spiritual journey

 

Philip Roderick was brought up as a Methodist and had an altered state of consciousness as a child in Wales. He later discovered this place was the site of an ancient monastery. He taught in Sunday School when he was 14 years old and wrote poetry as he wanted to be a poet. He became attracted and read books on the mystery traditions as a young adult. He had a vision of a woman dressed in blue whilst at University in Cardiff. He has a special interest in how the body can be used in prayer (body prayer) and developed an interest in meditation, Transcendental Meditation, the Vedic traditions, Sufism and Zen. 

Are you Clairvoyant, Clairaudient or Clairsentient?

 

                                             

Find out if you are psychic and what kind of psychic you are! 
This meditation might cause a light trance so please do not drive a vehicle. Allow 30 minutes for this meditation. Make yourself comfortable, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes and relax!  This guided meditation video was created by Dawn Rumsey with text by Wendy Stokes.  

Rapid Transformational Therapy

 

A Healing Meditation

 This video meditation created by Jo Barnard with text by Wendy Stokes. The meditation might cause a light trance, so do not drive a vehicle. Allow 30 minutes to fully relax without interruption. Make yourself comfortable, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes and enjoy the experience.  https;//wendystokes.co.uk

Resurgence

For free ecards, try Resurgence Magazine: www.resurgence.org/ecards

Resurgence Magazine is, it’s thought, the longest-running environmental magazine in Britain. Its survival so long, without millionaire backing and without turning itself into a consumer lifestyle accessory, with the advertising to match, tells a compelling story – not only of conviction, commitment and endurance but of need, role and relevance. It was founded in 1966 by John Papworth, a well-known peace campaigner with connections to the Committee of 100 and the Peace Pledge Union, but rapidly broadened its critique from the nuclear nightmare generated by the Cold War to pollution, intensive farming and food production and the related political problems of centralisation, bigness and the growing separation of economics from ethics.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate Nostril Breathing is also known as 'Anuloma Viloma'. 

An established relaxation technique! 

1. Sit in a comfortable position. You middle finger of your right hand is placed on your forehead while your thumb rests on your right nostril, your ring and little fingers rest on your left nostril.
2. Inhale and exhale. Then close your right nostril with your thumb while inhailing through your left nostril for a count of 5 seconds. 
3. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for 5 seconds.
4. Lift your thumb and exhale through your right nostril for 5 seconds.
5.  Inhale through your right nostril, hold, close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.

Music Therapy

Music is an ancient form of self expression and communication. With modern day technology, it is possible to show how to brain reacts to music and how it can assist people who are unwell. It has been shown to make a positive impack on dementia patients and autistic patients and in brain injuries, such as stroke or brain accident. It is a valuable way in which patients can help themselves. It can also be an emotional support for those going through difficult times and can relieve anxiety and depression. Blood pressure can be reduced and stress levels decreased.

How is money created?

Do you know how our money is created? Most people don’t, but it isn't complicated, says Bruce Nixon! 97% of our money is created by commercial banks when they make loans, i.e. interest bearing debt, not by the Bank of England or the Mint. Only 3% is created in the form of notes and coins. Thus the profits of creating money go to the commercial banks rather than the public purse.

Over the last 40 years commercial banks have increased the money supply at an average of 11.5% a year. And that was obviously too much, too quickly. If the increase in the money supply were say 5% a year, about £60bn a year could go to the government and reduce our taxes by that amount.

Buddhism

From 2,500 years ago, there is an ancient story od a young man who was the son of a chieftan. The chieftan's wife had a dream of an elephant when she was pregnant and they suspected this would be a powerful child. The young man's name was Siddartha Gautama of Nepal and he was spoilt and protected. Whilst out one day, he saw a beggar by the side of the road and he realised that he knew nothing of the world and its harsh realities. He left home and travelled widely, asking questions and seeking truth, often starving himself in renunciation, without achieving anything. Eventually, he stopped his travels and seeking and sat under a tree, relaxed and meditated. In this way, he became 'enlightened' and free from the trappings of this world, in acceptance and contentment, and in finding a middle way between asceticicism and hedonism. He also created 8 challenges, called the Noble Eightfold Path, of Right Views, Intent, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort , Mindfulness and Concentration. Four Truths accompany these laws: that life involves suffering; that suffering is caused by our desires; that ending our desires will end suffering and the way to end desire is to practice the 8 challenges.In addition, there are 3 trainings of concentration, morality and wisdom.  The philosophy spread across South East Asia and now to the world. It offers a viable alternative to the many problems that beset human life, relationships and the problems that beset our planet which other religions ignore, much to the peril of those who will inherit a world of gross pollution and illhealth.

Extract - London - The Novel

 The clerk moved one of the chequers. The court proceeded imperviously while the sheriff, sitting at one end of the table, nodded nervously. After the throne, this table, known as the Great Exchequer, was the most important piece of furniture in the kingdom. It was a curious thing to look at. 10 feet long and 5 feet wide, it had a ledge four fingers high running round its edge, giving it the appearance of a gaming table. Covering a surface was a black cloth marked into squares by white lines that gave the court its name.

Depending on the square it occupied, a chequer might represent £1000, or £10, or even the humble silver penny that was a common labour’s daily wage. The chequered cloth was, therefore, nothing more than a kind of abacus, a primitive manual computer on which the revenues and expenses of the kingdom could be reckoned and reviewed.

Every year, at the spring and autumn feasts of Easter and Michaelmas, the sheriffs of the counties of England came to the Exchequer to render their accounts. First, in an outer chamber, the sacks of silver pennies they brought were tested for quality and counted. If good, 20 dozen pennies weighed a pound. Since the Normans called the English penny an Esterlin, which was transcribed into Latin and became sterlingus, a unit of account had become known as pound sterling. 

Benefits of meditation?

Meditation is an act of controlling your mind. Whatever you've heard, the objective of meditation is 100% absolute focus. What you focus on is up to you and the form of meditation you are practicing. A few of the options are:

1. your breathing--nothing more and nothing less
2. a mantra, saying or affirmation
3. an ideal such as love or gratitude
4. a problem, such as how you are consumed with desire or suffering
5. a quiet mind (opinions on what this is vary)
6. swaying or some other form of rhythmic movement
7. a repetitive sound such as a beating drum, heart, etc.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

 

What is EMDR? 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a therapy mainly for relief from post traumatic stress disorder. Founded by an American psycholologist, Dr Francine Shapiro in the 1980s. Similar to how the brain naturally processes stressful events when it uses rapid eye movements during sleep, the therapist assists the client to use their eye movements to wipe the memory of the traumatic event from the brain. 

Eric Gross

We are in a crisis, environmentally, politically and economically. The world is in a perpetual conflict. People are seeking power and possessions as solutions to their feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction and lack of peace. We are brainwashed to think of ourselves as lacking rather than feeling whole and healthy. We are so hungry for validation from others, seeking to impress others and live up to expectations of what they think we should do with our lives. The effect is illusory and we are unaware that it is causing us to feel unfulfilled, unsatisfied, unhappy!  There is a positive aspect to our ego and a negative aspect. Contentment should be our goal in life and to live our life free of the demands of others. 

Scotland - Coorie!

Coorie (aka Cosagach in Gaelic) a Scottish word that means to snuggle or cuddle. 

Coorie is a Scottish wellness trend based on simplicity, balance and harmony.  It is similar to Danish art of 'hygge' 

The Art of Coorie is a book by Gabriella Bennett describes the ancient traditions based on an embracing of landscapes and wild places that provide health and wellbeing, an appreciation of home grown and home cooked foods, and taking comfort in 'blethering' with close friends and caring for one another. A swapping of stressful demands for a quieter and easier lifestyle is recommended. 

Progressive Relaxation video

  

 Please don't drive or operate machinery while listening to this guided meditation video. Allow 30 minutes to fully relax without interruption. The text is by Wendy Stokes 

Make yourself comfortable, lie down, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes and enjoy the experience. 

This video will relieve stress and aid wellbeing and health.

Siege Perilous - An excerpt

Each year, the Knights of the Round Table gathered at Camelot for the Feast of Pentecost, five Sundays after Easter. Here they related their greatest deeds and marvels. Each year, however, their company remained incomplete, for the last place at table remained empty. According to custom, each year, their names were written in gold for them to take their correct seat at table. But this one year, they found a new name written above the empty chair, denoting the words Siege Perilous. They covered this with a silk cloth to hide the words so the rightful knight would not see them and be deterred from joining them at table. Suddenly, an old man entered Camelot’s grand hall accompanied by an unarmed youth. He carried only an empty scabbard. The old man led the boy to be seated at the a table beside Lancelot. Lifting the silk cloth from the chair, all knights saw the lettering had changed to This is the siege of Galahad, the haut Prince. The boy took the seat and the old man left the hall. The knights whispered as they discussed how a boy could possibly take this exceptional seat on King Arthur’s Round Table in Camelot’s grand hall, but Lancelot recognised that this youth was Galahad, his son, and that the prophecy would be fulfilled. 

    The following day, Arthur led Galahad to a lake where his knights had discovered a sword set in stone. The sword was inscribed with lettering that stated only the best and highest knight could pull it from the stone. Sir Gawain and Sir Percival both tried and failed. Galahad easily pulled it clear and the sword was placed into his empty scabbard, a perfect fit. 

Relationship Breakdown Advice

 The statistics for relationship breakdown are so enormous that it shows how difficult we find maintaining a close relationship. Under the stress of CoVid, the situation has increased with the distress of job anxiety, home insecurity and many people have their future in question.  Even when we are similar in our tastes, priorities and energy, there are common difficulties. Many relationship problems lead to conflict rather than clean separation. Men and women have some similarities in finding relationships difficult, but there are also differences. If you offer your partner the best you can in terms of, listening and caring, and a commitment to make it work, your relationship will have some staying power. When things go wrong, speak about it, whether it is a power play, jealousy, generalised anger, or whatever, work at it and have good will and be determined to give and get the best in love that is possible. 

Rockpool Moon Goddess Diary New Year

 For the New Year…

I feel gratitude to the path I walked this year, for the experiences I had, and the people I shared this adventure with. I am also thankful for the learning I received and the wisdom I gained. I give thanks to all my angels, my spirit guides, to Mother Earth, the seasons, the planets and the moon for holding me as I moved through this year. 

Ethical Shopping Decisions

"Shop wisely from ethical sources, and only buy what you need. Recycle, renovate and repair" 
Many goods made for the Western market are made using poorly paid staff from poor countries with bad human rights records. We must consider paying a little more for the purchased item in order to give a reasonable wage. In the past, children in India were paid in pennies, some as young as seven years old. They were tied to carpet looms to stop them from running away! When you can, buy Fair Trade Products that give producers a living wage. You might want to complain to the shop owner if goods are wrongly labelled, such as many real fur products which are labeled as fake fur because real fur is cheaper than fake fur! You can write to trade magazines also with your preferences and concerns and also tell your MP who might be able to assist with new legislation.

Tonglen

In Tibetan Buddhism, a breathing meditation practice of giving and taking, sending and  receiving. It is designed to unite self with others. It is one of the special offerings of the self, with patience, concentration, wisdom, joyous effort for others and ethics and reduces self centredness and increases a sense of self renunciation.