! - meditating with crystals can enhance our connection to Earth and balance our Root Chakra. Carnelian has a soft energy, while emerald is stronger. Garnet is very gentle and is good for children, and your Inner Child. Children love collecting rocks and crystals (and so did my Inner Child while in Brazil!); explore garnet's energy with your child, especially if your child has difficulty connecting to this plane - e.g. in the case of ADD or autism. Remember that, when working with crystals, you don't need a jewelry grade crystal. Uncut, unpolished crystals can work just as well. Your intention is what is most important.

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All Hallow's Eve - the night when the veil between this world and other dimensions is very thin... Many cultures all over the world used to celebrate this night (or an other night typically in this season) to honour their ancestors. In keeping with the Root Chakra theme, say a small prayer to your forebears as you light up that lantern in your pumpkin tonight. After all, it was for them we used to leave treats so that they wouldn't trick us... ;)

Once the trick-or-treaters have looted all my treats, I will dedicate one hour of Reiki meditation/prayer in gratitude to all our cultural, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical roots, and for the clearing of our Root Chakra for the highest intention and good of all. If you want to join in this healing intention, take a few deep breaths and set your receptive mode "on".

Who knows what healing message awaits you from the other side of the veil...

Somehow, when we look deep enough at our core, we realize that our root systems are all beautifully networked. Love, peace, and kindness to all. Sending beautiful healing blue light from the centre of Gaia to nourish your roots.

Heart Chakra - daily reflections

The following daily reflections were originally posted on my Facebook "Way to the Well" community in the month of September.

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Following August's energies of upheaval, September is a month for the "attitude of gratitude". Deep transformation is in the air (and in the stars); you can choose to go with the flow and be transformed, or resist and stay put. Both are OK. You have free will to choose. Either way, it's a good idea to ground ourselves and open our heart centres. I'll be posting affirmations and exercises to help us in this challenge this month.

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Today's heart health tip: say "Thank You" a minimum of 5 times -- not 5 times in a row to the same person, though ;)

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Today's heart health quote: "The heaviest thing you can carry is a grudge."
Today's exercise: practice opening your hands and stretching your fingers one at a time - both hands! - and visualize letting go of your grudge(s). Feel your heart/hands become lighter as the grudge's grip subsides. 

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Today's affirmation: "I release this grudge (name it). I fill my heart with forgiveness and divine Love."

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Today's heart health exercise - feel gratitude for all your invisible helpers, and I'm not talking of just angels and guides, but also the store shelf stocker, the waterworks crew, the janitor, the stockroom clerk, the smiling stranger, the radio host... and all those whose silent and behind the scenes work help make you safe, secure and free your mind and spirit from undue worry. Add to the list of helpers below! Gratitude to all :)

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Here's a good affirmation for this month's theme -- and Virgo lunation:
"I serve the highest good through Love. I filter information without judgement. I find perfection in the moment."

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‎"The little space within the heart is as great as the vast universe. The heavens and the earth are there, and the sun and the moon and the stars. Fire and lightening and winds are there, and all that now is and all that is not." --The Upanishads

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Today's heart health tip: sing a little song, dance a little dance, have fun tonight!

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Today's heart health tip: extend gratitude to the Animal Kingdom, and the wonderful service each animal does for the planet, the ecosystems, and our personal enjoyment. Fill your heart with the beauty of their songs, colours, texture. If you eat meat, remember to thank the animal for its life, which helps sustain yours.

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Today's heart health tip: we've gone through some tough metaphysical motions lately. Still feeling the neck pains and body aches? Take time to stretch. Yoga poses for the heart chakra: eagle, cobra, fish, forward knee bend. Think of stretching your arms back and opening up your chest, giving your heart some space to breathe. Look up poses in the Yoga Journal.

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“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

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What did you do this weekend to make your heart happy? I took care of people I love, cooked delicious food, dug out potatoes from my garden, trimmed flower beds, provided a home to 2 neighbourhood stray cats, and mixed about 15 kilos of bath salts. *big smile*

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Today's heart-health tip: take in some of this Fall sunshine and store it in your heart for the winter season... Creating my happy place which I will visit in the long winter nights: sunshine, blue sky, cool breeze, bird song, smell of earth, and gratitude for a wonderful harvest in my little garden. :)

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On this last day of September (and a gorgeous one it is!), and the last day of our focus on the heart chakra, explore some of the crystals to help energize, balance or calm the energy in your heart centre.

To energize: try peridot - cleansing negative emotions such as jealousy, hatred, envy, anger: emotions that hold you back from truly loving.

To balance: watermelon tourmaline is beautiful. It has both the green of the heart chakra and the pink of the thymus chakra; the green of healing life-force energy and the soothing pink of harmony. Rose quartz is very gentle and caring and helps attain a deeper connection with your Inner Child (I purchased a huge chunk of rose quartz while in Brazil and it has been very helpful!)

To calm: the vibration of pink topaz corresponds to our heart and that of Mother Earth, helping us attain inner peace.

Catching up...

Phew - well I haven't been very disciplined lately when it comes to writing longer texts.  I have, however, designed four workshops and have been posting daily reflections on Facebook.

Because I feel that I am neglecting my blog, I have decided to post my daily reflections here instead.  It won't stop me from writing and posting longer pieces when the Muse visits me once more and will give me the satisfaction of posting something here.  :c)

In September, my Facebook community explored the Heart Chakra, and in October the Root Chakra.  Starting today, we are exploring the Crown Chakra.  I will post the collection of daily reflections on this site soon.

New workshops being launched!

As the 40 days span following my visit to Abadiania, Brazil, came to a close, I have been swept up by renewed energy.  I have looked at the darkest places of my soul; I have felt helpless, hopeless, overwhelmed and terribly sad; I have cried more than I had in years...  but all that is part of healing and soul growth.  And I sure am glad to have a bit of a respite from the growing pains and to be moving more with the flow of Spirit!!

I am quite excited to be launching a series of workshops - and there are more to come!  Look under the new "workshop" tab for a description of the workshops.  Check the Events page on my Facebook account - or contact me - for dates and places.  Everything is still "under construction" and may change, but it should still give you an idea of what I can offer.

I promised you an account of my adventure in Brazil -- and that is coming!  I just need to sit down at this computer long enough to write a proper entry.  It just seems that I have been going through so much deep personal work, I haven't been able yet to put it all in words.

In the meantime, I am continuing my studies and life-long learning.  I took a course on Astrology in September, and am now studying the meaning of discipleship in the 21st century, both with the Association for Research and Enlightenment.

I still have time for in-person or long-distance Reiki sessions - and with all my recent experiences, the energy I work with has a new quality.  Contact me for an appointment!

Much love to all.

Visiting Shadowland

It's been a tough few weeks.  I've really been under the weather - at least, under the influence of Mercury retrograde and many other astrological and earthly manifestations this past month.  All that in addition to a wonder-full spiritual retreat in Brazil which opened up doors I've been trying to ignore...  And I've been swept into Shadowland.

Shadowland to me is the dark recesses of my psyche, where my shadow side lurks; where I try to hide and bury all those attributes which I don't consider "Light"; where I try to hide all those events in my life of which I am not proud.  It is about hurt, shame, anger, bitterness, fear, disappointments.  It's dark.  It's difficult.  It's emotional.

I've been hesitating to write this past month because I was dealing with my Shadows.  Although I've been reminding myself that this blog is like a journal capturing the ups and downs of being a Lightworker, my ego really didn't want to post anything that would make me appear less than perfect.

And there it is.  Being a Lightworker means working on transcending ego.  To be able to heal others and the planet, you have to be able to heal yourself, which means facing these shadows head-on and bringing Light and healing to those wounded parts of our own selves.

My descent in Shadowland started with my third visit to the Sacred Waterfall in Abadiania, Brazil.  It is a very small waterfall, especially in the dry season, but it's a very powerful space.  When you step under the water, the emotional and psychic release that is experienced is beyond words.  But this time, I did not feel the release I expected.  It was rather a boiling up of anger.  First, people skipped the line.  Then others tried to organize folks in groups - we were two and did not feel the need to include people we didn't know in this very personal experience.  Trying to resist the need to argue, but very annoyed and angry that my voice was not heard; that my opinion was not respected; that I felt forced to do what  others dictated; that I felt I needed to comply to be "the good girl"...  

I almost turned around before entering the sacred space, but decided to go ahead anyway, asking for a clearing of these feelings.  Instead, I received guidance that shadows must be reconciled within oneself.  Shadows are to be examined and used as allies - if ignored, they can become bigger than themselves until they are heard.  Heeded, they can be allies helping us navigate the challenges of this life.  One has to see the gift each shadow brings.

I decided to use the anger I was feeling not as a destructive force, but as a gauge to help me see where my true values lie; to see where things need to shift in my perception of my experiences; to better express my true self.  I decided to accept that anger can be good.

And so, one of my lessons with anger?  I am tired of being walked over and pushed aside.  I've had enough with being told what to do to be the good obedient girl.  I can't go on bottling up my anger and disrespecting myself and my needs just to please others.  I've had enough with trying to deal with my perception of what/who other people want me to be in order to be accepted and loved.  I need to be me.  I deserve the respect to be accepted and loved exactly the way I am.  I deserve to be heard.  My feelings matter.  I am worthy.  I am strong.  I am able to lovingly express my emotions.

More shadows are lurking for me to examine and change my relationship with them.  There is a parallel here between the story of Jesus' 40 days in the desert before the start of his ministry, where He was taunted and tempted by the Shadow Master.  Every Lightworker must walk in the mind's desert to be a better channel of God's Love - regardless of the type or breadth of the ministry that will open up.

My 40 days aren't up yet.  I feel exhausted and could sleep over 12 hours a night - not really achievable with full-time work, a family and a house to tend to...  But I have decided to be gentle and kind with myself, to take breaks when I feel the need to, and practice yoga and meditation more regularly than I have been since the beginning of summer.  Slowly, very slowly, I am emerging from Shadowland.  But the second part of this journey is challenging too - putting into action all these good intentions, and making changes to my environment, my habits, my relationships.  It does feel like a trial, even though I know the outcome will be good if I continue to commit to acting out of Love.

Wishing us all the ability to feel and accept divine, unconditional Love and compassion.

Fun in the sun

I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful season.  I have been soaking in the sun and cleansing ocean vibes for the past few weeks.  I have been quite disconnected from technology and at the same time going deep within for personal clearing and healing work.  It has been difficult to write during this time! ;)

I am celebrating a few "breakthrough" moments in my personal healing.  Some issues I was ignoring or was not consciously aware of now have a face or a voice.  It is a subtle change perhaps, but as many authors say once you can name what is troubling you, you can clear it.  Fear is not so fearful when you know its source.   Issues are not as challenging once you remove the ego fears, objections and resistance.

Throughout most of my life, I have been acquiring information through books and processing intellectual information. I am now acquiring deep knowledge through experience and through my heart.  Things are moving from the intellectual realm to the realm of experience and emotions.  It reinforces the concept that it is not enough to know about spiritual, psychological or emotional ideas; for true healing to happen these ideas have to be applied and experienced.  I am very happy with this transition, although I feel a bit wobbly like a child walking for the first time.

I am also preparing for my great adventure - leaving next week for Brazil and the Casa de Dom Inacio where John of God has his ministry.  I have been feeling a shift in my energy ever since I have committed to taking this trip.  The healing sessions I have conducted have become more powerful.  More of the hidden realms have been opening to me.  There is a different pulse about me.  Many have told me I have a new glow or radiance, and like fireworks in my eyes.  I am sure this is the work of the entities at the Casa, and I am grateful for this -- although again, I am feeling a bit wobbly and have to work to remain grounded.  I have been told that the energy at the Casa can be very powerful.  I am looking forward to experiencing this first hand next week.

Although my writings are few this summer between my holidays and my spiritual retreat in Brazil, I am thinking of you dear readers from around the world, and sending you all Love, Light and Healing.

Enjoy the summer, and have fun in the sun.  Let you inner child out to play.  :)

Sixth Sense is Common Sense

(Reading: Sonia Choquette, Trust Your Vibes, Secret #2)

When I teach lessons on how to communicate, I refer students to the early cybernetic model: think of communication as the first model for radio transmission or telephone conversation. There is a Sender, a Receiver, a Channel and a Message. The Sender sends a message through a proper channel (the radio waves or telephone line) and the receiver acknowledges its reception. Sometimes however the message is not well received or becomes distorted. There is static on the line. The message cuts off.

This metaphor can be applied to our sixth sense, or communication with Spirit. Imagine Spirit as the sender of a message, and yourself as the receiver. Spirit is constantly communicating with you, to help you on your soul's learning path and in your more mundane tasks too. Spirit want to reassure you of the Creator's love for you and seeks to support you every moment for your Highest Good. Now: when Spirit calls, do you pick up the phone? Do you know how to put your ear to the receiver and listen?

This is often the first stumbling block to developing our sixth sense: ignoring the phone call or not even knowing what the telephone is for. In spirit terms, this would be denying the existence of the spirit world. Believing we are not worthy of receiving such messages. Fearing what the message would be. Imagining either a great chasm opening up before us or the overwhelming choir of angels singing. These are ego traps set by your mind to stop you from picking up that communication line. Ego prefers to keep you in fear, because you are more easily controlled when you are fearful - or so thinks ego. If this is where you're at, have a conversation with your ego and set the intention to be open to communication with Spirit. It's OK to be fearful, but what's important is what you do with that fear. Don't let it pin you in a corner feeling alone in the dark. Love yourself for where you're at, but if it is your intention to develop your communication with Spirit, realize that there are several channels of communication with Spirit just waiting for you to reach out and talk.

Explore the channels of communication. If it were a telephone and you were new to this technology this is where you would read the user's manual and ask questions to experts. For communications with Spirit, the channels are boundless. Tarot, oracle cards, guided meditation, hypnosis, automatic writing, prayer, dream interpretation... Start by picking one channel and learn how to use it. Remember that to have efficient communication it is not enough for you to know how to use it - you must also experience it. Learn with your heart and your body, not just your mind.

Once you start exploring, you may notice "static on the line." The message may not be clear. The language may seem foreign. It's normal and happens to the best of the six-sensories too.

One part of the static equation is nutrition. Your body must be properly fuelled for it to be sensitive to the subtle vibes. You must feed your body what it needs so that it doesn't shut down or become hypersensitive. Protein is very important in the morning to ground your body and sustain it through the day. Protein will help keep you balanced and of this Earth as your spirit explores other realms. As Sonia Choquette writes on page 11, "Make certain that your diet contains some life-force, or is as close to the natural source as possible. Eat a healthy, common-sense diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, adequate protein and whole grains, and avoid packaged or processed foods. Of course this isn't difficult to figure out, but it does challenge ego rules, so it can be tricky." Avoid having your ego control you through your diet - just be good to yourself and sustain your body and its energy needs.

The other part of the equation is mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. When we're tired, it's very difficult to perceive the subtle vibes of our intuition. When we're tired, our ego becomes a slave driver and will try to convince you that you are not tired, that you can fit more in your day if you just slept less, that the world and work will fall apart if you're not there... You know the tune. Stop listening to it. Change your radio station. Take time off. Sleep. To access your vibes, you must give yourself enough down time and enjoy doing nothing every once in a while. Meditate. Stare into your cup of tea or coffee. Disconnect from the busy-ness of the world that are jamming your communication lines.

If you neglect your body and its energy needs too often, your Spirit will not be happy living in that home. Sonia Choquette describes this as hovering outside your physical body. This is when people will tell you that your lights are on, but no one is home... Then you're opening yourself to energy squatters - low vibrating entities that may move in and drag you down. Time for psychic house-keeping!

Sonia Choquette, Colette Baron-Reid and many other teachers recommend taking a salt bath to cleanse one's energetic field. Remember that we are all vibrating energy - all the molecules in our bodies are vibrating creating a magnetic field. A relaxing bath in salt water helps to recalibrate our energy field and remove energy squatters. Here's my recipe:

• 1/2 cup fine ground sea salt
• 1/2 cup fine ground epsom salt
• 1/8 cup baking soda
• 1 tsp oil (grapeseed, sweet almond, jojoba, olive...)
• Add about 10 drops of your favourite essential oil(s) 

Your skin will be soft, your body aches reduced, your mind calm and your auric field cleared. What a great ritual to add to your day!


So to sum up: today's six-sensory wisdom: Take good care of yourself.

• Heal your addictions. Admit you need help, then get it. You will not be able to vibrate at a high level if addictions are keeping you down. 
• Have a good night's rest - every night. If you're having trouble sleeping, turn off the nightly news, get a better pillow, do breathing exercise and gentle stretching before bed. Use lavender essential oil - in your bath, a few drop on your pillow, a few drops in your navel. 
• Take a warm salt bath. 
• Make a meal plan and stick to it. 
• Enjoy your food - do not abuse of food especially caffeine, sugar, white flour and salt. 
• Leave some down-time space in your day, and respect it. 
• Schedule one or two do-nothing-but-relax periods in your week, and stick to your appointments. 
• Drink a minimum of 1.5 litres of water a day. 

So you see, a few simple efforts will help clear out the channels of communication between you and Spirit. Taking care of your body and its basic need is common sense since your body is the temple for your spirit.

Much Love to you.

Just for today...

Spiritual authors, martial arts sensei, meditation gurus, yoga practitioners and shamans (to name a few) all agree that the place and time of power is in the NOW.  One has to be focused and fully aware of the NOW to be fully connected to Spirit or Source.

As author Louise Hay writes in her book You Can Heal Your Life, "the point of power is always in the present moment."  We can not change the past and we can only anticipate the future.  It is in the now that we can decide to forgive, to love, to be happy.  Author Eleanor McKenzie writes in The Reiki Bible "Events in our life are created by thoughts and beliefs we have held over time.  But they are all in the past and today we can replace them with thoughts and beliefs that create a happier life."

It is with this perspective that one approaches the Reiki principles as instructed by Usui.  The purpose of these instructions is to keep us focused in the present moment.  And as one of Reiki's goal is to help us better our lives, the instructions make it easier for us to transition bit by bit, day by day, to a healthier and more joyful way of living.  And just like in any 12-step program, it is easier for us to believe that we can do something for one day rather than for a long period of time.  It is much less overwhelming to focus on the present moment, the present day, than on the "rest of our life".

There are 5 Reiki principles, or precepts - I will discuss them in future blog posts:

• Just for today, I will not anger
• Just for today, I will not worry
• Just for today, I am filled with gratitude
• Just for today, I devote myself to my work
• Just for today, I am kind to every living thing

These precepts are at the heart of Reiki.  Usui wrote these as a guide to our spiritual journey and everything else in Reiki supports or builds upon them.  They help the Reiki practitioner stay focused on his/her path and in the present moment when change and healing happens for the mind, the body and the spirit.  

Before we explore each precept individually, I suggest we practice the common root - the "just for today", the "being in the present". 

First, form your intention:  just for today, what will you do to shine your Light?

Then, remember to breathe deep down in your belly several times in the present moment and throughout the day to help you anchor your intention in your mind and body, and to help you stay focused on the present (your first intention could be "just for today, I nourish my body and my mind and my soul with big gulps of oxygen" -- I need to remember this one often!).

In this moment and through the day, journal how you feel, what you see, what all your senses pick up.  Notice how much richer existence is when you are aware of the moment.  Notice how worry slips away.    Notice how joy can bloom.  Notice how the pace changes and how you are focused on your path and your intention.

Finally: just for today, have fun with this exercise!  :)

Much love to you.

The Equation for Manifestation

What makes the world move?  What gives the world meaning?  How can movement be meaningful?  How can I manifest what I desire?

Chances are, if you've been reading any spiritual literature you've come across the concept of intention. It is important to intend good things for yourself, for those you love, for your environment, for the world...  But so many good intentions remain just that - intentions.  As in: I intend to exercise today.  I intend to eat well.  I intend to release negative thinking.  I intend to have fun.  I intend to be kind...  And the treadmill is being used as clothes hanger; the weight keeps increasing; we swear at bad drivers; and life remains about work work work.   We intend for world peace and yet our life remains chaotic and we keep looking for news of the world's ending.

Books on positive affirmations abound.   There are so many resources in print, CDs, video, electronic media, etc. that show us how to formulate intentions.  Why then are they powerless to create what we intend?

It appears that for the common of us mortals, it is not sufficient to just sit in a remote cave or under a tree and meditate until our desired outcomes manifest.  What is needed is action.  We also need a good dose of desire to motivate us to act.  It's like we need to use our intention as the needles on our life's compass, and make a conscious decision to follow it with focused action.  Action has to be focused and conscious.  Action for the sake of action can be so futile.  So many of us are busy busy busy.  Our work and leisure schedules are so full that we complain there aren't enough hours in a day.  Yet we feel empty and devoid of meaning.

So on the grand scale of things, what brings this all together?

In September 2001, Ste-Thérèse-de-Lisieux came to me in a dream and asked me to light a white, rose-scented candle for world peace.  I wasn't open to that type of guidance yet - why would a saint talk to me in a dream??  I didn't believe that the simple act of lighting a candle would have any effect on world peace either.  (I am grateful to my Aunt in whom I confided this crazy dream: she did light a candle and believed in the love of the message.  It took a while for me to open my mind to it, and she helped pave the way.)

In a similar dream last night, I understood that it was not the simple act of lighting the candle that was important.  It is the ritual part.  In our human experience, we need to involve all our senses and take time away from the busy-ness of everyday to make space for spiritual happenings.  Our senses (like seeing a candle and smelling its perfume) can trigger our memory of our intention and strengthen our will to see it through.  In a way, Ste-Thérèse was saying to take time to smell the roses, which she loved.  It is about taking a few minutes to collect our thoughts and to focus our intention on something - in this case world peace.  This is not about unconscious ritualistic actions to kneel here; to use a certain type of incense because we're told to; or to use the exact sentences of a guru.  This ritual has to have meaning for our own personal soul.  It has to make sense to our senses.

By consciously doing a simple ritualistic action like lighting a candle and intending (praying) for world peace, it can ignite that part of our unconscious that vibrates peace.  If I vibrate peace, I attract more peace.  When I vibrate peace, I help others around me feel this peace.  It's like I am sharing this little flame from my heart to yours, and you can choose to share it around you too.  One by one, all the candles in our hearts could be lit for world peace.  If many of us vibrate peace, it is easier for peace to stay.  Action does not need to be grandiose; it needs to be meaningful.

To get back to my original question then: what would be the equation for manifestation?  I believe it would be:  intention + desire + action + ritual = manifestation.

None of these elements would work properly on their own.  We need to consciously co-create our world everyday with loving intention, the desire that it manifests, focused action, and a personal multi-sensory ritual that help us remain focused on our intention.

I've been humming "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine" for the past few weeks.  I can see how it fits with this blog entry!  :)

Much Love to you.

The grammar and philosophy of "I am who I am"...

There's a theme that keeps popping up lately - at conferences, in my readings, in conversations.  It's the age-old question: "Who am I?" In my Reiki session tonight, I was told that I am "unique, special, deep"; that I "vibrate at a different frequency" than the norm -- would you believe it?  LOL.  Really, my challenge is to accept that and live it fully, which is not easy when all I really want to do is "fit in"...  Well, that has not really worked up to now, so I might as well try the spirited way ;)

So, here are some of "Jaz's deep thoughts" on the I am topic.

In her book Secret Wisdom, author Ruth Clydesdale presents the major philosophers in Western history and the answers they have provided to the Who Am I question.  For thousands of years, we have been led to believe that we are unworthy; we are sin or the product of sin; we constantly have to follow a difficult path to perhaps have a glimpse of something better after endless trials and tribulations.  Life on Earth is punishment, and we have to endure it and suffer until we die and are reunited with our god.  The business of science, philosophy and organized religion was to help get us there sooner.

Hmph.  Those are not happy thoughts.  Not very empowering either.

In a keynote address he gave at Toronto's "I Can Do It" conference, Dr. Wayne Dyer briefly mentioned the "I Am Discourses" (Saint Germain series -- from what I've glanced on the Foundation's web site, it feels much like "God Save America"...  oh, and other countries too, as an after-thought.  But there is value in the core teaching).  He went on to quote the Book of Exodus 3:13-15:

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.

So the lesson here, as explained by Dr. Dyer, is that the name of God is "I AM".  This name has a strong energy, and, as we have been told in the 10 Commandments, we should not use this name in vain.  Therefore, we must be careful of how we use sentences that contain "I AM" - for to say these words invoke the power of God.  The question is, what do you want to put energy on?  What do you want to create?  If you constantly say, "I am poor"; or "I am ill" - well guess what, you are poor and ill.  Follow the words "I am" by a positive affirmation, and that is what you will create for yourself.

Pretty cool stuff, huh?

In a Mindwalking course, author/facilitator Nancy Eubel wrote of the "I am THAT I am" concept, whereby the god of your heart connects to the universal love consciousness through your thought process - "THAT" (your thoughts) being the bridge between the two "I am" consciousnesses / god. She describes it thus:

"We need the help of Higher Consciousness to raise our own consciousness in our process of becoming and integrating into the Divine Mind. In the final Mindwalking for this group you will complete the bridge you began building last week between the God, or I am, of your heart with the I AM of God Consciousness. The heart will then have a direct link to the Divine, to Spirit, as you hardwire it into your brain. This connection might be thought of as an energetic hourglass with a small connecting tube as the channel between the two. The connection point in the brain will be the "that" link in I AM that I am. Not only will this allow the flow of spiritual guidance to come to us as we request it, it also helps to sustain the balance between heart and mind and between body and mind.  When we come into alignment with Spirit by building and maintaining this bridge, we assist Spirit in spiritualizing our physical matter and expanding our consciousness - becoming co-creators as (Edgar) Cayce said we are destined to be. (...) When we readjust our thinking we have to the power to access the infinite dimensions to achieve spiritual healing and soul growth and hear the voice of I AM THAT I AM speaking in the temple of our heart."

I find this concept is similar to Chakra teachings, whereby your throat chakra is the bridge between your Heart chakra and your higher chakras of inner wisdom and higher wisdom.  (Btw, I truly recommend the Mindwalking course!)

Also, neuroscience has proven that thoughts affect our brain matter and neural pathways.  Quantum physics demonstrates that thoughts create matter.  Thoughts manifest our reality.  The words we choose create our reality.  Just to paraphrase the Bible - God thought of creation, and creation occurred.  Jesus is a manifestation of God's Word.

Soooo...  for Jaz's spin on all this...

I think God has a real good sense of humour.  We tend to take him very literally and seriously when really he wants to show us the light side of things at times.  Moses strikes up a conversation with God up on the mountain: "So, who are you anyway?  What's your name?"  God, momentarily perplexed and forgetting about the human limitations of three-dimensional thinking: "What do you mean?  I AM.  That's what.  I AM."  (Duh!)  Moses: "So, what do you look like?  Can I see a picture?"  God:  "There can not be a picture of me."  Moses taking mental note of this for the commandment against drawing pictures of God and worshipping idols.  God knowing that humankind at the time could not possibly draw or understand pure energy, pure Love, Wisdom, and infinite Quantum vibrations...  God knowing that humanity would like to picture "him" with a human (or animal) identity - polarized male/female with a distinct nationality, language and creed.  Love and Energy have none of that.  Our soul, which is greater than our body, has none of that.  It transcends all.  It is all, in all dimensions, in all time and levels of consciousness and manifestation.   Try to draw that at your next Pictionary party!

Also, note the verb tense - in the PRESENT.  We create in the present, in the now.  Of course, time is only a dimension and it can be overcome with meditation yaddi yaddi yadda...  Thing is, this body and consciousness is in the NOW.  This speaks to our thought patterns - emotionally, we have to live in the now and detach ourselves from regrets and even joyous events from the past (know of people who keep repeating the same stories of the past and keep re-living the same moments over and over?); and we have to detach ourselves from worry from the future.  When we worry about the future, we vibrate fear in our NOW.  It is important to be aware of where we've been and where we're going, but we still need to focus on what we want to manifest in the present, and what seeds we are planting in the present for our future.   There is such freedom in this, and when the soul feels free, it expands and connects to something greater.  God knows all this in his/her infinite wisdom, and that is why he/she just "IS".

Whether or not God's name is "I AM", humanity has spent too much time going against the divine flow of Love and Wisdom.  Who hasn't had thoughts such as "I am not worthy"; "I am incapable of helping the world"; "I am sick and tired"; "I am superior/inferior"...  There are certainly many examples throughout history.  And what have we created?  Injustice, famine, war.  So why not examine our thoughts and consciences and heal our negative patterns to positive ones.  This is what we will manifest.  "I am healthy"; "I am abundant"; "I am peace"; "I am forgiving"; "I am compassionate"; "I am patient";  "I am creative"; "I am worthy of love"; "I am Love"; "I am happy"...

Sentence by sentence, we can build a better self, a better community, a better world.

Could it really be that simple?  To God, yes.  Breathe, and say - with a smile - "I AM".

God consciousness is available and accessible.  It is a bridge we can build and nurture.  It is in us to do.  Jesus and many Ascended Masters have told us that.  "Everything I have done, you can do too".  "Oh sure, but I am not worthy.  I am but a poor human without knowledge."  CRASH goes your bridge.

So, who am I?  I AM.

What is my purpose in life?  TO BE.

That simple.  Do we need lots more philosophers to make it complicated so we have an excuse not to understand?  ;)

Living alternate realities to gain wisdom?

Ever feel like there may more than one of you, living an alternate reality?  What if it's true?  In the world of quantum physics -- where so many sciences merge with a re-infusion of our spiritual reality that sciences put aside a few centuries ago -- time, space, and even lives are just levels of consciousness.  There are more levels of consciousness than, well, than we are conscious of ;)

A quote from Nancy Eubel's "Mindwalking" course through the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.):

"Although some physicists and mathematicians actually think there are eleven or more dimensions, to the majority of us it feels as if we are confined to living in a world of 3 spatial dimensions - height, length, and width - with the added dimension of time. The limitation we feel is in our brain. It has been programmed through the learnings of our past to believe that we are less than we are. However, in our development as souls we are opening to dimensions that science cannot yet  measure and that do not neatly follow a linear sequence - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc. The higher dimensions are not separate, and when we have expanded our awareness we travel to the "level" that is best for us as souls at that particular time. Each dimension is a unique resource in our evolutionary process. By using our spiritual tools such as prayer, meditation, Mindwalking, and application of our ideal, we need no longer be earthbound in our thinking."

In my Reiki/Energy medicine practice, I often tap into past lives - mine and others'.  Sometimes, I even have glimpses of the future.  It seems that it is part of my "gift"; I facilitate a connection with this other dimension.  Pretty amazing for a girl who didn't really believe in past lives just two years ago!!

So my pondering is - if what I tap into is just a different dimension of the reality of one soul; if past, present and future are just different dimensions of the same reality; if these dimensions are not sequential; then...

• it would be possible to "feel" in this current consciousness, other manifestations of our souls like an alternate reality.  Starting from the here and now that we know, we are also the past and the future.  
• the actions we do now and the thoughts we have now can influence our past AND our future.  All the love we send to our "past self" helps our "now self" and our "future self".  The decisions we make now and the thought patterns we develop now will have an imprint on our future self.  And if it doesn't work, we come back to a past self, we forgive, we send love, and we reprogram...  
• the past and the future can really be tools to help us manifest our best now.
• if we see each life as a lesson, and that time/dimensions are not linear, then it would be possible to skip to chapter 7 and then come back to chapter 4?
• and what if I'm a very eager learner and decide to work on chapters 12 and 3 at the same time?  Some people talk of soul-splitting, and feel like "there's an other me somewhere out there"... 

This is really mind-blowing.  Mind-expanding.  Consciousness-expanding.  It takes the concept of being a divine co-creator of our life to an other level!  It can be a frightening tool, as it can certainly be used for ill-will as well as good-will.  No wonder this concept has been suppressed and hidden for a long time.

This concept can also be liberating.  Many Teachers say that we are all here on this plane to learn.  Wouldn't it be easier to learn the lessons without fear of reprisal?  Fear of failure?  Fear of not having enough time to do it all?  It's also easier to see and understand the lesson when taking a step back - to me this concept is just like that.  If we were a painter, we would take a step back from the easel and see the full effect of the artwork; not just the detail.  If an astronaut, it's like seeing Earth from the moon.  If a composer, it's like having an orchestra play back all the parts to be able to make final adjustments to the symphony and harmony.  If a writer, then we have a magic eraser and a magic marker and a new set of eyes to make sense of all those scribblings in the margins.

I am learning.  I have more than one life to do so.  I don't need to rush through this one.  I can take the time and savour this life and really understand the lessons.  I have tools to do so.  So do you.

Much Love to you all.  Past, present and future.  :)

Moving onward and forward...

Fearlessly?  No.  But moving onward and forward just the same.  Participating in Life's spiral dance and not just watching it go by.  Accepting my role as co-creator of my Life and my environment.

These past few weeks, I have taken two online courses: one for clairsentients, and one on Mindwalking.  Both courses include meditation "homework".  I have discovered I truly enjoy meditating at least five minutes every day; it makes me feel more connected to the spirit of the divine all around me and within me.  I find it easier to hear my spiritual "cues" and I'm getting better at acting on those cues.  And Life is unfolding beautifully.

This weekend is the result of such a cue.  During a session in January, the practitioner mentioned (again) that I must write books.  She saw help coming my way.  She saw me with Cheryl Richardson, and that she would be acting as a mentor for me.  I had never heard of that author.  When I returned home, I looked her up, bought a book, "liked" her Facebook page.   I thought, "Well, I'm not sure how this will unfold, but I am open to what the Universe will bring my way."  Two days later, I noticed Hay House's advertisement for the "I Can Do It" conference in Toronto.  One of the pre-conference workshops is given by Cheryl Richardson, and deals with the life of an author; how to present a book; how to have it published, etc.  An interesting synchronicity.  I signed up right away.  

I am looking forward to tomorrow's workshop!