Message 2/ from Mandy

 Life is short, and every moment counts. Why stick around people who treat you like a pinata at a party, getting bashed from all angles but getting no goodies in return? It’s much like trying to dodge heavy rain drops instead of using an umbrella, why not seek out those who bring sunshine instead? It's essential to recognise when someone is draining your energy, leaving you feeling battered and bruised. It’s time to summon your inner ninja and make a swift exit from relationships that really don't serve you.

Having pointless arguments? They’re nothing more than a treadmill of frustration, much like trying to cure a hangover with another drink, only leading to extra chaos. Don't waste your breath on wind up merchants that argue for the sake of it. Instead, focus your energy on those people whose conversations inspire and elevate you. Engage with people who recognise your true worth and who celebrate your special qualities, because those connections are the ones that really matter.

Transpersonal Psychology!

What is Transpersonal Psychology?

 The higher self is a part of ourself which is beyond and transcends the individual ego, beyond the self serving and selfish aspect of the self. It is understanding and appreciating the sacred and avoids religious dogma and traditions. Altered states of consciousness can be experienced. Spiritual development and values such as serenity, self understanding, joy and gratitude are part of the bigger spiritual picture.

Pre Menstral Syndrome!

Pre Menstural Syndrome: Curse or Cure?

As I am a Feminine Cycle Consultant and help women understand, appreciate and track their feminine cycle to improve the quality of their lives, I thought it was time for me to speak about this much debated topic that affects so many women in our society: the Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS).

Cognitive Analytic Therapy

 Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is conducted by qualified psychotherapists, to assist patients to gain a greater understanding of their own process. 

Biofeedback

 

Defined by mathmatician, Norbert Werner as a 'method of controlling a system by inserting into it the results of past performance', Biofeedback has been popular for decades. It is a process for mechanically monitoring bodily functions in order to gain control over them. The process requires a period of training but the results are remarkable and are of vital importance to health. It might sound like magic, but the mind is capable of extraordinary feats. Think for a moment of the Tibetans who, on the coldest of days, could increase their body heat to significant levels. Heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, relaxation, brain rhythms, are just for starters. I have heard of excellent results for excema, migraine, gastritis and other very common ailments. 

Grades, Cuts and Shades of Diamonds

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, roughly the phrase goes!  But selecting the best crystal for your loved one as a unique gift or for an engagement present may require more thought. Points taken into consideration would be the size of the stone, could your partner need a dainty piece of jewelry or would they like large and flashy?. Naturally the piece will be based on your finances!

Drew Ryder

Passion and Motivation: In this month’s article I thought we could explore passion and motivation, as I consider that they go together hand in hand as it were.  Let’s first look at passion.  What exactly is passion?  Passion is, as described in the Oxford English Dictionary, amongst other things, (that is to say, leaving sex out of the equation!), as a strongly felt emotion or a strong enthusiasm for something, or, the object of an intense desire or enthusiasm: some of you might choose football as this desire, or dancing, or food.

When you are passionate about something it is easy to get excited about it and this often inspires you to do something about the passion.  In other words to feel motivated in to doing something – it may well be going to watch or even play a game of football, to dance or to cook. People can be passionate about all sorts of things, what ‘floats my boat’ may not necessarily float yours.  If you have a deep desire about something then that desire or passion alone, may well be enough to motivate you.  What if it isn’t?  Or what if there is something you need to do for instance, like lose weight for health reasons, some area where there is little or no passion.  How can we get motivated?

Rolfing

 Dr Ida Rolf founded a new method of treating the structure of the body, especially where there are postural problems, causing pain and discomfort. These can be eased and relieved. Her method, known as 'Rolfing' is also known as 'Structural Integration'. 

 

John O'Donoghue

Who was John O'Donoghue?

"When you cease to fear your solitude, a new creativity awakens in you. Your forgotten or neglected wealth begins to reveal itself. You come home to yourself and learn to rest within. Thoughts are our inner senses. Infused with silence and solitude, they bring out the mystery of inner landscape."

- Anam Cara, p. 17

Rainer Maria Rilke

Who was Rainer Maria Rilke?

Lived 1875-1926, Rilke was an Austrian traveller, poet and mystical prose writer. Conscripted into service in WWI, he experienced depression as he was not psychologically suited to the military. He was an only child with a dominating and extreme Catholic mother who dressed him in girl's clothing, made him kiss the wounds of Christ's statue, and told he must never complaint when he was in pain or distress. This behaviour might have influenced his later strong dislike of Catholicism. In one poem, he describes Jesus as having been married to Mary Magdalene - an early concept which has now found interest in the modern day. 

Richard Rohr

Who is Richard Rohr?

Born 1943, Richard Rohr is a Franciscan friar and spiritual author living in New Mexico. He is the Founder of the New Jerusalem Community which is a grass roots community that provides equality for men and women and supports LGBTQ rights and campaigns for a new orthodoxy that is different from the top down Vatican line. 

Requiems - Poetry Choice

Requiems by Christina Rossetti 

When I am dead, my dearest,

Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

Alexandra David-Neel

Who was Alexandra David-Neel?
Born Paris 24 October 1868, she was the only daughter of a Hugenot Freemason teacher, and in her early years, she played piano and sang, and was precociously interested in ascetic practices. Travelling widely and compulsively, she was fascinated with secret societies, studying with Annie Besant and Madame Blavatsky. She converted to Buddhism when she was 20 years old, and due to an inherited personal fortune, she became an intrepid explorer, visiting Mongolia, Korea, Japan and India, much of the time disguised as a beggar or monk. She was fascinated with secret societies, studying with Annie Besant and Madame Blavatsky. She became a member of a mixed Scottish Rite Freemasonry society where she reached a high status. 

Tune in for Serenity

 

This video helps us to relax during communication with others. It's good advice when dealing with other people and suggests we remain true to ourselves and be aware of ourselves, relax and be serene. This way, we achieve more, have better relationships and feel healthier ourselves. 

Clean Language Questions

Clean language is useful in everyday speech. Listening and repeating back is the basis and by using the other person's words to show you have heard. 

Nine questions are suggested. What kind of X is the X! 

This is a great way to start! 

Originating with the late David Grove's use of metaphor in deep trauma, it has been developed from this point to use in coaching, counselling and business.   

 

E. F. Schumacher

A New Age style philosopher, Fritz Schumacher (1911-1977) was a exponent of pacifism, monetary advisor to governments, and he created a new economics of material reductionism which cares for the planet and for people, especially those most in need in society. He was influenced by Buddhism and by Gandhi. His book 'Small is Beautiful' (1973) is based on the reasoning that less is more in a society which is generally unhappy despite its material wealth and 'A Guide for the Perplexed' is a best selling explanation of capitalism.

Aaron T Beck

 

Paul Tillich

 

Howard Thurman

 

Maxwell Maltz

 Who was Maxwell Maltz? Information on Psycho-Cybernetics described in this video

IPV intimate partner violence

 

What is IPV?

Ikigai

 

Japanese formula for happiness - a reason for being - a purpose! 

All 4 components detailed here

Attention Deficit Disorder

What is ADD? This video explains!

Enneagram Training

Role Modelling

 

Why role models and mentors are important!

The Balance Procedure

What is The Balance Procedure? This video explains!

Brain Waves

Electrical instruments (electroencephalographs) are commonly used by medical people to evaluate mental states. These instruments measure the neuron firing rates of groups of brain cells.  These firing rates are commonly thought to control mental states.  Beta, alpha, theta and delta are terms that medicine uses to indicate the rates of brain cell firing and the corresponding mental states associated with them.

Pagans and Ecology

Making generalised statements about Pagans is rarely a good idea as Pagans are incredibly diverse. My current working definition for Paganism(s) is recreated, reconstructed and/or reimagined indigenous traditions from around the world, many of which see the sacred in the landscape. So Paganism isn’t just one tradition, but many, from all sorts of different origins around the world. 

One of the causes for the differences you might find in Pagan traditions is the very landscape they originally emerged in, because, in different landscapes, with diverse ecological conditions, the way people perceive and interact with that landscape will vary.

It is fair to say that a great many traditions see the sacred in the landscape, which means that interacting with that landscape equates to interaction with the sacred. As the sacred is very important, a great many Pagans will be keen to see and work for a more sustainable way of living- a way of living that is less likely to damage the local environment and more likely to honour it. This may take the form of activities to clean up rubbish left in waterways, forests and open land, by others. It may take the form of protesting against business that could be considered to damage the landscape- hydraulic fracturing (fracking), building on greenbelt land or destruction of ancient woodland. It could take the form of guerrilla gardening activities, permaculture or simply in tending to their own gardens. But running through all those activities is an understanding that the land is sacred, that we do not inherit the land from our ancestors, but borrow it from our children. Of course, these kinds of activities are not the sole province of Pagans. But a key motivator for Pagans to engage in them is that recognition of the sacred in nature.

A Different Kind of Religious War

"Who do you say that I am?" asked Jesus of his disciples. And the rest of humankind has been struggling to answer that question ever since.

The art of storytelling by Eli Anderson

Eli Anderson says: I believe that everyone is a storyteller and that stories are a global heritage. I have been writing for over 35 years, and have also been involved in publishing.

I am a master of the art of storytelling, a poet and coach with 'eAkan'. I have arranged a variety of lectures and workshops which include performance craft, musical theory, eldership, healthcare, storytelling, community education, mindfulness and poetry therapy and I arrange and deliver a variety of workshops where I mentor performers and musicians.

Ibn Arabi

 

Who was Ibn Arabi? 

Ibn Arabi was a Sufi spiritual love poet (an interpreter of longing poetry) and writer who was inspired by the divine spirit. He is known as The Meccan Revelator who studied astrology, letters, numbers, symbolic geometry,  and esoteric sciences. The Wisdom of the Prophets was revealed to him in a single night. He was born in 1165 in SE Spain and tutored by an aged woman. In 1198, when he was 33, Ibn Arabi had a vision and a Divine Command to visit Cairo and Jerusalem. In 120, he arrived in Mecca where he stayed for 2 years. He then travelled to Baghdad and Mosul, and lived in Eastern Turkey where he met the son of Saladin in Aleppo. He spent his last years in Damascus, dying in 1240. He is most well known for his One es of being - a doctrine that espouses that only God exists, all else is illusion. 

Thank you!

To be remembered and recognised, we need to make people feel good about themselves. Well an easy way to do this is simply to say 'thank you'. So start to look for how and where you can be more grateful'. 'Thank you for your help', 'thanks for telling me that', 'thank you for letting me know', 'thank you for just being around', 'thank you for thinking of me'.

Even if you don't like what you're being told say "hmm, thanks for telling me that, now what about etc.". Say Thank you first. It means that the first thing you say isn't negative.

Voices of the Sacred Feminine

Book Review: Voices of the Sacred Feminine – Conversations to Re-Shape Our World, Edited by Rev Dr Karen Tate, Published by Changemaker Books. 400 pages 
This is an anthology of specially chosen articles about the Divine Feminine, each between approx. 400 – 1,000 words in length. All articles cover some aspect of the goddess and are derived from many cultures, for instance, sacred activism, social change, planetary welfare, healing, empowerment and mutual support, in addition to challenges to major patriarchal religious thought. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is often shortened to PTSD. It can occur following an accident, a crime, a bad experience of any kind. Anyone can suffer from it if the stresses are great enough. It can have physiological and psychological causes, such as sleeplessness, nightmares, panic attacks, free floating anxiety, tearfulness, loss of memory, feelings of anger, depression and distress. 

Mexican Independence - The Life And Times Of Hidalgo

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, born in 1753, is regarded today as "Father of his country", a great hero of Mexico and a central figure in the war of independence. Upon further examination it is simple to see why he is regarded as such an important part of Mexico's history; he is recognized as being the first leader in Mexico to lead an insurrection against the Spaniards on Mexican soil. Indeed, he was the catalyst for the legions of poor and oppressed in Mexico to finally revolt against the tyranny of the Spaniards occupying Mexico. While many biographies would paint Hidalgo and his actions in a heroic light, the truth is that his "army" was nothing more than a massive mob of mobilized peasants who'd been pushed to the edge due to Spanish rule. It can be argued that he was simply savvy enough to realize that he only need to push the angry and disenfranchised populace gently to get them to reach the breaking point; no fiery rhetoric or galvanizing speeches were necessary, the anger was already boiling just below the surface. Hidalgo was the one who tapped into it and made it into a physical force.

Moods Do you have them?

To paraphrase Wikipedia... "A mood is a relatively long lasting emotional state. Moods differ from emotions in that they are less specific, less intense, and less likely to be triggered by a particular stimulus or event. Moods generally have either a positive or negative valence. In other words, people typically speak of being in a good mood or a bad mood. Unlike acute, emotional feelings like fear and surprise, moods often last for hours or days.
Mood also differs from temperament or personality traits which are even longer lasting. Nevertheless, personality traits such as optimism and neuroticism predispose certain types of moods. Long term disturbances of mood such as depression and bipolar disorder are considered mood disorders. Mood is an internal, subjective state, but it often can be inferred from posture and other behaviors."

Thomas Merton

Who was Thomas Merton? He lived (1915-1968) and was a writer, an interfaith pioneer, a pacifist, a student of comparative religion, and campaigner for social justice. He studied at Cambridge and Columbia Universities and travelled extensively in his early life as an agnostic. In his twenties, he became a convert to Roman Catholicism and became a Trappist monk at Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky. This Order is very strict, the monks live in silence and without any luxuries. During this time, Merton wrote his biography, 'The Seven Storey Mountain'. His philosophy was based on renunciation and asceticism, two pillars which are necessary for spiritual enlightenment. In all, he wrote 70 books. He is remembered as a great thinker and a peace promoter.

An Overview of the Structure in Afar Poetry by David Tatham

The Afar are an ethnic group living mainly in Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia who have contributed some of the world's most imaginative and beautiful poetry. Unfortunately, they are often overshadowed by their Somali neighbours but deserve recognition for their outstanding creativity. The general verse structure in Afar poetry consists of one complete sentence. This sentence then creates an automatic parallelism due to the verse structure and its intonation. This is also further emphasized through other means of verse structure i.e. through a rhythmic formation and isosyllabic rule.

Yoga Living

Derek Thorne lives in the Somerset area and runs a yoga school. From an early age, he sought the meaning of life in addition to living in the world as a practical and capable person. Eastern religions captivated him and yoga offered a way to explore his questioning about life and provided a personal intimacy with the self, the 'I' within. It also provides a good model for the modern age, to avoid and relieve many ills of our stressed and dysfunctional society. Yoga brings people into relationship for the divine and provides a spiritual resolution to many of life's greatest questions and concerns. 

Environment Health

Permaculture offers a natural and sustainable gardening philosophy, developed by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in 1978, it has taken off as a means of looking after plants and animals holistically and organically. Energy is conserved, rain water is used rather than reservoir water, natural compost is used too. Prince Charles, next in line to the British throne, is very interested in using these permaculture methods. Three core laws apply:

• Care for the earth: Provision for all life systems to continue and multiply. This is the first principle, because without a healthy earth, humans cannot flourish.
• Care for the people: Provision for people to access those resources necessary for their existence.
• Return of surplus: Reinvesting surpluses back into the system to provide for the first two ethics. This includes returning waste back into the system to recycle into usefulness. The third ethic is sometimes referred to as Fair Share to reflect that each of us should take no more than what we need before we reinvest the surplus.

Coping Skills

 

Helplessness, anger, and feelings of being out of control are common following emergencies. Depression can also follow, and lead to exhaustion which compounds the already difficult situation. Stressed minds can only come to stressed conclusions and a disordered mind does not make sensible decisions. Advice: Get into nature, see friends and speak to them about your problems, seek professional advice and take it. Build you own immunity to stress during quiet times, prepare for the worst but hope for the best. You can cope better, regardless of your experiences and difficulties.

The Benefits Of Alpha

What are Alpha Waves? 
When you start practicing meditation you open brain faculties which haven't been used since your childhood.

Yoko Ono & Sean Lennon Against Fracking

Artists Against Fracking has been launched by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon as a new coalition of artists, musicians, filmmakers and public figures opposed to hydraulic fracking. The growing coalition now includes more than 180 members, including Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Anne Hathaway, Alec Baldwin, Marina Abramovic, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Sherman, MGMT, Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, Liv Tyler, Mario Batali, Roberta Flack, Robert De Niro, Mark Ruffalo, Uma Thurman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and many others.

Disappearing Wildlife Red Alert

The African Lion and the Sunda Clouded Leopard could be extinct within a few years due to lack of food and water in the wild caused by changing weather conditions. 

In 1979, Africa had 1,300,000 wild Elephants, today, there are 400,000 alive and the land is guarded by park rangers and it is estimated more than 1,000 rangers have been killed by armed militia groups in the past ten years trying to protect them.

23 tonnes of Elephant Ivory was confiscated in 2012 - equivalent to the tusks of 2,500 Elephants. Seizures of illegal ivory are at their highest for 20 years  The price of Rhino horn has increased to £37.500 per kilogram, twice the price of gold and platinum (and more valuable than black market diamonds or cocaine). The illegal trade in wildlife is one of the most lucrative trades in the world, worth £6,000,000,000 per year and is ruthless in its quest. Animals are viciously killed and people are also killed. This trade is fueled by the new middle classes of the Far East, Vietnam is the top destination point for Rhino horn where they trade in carcass, tusk and horn, in one haul 1,200 Rhino tusks were seized in Hong Kong. Approx 5,000 Rhinos remain in the wild. The species is 50 million years old! 

Thomas Merton

Who was Thomas Merton?

Lived from 1915 to 1968, Thomas Merton was given the name Father Louis when he entered holy orders as a Trappist monk, theologian, mystic, poet and student of comparative religions with a deep interest in interfaith dialogue. His work on social justice and peace initiatives brought many to the Roman Catholic Church. His best selling autobiography 'The Seven Storey Mountain. 

Narcissism!

 

What is Narcissism? 

This is a common condition. They are your work colleagues, your family and friends, your neighbours and others than you come into contact with throughout the day. The condition is often abbreviated to NPD, the shortened form of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. We all have some aspects of these personality traits, especially when we are upset or under stressful situations. 

How to Find Peace Of Mind

 Research confirms that each of us have about fifty thousand thoughts each day. Many of these whizz through our field of consciousness at such speed that we don't notice them. Then there are those that we do notice that are simply random - the kind of things that distract us or make us lose our train of thought. Such thoughts - like "It's a beautiful day, I wish I was on the golf course instead of stuck in this meeting" - undermine our best efforts to do what we're supposed to be doing at that point in time.

Saving Planet Earth

We cannot save the world by thought alone. It needs action. 
We live on a planet which is overpopulated by human beings. Most people feel powerless to do anything to save our planet from climate change with extreme weather, pollution of seas, soil and air. The over population by humans decreases numbers of all other species, sometimes to the point of extinction. We need biodiversity, we need tropical forests, we need clean oceans and clean air for our health and the health of those yet to be born.

However, even the smallest change, when a nation gets involved, can make a huge difference. Our human population has grown from 3 billion in 1960 to 9 billion by 2030.

New Age Spirituality!

What is New Age Spirituality?

Spirituality involves the relief of suffering! It is a practice, a path and a duty. It is an integrity which is integrated into the character and behaviour.

Neurosis is the inability to understand reality. We need to question more and the word 'why' is perhaps the most important word in the English language. We need to avoid colluding with untruths, and we need to question all we are told! Consumerism wants to brainwash us and prevent us from thinking for ourselves! The New Age promises us all kinds of things, especially it tells us what we want to hear! It also tells us to think 'positive', even though it might be against our better judgement and our long term interests. 'You can have it all', we are cajoled by those who think we are naive, or worse, stupid! They speak about us in perjorative terms whilst encouraging us to put money in their pockets. Beware!

Thomas Raymond Kelly

Who was Thomas Raymond Kelly? 

Born into an American Quaker family in 1893 and died 1941, Doctor of Philosophy, Kelly originally trained as a chemist. During WWII, he worked in varying capacities becoming a pacifist. He wrote on the subject of mysticism. 

Chants and Mantras

Since time immemorial we have raised our voices in song whether alone or in groups. Our voice is a potent healing instrument that resonates within us and outside of us, surrounding others and imbuing a sense of wholeness, joy and well being.

Today, we seldom use our voices in this way. Our lives are taken over with listening to other voices, the voice on the television, the computer game, the iPhone, CD's and the radio. The power of our voices is becoming lost to us.

Insight

It was a very cold and blustery early morning as I walked briskly down the road and through an avenue of over-arching plane trees, gaunt and bare, a significant reminder of an unusually dry Winter. And yet, even in their starkness devoid of their masses of leaves they still seemed to retain a gracious dignity and an aura of permanence and wholeness.

Spiritual theatre/deluded attention seekers in London!

“Teen Exorcists’ is a documentary which was filmed, produced and directed by Dan Murdoch for BBC TV. It featured three teenage girls; Brynne Larson, daughter of self-styled Arizonan exorcist, Rev Bob Larson, and her two friends who are sisters, Tess and Savannah Sherkenback. These three girls wear high-heels, skin-tight jeans and leather jackets and have long hair which tumbles in curls down their back. With their red lip-stick and thick mascara, these stars of the show provide sex appeal and glamour to the exorcism road show with choreographed moves, polished poses for the camera and a well-rehearsed, repetitive spiel. With attempts to spark a revival in exorcism, Bob introduced Brynne to exorcisms at the age of 13 at a 3,000 person African event when he needed help to remove a Voodoo curse. Brynne was home schooled (in demonology) and tells viewers that she believes that God created the world in 7 days ‘It’s pretty cool’ she remarks and explains that demons have names like Jezebel and Abaddon and that London is ‘spiritually corrupt’ and one of the most Satanic cities in the world. Thrusting a cross into someone’s face, the girls scream ‘What’s your name?’ ‘I torment you’, and put extraordinary ideas of curses into the heads of vulnerable people. The reporter describes the scene of bullying and resultant screaming as ‘harrowing’. On a visit to the Ukraine, the group top the bill at a bible college event where 2,000 people gathered to see the spectacle.   

Facing Fears!

Consider a woman who wishes to break free from a controlling relationship, yet she is afraid of that person's response to her independence. This could be a friendship, a romantic relationship, or a family member. Women are particularly vulnerable to the fear of losing a relationship with a loved one. This woman might never have learned to set healthy boundaries, because she lacks self confidence, and she is in the habit of placing the interests of others before her own. She is selflessly serving the needs of others in a way that is damaging to her life. She allows her fear to supersede her deep-hearted longings. So, she foregoes voicing her true desires to agree with maintaining harmony with those around her. She might not speak up when she would rather see a different movie, or perhaps she won't correct a friend for always interrupting her in conversation. Maybe, even though she desires to start a coffee shop, she instead, goes to medical or law school to please the desires of her parents. She does what is expected of her, supports others, and sacrifices her life! 

The Dangers of Climate Change

The dangers of global warming caused by food production and industrial processes, heating homes and using transport are manifold. Loss of the coral reefs where sea life thrives will impact hugely on many sea species. Migrating birds become confused by warming migration paths. Many species are permanently moving into the feeding grounds of competitive species dud to climate change, the search for water and safety. Turtle clutches are hatching without males because temperature affects whether a male or female is born. Malaria and dengue fever are killing far more people than ever before. As water courses dry up due to global warming, species die, when ice melts, sea level rises, affecting people and animals. Fossil fuels, areas for human food production, the cutting down of the rainforests, all contribute to species decline and loss. The more human beings on the planet, the fewer other species can survive. 

Wendy's Post Bag (A)

Q: Do our loved ones in Spirit visit us at special times, at anniversaries and birthdays?

Wendy's reply: Yes, they remember special celebrations they had with us and are drawn to us through memories. However, they do not want us to feel the pang of loss at what should be a happy time. Whenever we think of your loved ones in Spirit, we call them to us. Anytime, you can place a lit candle by their photograph and they will come. Sometimes, they want us to move on with our life in the here and now, and not reflect on the love they had for us if it causes us to be upset.

 

Gaia - Our Living Planet

We live on a beautiful, astounding and intelligent planet. The Piping Plover draws predators away from her nest by feigning a broken wing. Dogs follow the direction of our gaze, chickens are measurably upset when they see their chicks buffeted by the wind, mosquitos can do simple addition and subtraction and sticklebacks identify individuals and remember them! Is this not a planet of unrecognised intelligence, creativity and abundant life! We live on an extraordinary, finite and unique planet. In 1979, the British scientist and NASA consultant (and perhaps the most well known environmentalist), Professor James Lovelock, suggested that our planet is a living being, that breathes, lives in every living species, and will one day die. He named his study of the planet, the Gaia Theory, after the Greek Goddess of the Earth. James Locklock wrote the book 'Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth which is highly recommended to readers of Mind Body Spirit Magazine. The ecology of our planet must be the New Age paradigm and James Lovelock was fifty years ahead of his time in noticing the interdependence of all species on each other and the importance of protecting from pollution our seas, air and soil.  

Finding Wisdom

During my Advanced Passion Test Certification Training I was fortunate to spend some time with Michael Beckwith in some relatively intimate settings. Michael is an author and visionary, and Founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Southern California. This man is one of my heroes. Why? Because he is one of the most amazing, clear channels for Divine Wisdom I have ever seen. He knows how to put his "small self" in service to the Big Self and let the Big Self come on through him clearly and powerfully. If you ever have a chance to see Michael speak, definitely go!

Selected Poems - Nicholas Hagger

Title: ‘Selected Poems’ Subtitle: ‘Quest for the One’ by Nicholas Hagger Paperback £19.99 Kindle format: £11.99: 459 pages Published by: O Books

In this compilation, Nicolas Hagger demonstrates his timeless visionary and story telling abilities. His collection of poems, ‘Quest for the One’, is enthralling and takes you on an historic and literary journey and weaved within the tapestry are the thoughts, experiences, beliefs and ideas of the author.

The preface succinctly gives the reader insight and prelude to the poems. Nicholas Hagger is a man of many skills and abilities, a historian, educator and writer, here skilfully and generously prepares us with enough information to whet our appetite before we venture through the myriad of verses of his mind and soul.

What is a Mantra?

 

A mantra is a repetitive group of words, that becomes a prolonged chant. Sometimes spoken and sometimes sung. Sometimes the words have meaning - calling upon a deity for instance - and sometimes they are just a group of words to focus the mind on a topic, such as health or happiness. A well known chant is that of Tibetan Buddhism 'Aum Mani Padme Hum' or 'Om Namashi Vaya' a Hindu chant. The repetitive words of many Christian prayers are also a chant, focussing the mind on devotion and clearing the mind of other thoughts. 

Ear Candling

Ear and Body Treatment Candles

The background: Having had a variety of occupations, I am now established as a therapist, healer, teacher, writer and translator, all of which have grown organically out of each other.  My first incarnation was as a secretary many moons ago and as I became more competent in French I started translating.  This led me to writing texts, proof-reading in English and finally to teaching English which I have done since 2003, holding a Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults.  I am presently head of the English-language department at an evening school for people with limited budgets.

Throughout my young life, my parents and I were rarely ill and if we were, it was nothing serious and our general practitioner sorted it out.  It was only towards the end of my mother’s life that I began to realise that allopathy was not the answer and I am sure her last couple of years could have been greatly improved through other methods.  

Justice from The Mythic Tarot

In image: 

The card of Justice portrays a severely beautiful young woman, dressed in silver helmet and battle armour, seated on a silver throne. In her right hand she holds an upright sword. In her left she holds a pair of scales. Her pale hair and white robes echo the purity of the two white columns and portico which frame her. Beneath her feet is a floor of patterned black and white marble squares. An owl perches on her left shoulder. 

Myth: Athena, Goddess of Justice was born of the great father God, Zeus who was warned by Uranus that if his first wife Metis, Goddess of Wisdom, had a child, it would be more powerful than he was!

 So Zeus  swallowed Metis, and had a terrible headache. Hephastos, the smith God, took a bronze axe to the head of Zeus, and out sprang Athena with a triumphant battle cry wearing a full suit of armour. 

Meditation Guide

Meditation is proven to be one of the simplest and most effective ways to handle stress, and it's easy enough that anyone can do it and begin enjoying the benefits immediately.  In fact, most people find that regular meditation helps them prevent stress from building up in the first place. If you have ever wanted to start a meditation practice but kept putting it off because you didn't know how to get started, you'll be pleased to know that it's probably easier than you think.

Beth Dielle Ciesco - Shamanic Voicework

Please tell our readers something about your background, interests and lifestyle.

I graduated with a Masters in Education, but I quickly realized that the kinds of things I wanted to teach weren't taught in school and probably never would be! If anyone had asked me what I intended to do, I never would have conceived of 'Shamanic Voicework'. It's really been an unfolding of a mystery. Even while I was "in training", I was often confused by what seemed to be yet another direction or new interest. Eventually, though, it all came together. I'm grateful I trusted the process. So, my work is a combination of my studies in shamanism, sound healing, Tibetan Buddhism, yoga, and energy work.

Karl Marx

Who was Karl Marx?

Marx was born 1818 and died in 1883. He was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist and political theorist and socialist revolutionary.  He wrote The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. His early life as a journalist set the scene for his writing and speaking engagements and his association with Engels developed his philosophy . He spent time in Germany, Paris, Brussels and London. 

Fritz Perls and Gestalt

Who was Fritz Perls?

Fritz Perls was an innovatory humanistic practitioner whose Gestalt Therapy became very popular during the 1960s. The word 'gestalt' comes from a German word which explains foreground and background images. Perls was a rather controversial figure but his psychotherapy provides fast insight and change. 

The Benefits of Fairtrade

Fairtrade is a commodity registered trade mark which provides a better deal for third world producers. It pays them a fair price for products, gives up front payments and guarantees long term trading partners. It exists to improve the lives of those abroad, it promotes development through education and improved quality, and prevents exploitation and promotes social justice for children, women, etc. Of the products available on the Fairtrade market are foods, clothes, handicrafts, footballs, roses, and cotton wool. Precious metals and gemstones are being considered for this label. Why should people in the rich West not pay a few pence more to ensure those living in the poorest ways get a fair price for their work!

Qabalah

What is Qabalah? 
A Rabbinical mystical Philosophy of ancient origin and handed down by word of mouth, the Qabalah (sometimes spelt Kabbalah or without the 'h' in either spelling) refers to the Creative source by four letters, YHVH, often pronounced as Yehovah, as the name of god was too holy to be spoken. The source is shown as a diagram, a glyph, called the 'tree of life', with ten aspects, from the physical world to the immaterial. These ten aspects, known as sephirot or containers, are, at their highest, altruistic and are required for an ethical life and show the importance of truth, compassion, justice, serenity, wisdom, charity, joy, trust, commitment, and other spiritual values which create a living, thriving tree which provides fruit, materials for building, etc., for the whole of the community. 

Fritz Perls and Gestalt

Friedrich 'Fritz'  Perls (1893-1970) was born in Berlin (Germany) but left there when Hitler came to power. Originally Perls studied under Freud. He was a psychiatrist and an innovatory humanistic practitioner whose 'Gestalt Therapy'  became very popular during the 1960s. The word 'gestalt' comes from a German word for form, an organised whole which differentiates foreground from background images. Only parts of ourselves are known, and gestalt exposes the whole, the integrated parts that bring us from dependency to self sufficiency, from authoritarian behaviour to authenticity and self reliance. Top dog and under dog engage in dialogue! Perls was a rather controversial figure at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur but his psychotherapy model provides fast insight for therapeutic change. “Reality therapy for the walking well”. 

Perls joined the German army and was posted to the trenches in WWI. He worked as a psychiatrist with brain injured soldiers at the end of the war, studying under Wilhelm Reich, Jacob Moreno and Otto Rank and other leading lights of the therapeutic movement. As Hitler became more powerful, he and his wife and family fled abroad. 

Passive Mantra Method

The meditative state is a special state of mind that is quiet, and devoid of active thinking.

In a passive meditation method you repeat your mantra a couple of times and then listen for the echo of your mantra to repeat itself in your head. Here's an example... Imagine you are in a great forest or at the opening of a cave on the edge of a lagoon. Now, call out "HELLO"!! Then be silent and listen. You will hear your call return to you as an echo again and again, each time becoming more faint and dim.

With the passive mantra technique you are focusing your attention on hearing that echo for as long as possible. Your mantra will fade sometimes, get louder sometimes, and maybe even disappear for a bit leaving you in silence.

Moments of silence are the edges of the meditative state arising. As you become aware of moments of silence, relax and let your self slip into that state and remain there for as long as the silence remains.