Capricorn Full Moon Energy Forecast

Capricorn Full Moon Energy Forecast - July 9th, 2017

By Ann-Marie Patten

This is a time of reflecting on the quote " to give is also to receive."  It may be time to step up and give back to your community.(working with local homeless shelters, animals shelters.) others ways to give back is to simply set the intention to send love to Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants once a week. When you give back, and volunteer that energy will come back to you in different forms. Aligning with your free, adventurous self listen deeply to your needs and what is serving your highest self at this time. It could be that some people in your circle you need to cut out and walk away from. It's time to reflect and ask yourself if everyone you are friends with "can I be my true authentic self around." And does "x person make me feel good or bad"

It is important to surround yourself with like minded others that are positive, supportive, and that align with you and your needs. This full moon is nudging you to live a little on the edge, to think outside of the box, be free with yourself and your creativity. With that being said, be very clear with your intentions at this time . You probably have a lot of choices, meaning you need to decide on something! You need to choose what's best for you. Stand your ground and move forward. 

You are supported by all these changes as they are leading you to we ground and new beginnings to set foot on. Allow yourself to transform with a natural progression -- no force or criticism needed! Harnessing the power of manifestation and the support of your ancestors, you are guided to trust the unfolding happening and are reminded to always pray and ask for guidance from God and the angels. Before you go to sleep you are encouraged to pray to them about anything that needs easing and a solution to. Record your dreams and observe correlation to your prayers. You are stepping into a part of yourself that is ready to flourish and grow! 

The Rock Tumbler

It's been an energetic rock tumbler to far this year with the ability to polish us like a rough stone to a smooth one. The trick to allowing the polishing is to flow with what comes up rather than clinging to the past. Be open to the new and most importantly being honest with ourselves. What are your true motivations? What are your gifts and what areas need some attention? Where are amends are needed and what can be released? It's time to step into your personal power! 

Energy healing can be a wonderful way to help raise our vibrations, clear that which is no longer serving us and support overall wellness. It can be performed distantly while on the phone or in person. 

When you come to Phoenix Reiki & Wellness for an in person session we include use of our Amethyst Biomat, sound healing and a chakra (energy center) reading with your Reiki session at no extra charge. Energy healing is not massage, the recipient remains fully clothed and usually experiences gentle relaxation along with a feeling of deeper balance and peace. We also offer deep clearing energy healing sessions, readings, Reiki past life regressions and a host of other services listed on our website. To schedule a session email info@phoenix-reiki.com, full details are here http://www.phoenix-reiki.com/Services.html.

Onward and upward!

Anne-Marie Revello, CRMT

Benefits of Massage Therapy

By Melissa Davis, LMT

Massage has been studied for many years and has been shown to have many positive effects on a number of health conditions. Massage's greatest benefit is increased circulation which speeds healing and enhances recovery of tissues. Massage also increases lymph flow which removes waste from the body. Other benefits of massage include:

• Relieves stress
• Promotes relaxation
• Allows ease of movement and breath
• Relieves pain and tension
• Decreased inflammation
• Promotes a quick recovery from injury
• Improves circulation
• Strengthens the immune system
• Relieves muscular problems
• Improves posture
• Reduces anxiety and promotes an overall sense of well-being

Research shows that all of these health conditions can be improved with massage...

• Anxiety/depression/stress
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Circulatory problems
• Digestive disorders/constipation
• Fibromyalgia
• Cancer
• Parkinson's
• Alzheimer's
• Headaches
• Degenerative joint disease
• Sleep disorders
• Neuropathy
• Sports injuries
• Stroke
• Tendonitis
• TMJ
• Endometriosis
• Emotional or physical trauma

...and many more! To schedule a massage at Phoenix Reiki & Wellness email mda0624a@gmail.com

Beyond Poses Part 1 Pranayama

By Judy Sellman-Hrybyk, 200hr RYT

Yoga is so much more than the shapes we make with our body. In fact, there are eight limbs of yoga; yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. When many of us think of yoga, we think of the asana practice. Over the next several months, I would like to explore the eight limbs of yoga with you. We will first dive into one of my favorites, the practice pranayama.

B.K.S. Iyengar  stated in Light on Yoga,

“Prana in the body of the individual is part of the cosmic breath of the universal spirit. An attempt is made to harmonize the individual breath withe the cosmic breath through the practice of pranayama.”

What more could you want, right!? Being part of the cosmic breath of the universal spirit! In the end all practices lead us to samadhi. The fourth limb being pranayama, leads us to the greater connection with the universal spirit through breath control. When controlling the breath by means of stretching, lengthening, expanding, and restraining, one can reap great benefits to the body, mind, and spirit. From the reduction of stress and mental chatter to lowered heart rate and muscle tension, the benefits of breath control or pranayama can be felt both during the time of practice and throughout daily life.

To begin the practice of pranayama, one may simply draw attention to the breath by watching each inhale and exhale and making effort in creating a steady equal rhythm. Continue to draw attention back to the breath throughout each day over a week to increase the natural occurrence of the equal rhythm. To move the practice forward or to step into a concentrated pranayam practice you may want to continue or begin with the three part breath.

Three Part Breath

Finding a comfortable seated or reclined position with the back completely straight, place one hand over the heart and the other over the lower abdomen.

Inhale deeply filling the abdomen, then lower ribs, and upper ribs.

Exhale upper ribs lower, lower ribs lower, abdomen lowers.

Repeat inhale and exhale for 3, 5, or 11 minutes.

Like many physical practices, Pranayama has beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques.Some practices may not be suitable for individuals, make sure to check contraindications before beginning a practice. I encourage you to explore your breath.. In joy, with practice all is coming!

Reiki and Children - A Mothers Experience

This was written by a Phoenix Reiki and Wellness client who wishes to remain anonymous for her children's sake:

"Every parent looks at their child at some point in time and thinks "I sure wish you came with instructions".  For the most part, you get to know the child and everything turns out fine.  First crying child needed to be swaddled.  Second needed sung to and third needed to be in constant motion.  Pink eye, ear infection, strep throat is fixed with a quick trip to the doctor.  I quit my job to be a mom.  Fixing is my job.

My heart was crushed around 5 years into my journey of being a mom.  There were things that I told my oldest two I would fix but it was not working.  Those two started showing signs of anxiety, panic attacks and even depression.  It got so bad that suicidal thoughts were being spoken.  I quickly put them in therapy and was also sending them to a psychiatrist.  Bi weekly talk sessions and medications were not helping.  I felt like a failure and most importantly I was scared for my children.  The medications were added to and changed monthly.  I felt like I was using my kids as guinea pigs with no results.  Something had to change.

Luckily I am an open minded parent.  Traditional is not working so lets try non-traditional.  I did a little research and decided to try Reiki.  After a Google Search I found Phoenix Reiki and Anne Marie.  Yes, it was strange at first.  Apparently my children are empaths.  Being told that they needed grounded and filled with light and protection bubbles was a bit strange for sure!  After the first sessions I saw immediate results. I could not see the blocked, small, cloudy, too large, etc. chakras being fixed but my children could feel it. To my surprise the Reiki sessions even worked from Anne Marie's weekly phone calls!   My ridged children looked much more relaxed and happy.  No it was not fixed after one session, it takes daily work but Anne Marie happily gave us the tools to do that work.  My children are now armed with the healing crystals, techniques for grounding and protection they can do themselves and more.

Is everything perfect over a year later?  No.  But it is a whole lot better.  They are now teenagers which is a struggle on it's own but one child is off medication and therapy completely.  The other is also being weaned off and is on the lowest dose medication possible.  They know how to help themselves now when they get overwhelmed in large groups of people or after being around a grouchy teacher or coach.  Sometimes they need reminded, sometimes mom secretly grounds them when I see things getting out of control. Mom is still my job.  I am forever grateful for Reiki, it's a powerful tool that I highly recommend.  My oldest is Reiki 1 trained now, this has been a fabulous life changing experience that I am so happy I fell upon."

Peace To All

May we not get pulled into the vortex of negativity out there right now. Regardless of our individual political views we need to move forward and upward from this place to create a paradigm that supports all of us - holding the higher vibrational energy in the collective consciousness will help (we are all connected). 

Please remember as we are shifting up into higher energies the old heavy discordance needs to come up to be acknowledged, healed and released. May we all be part of this healing process. We CAN create change for the better in accordance with the greatest good for all if we choose to, lets do it! 

Freedom

As we celebrate the USA's birthday this weekend it's also a good time to consider what freedom means to us as individuals and to the human race.

Examining our lives to illuminate any areas where we do not feel free to speak our truth or stand in our power is a good place to start. What are the hindrances to that freedom and how can they be cleared away? Are these obstacles coming from inside of us, perhaps in our beliefs or self esteem?...

While the First Amendment grants us freedom of speech and religion in this country there are many all over the world who continue to be oppressed, many who do not have the opportunities for these freedoms. And here in our own country there are many who still suffer the oppression of poverty, racism and discrimination in various forms.

We as humans are all connected, the oppression of our brothers and sisters impacts the collective consciousness. As we look to heal any roadblocks to our own personal freedom may we also look to eliminate roadblocks on a global level for all who suffer oppression.

Let us celebrate the freedoms we enjoy in America and extend a hand through service work, prayer or activism to extend freedom to all humans that we may create an earth in peace and unity. So be it.

The Cost Of True Happiness

In my former life as a corporate Business Analyst we worked with cost/benefit analysis when determining if a project was worth undertaking (I know - the corporate world and I are not really a match however I did manage to introduce some Reiki and metaphysical content into our project meetings :) As we're heading into the second Mercury Retrograde of 2016 on April 28th it strikes me that we do this subconsciously in our lives as well, and if we can bring those subconscious choices to the realm of consciousness to be reviewed and perhaps altered we can increase the level of happiness and well being in our lives.

There is a cost for every choice we make, that cost is sometimes in the form of what we forgo to receive the benefit of our choice. For example, consider those who stay in an unhappy marriage for financial security, the cost of the financial security is not having a loving spouse to share life with. Also on the topic of financial security consider those who stay in a high stress job that makes them miserable for the paycheck that supports a particular lifestyle. The cost of that lifestyle is the stress and misery of the work that funds it. Many people stay in unhealthy relationships in order to avoid too much time alone; this includes romantic relationships as well as friendships. The cost of consistently eating unhealthy foods in an effort to find emotional solace may be our physical health.

It's beneficial to take a step back and look at the choices we are making in our lives to determine if the cost of those choices is worth the benefit received. This requires being very honest with ourselves and asking if those choices are being made out of fear. Fear of being alone, fear of financial challenges, fear of having to confront our emotional pain etc...Once the fear based (ego based) choices are brought to light we can then take the next step and ask ourselves what is the opportunity for healing that will allow us to move out of those fear based life situations. 

The healing needed may be to address low self esteem, release old emotional pain, to take responsibility for our own self care or even learning how to enjoy time alone. This process requires change, change is often a scary proposition as it involves the unknown. 

Ask yourself - are your life choices honoring to yourself or do they diminish you in some way? Releasing those situations that are diminishing to the essence of who you are is certainly worth the risk of making changes! From an energy healing perspective change is related to the second (sacral) chakra. When we have a firm foundation in the root chakra; when we are well grounded, change becomes less frightening. 

It's often helpful to request the support of a trusted friend, counselor or energy healer when undertaking this exercise in order to receive unbiased feedback as well as support. We are after all social beings and there is no need to try to do it all in a vacuum, by yourself. We all deserve to be happy and releasing situations that no longer resonate with our soul essence in order to create space for new endeavors that do is a powerful step to creating greater life satisfaction. Onward and upward!

Why Healthy Boundaries Are Important

Defining our boundaries is about defining our limits, healthy boundaries are important to our well being; our physical and emotional health. When boundaries are not defined or when they are breached we end up feeling drained. The lack of boundaries can be a result of many factors: conditioning from our upbringing, a fear of rejection, a well intended but misplaced desire to help another, or even guilt. 

From an energetic perspective it can be the results of the sacral chakra (personal power) being deficient, a heart chakra (love and balance) being excessive and/or a deficient crown chakra presenting as someone who doesn’t think for themselves but follows another.

Physical boundaries include your personal space. These may be invaded by someone touching you uninvited, standing too close to you or even someone going through your personal belongings. Emotional boundaries have to do with defining our own thoughts and feelings and keeping them separate from those belonging to others. Examples of this would be allowing yourself to be unhappy because of someone else’s mood (codependency - an excessive heart chakra), sacrificing your own dreams or desires to make someone else happy, trying to solve someone else’s problems for them (again – codependency) or even blaming your own problems on someone else rather than owning them and therefore owning the healing process. Energetic boundaries are breached when someone takes your personal energy or when your willingly give it away.

We can address this both in the physical world and from an energetic perspective. A helpful self-assessment from Terri Cole (http://www.positivelypositive.com/2012/06/29/how-to-create-healthy-boundaries) is as follows:

HEALTHY BOUNDARIES allow you to:

·         Have high self-esteem and self-respect.

·         Share personal information gradually, in a mutually sharing and trusting relationship.

·         Protect physical and emotional space from intrusion.

·         Have an equal partnership where responsibility and power are shared.

·         Be assertive. Confidently and truthfully say “yes” or “no” and be okay when others say “no” to you.

·         Separate your needs, thoughts, feelings, and desires from others. Recognize that your boundaries and needs are different from others.

·         Empower yourself to make healthy choices and take responsibility for yourself.

UNHEALTHY BOUNDARIES are characterized by:

·         Sharing too much too soon or, at the other end of the spectrum, closing yourself off and not expressing your need and wants.

·         Feeling responsible for other’s happiness.

·         Inability to say “no” for fear of rejection or abandonment.

·         Weak sense of your own identity. You base how you feel about yourself on how others treat you.

·         Disempowerment. You allow others to make decisions for you; consequently, you feel powerless and do not take responsibility for your own life.

Tips for Setting Healthy Boundaries - (Modified from the book, Boundaries: Where You End and I Begin, by Anne Katherine)

·         When you identify the need to set a boundary, do it clearly, calmly, firmly, respectfully, and in as few words as possible. Do not justify, get angry, or apologize for the boundary you are setting.

·         You are not responsible for the other person’s reaction to the boundary you are setting. You are only responsible for communicating your boundary in a respectful manner. If it upset them, know it is their problem. Some people, especially those accustomed to controlling, abusing, or manipulating you, might test you. Plan on it, expect it, but remain firm. Remember, your behavior must match the boundaries you are setting. You cannot successfully establish a clear boundary if you send mixed messages by apologizing.

·         At first, you will probably feel selfish, guilty, or embarrassed when you set a boundary. Do it anyway and tell yourself you have a right to self-care. Setting boundaries takes practice and determination. Don’t let anxiety or low self-esteem prevent you from taking care of yourself.

·         When you feel anger or resentment or find yourself whining or complaining, you probably need to set a boundary. Listen to yourself, determine what you need to do or say, then communicate assertively.

·         Learning to set healthy boundaries takes time. It is a process. Set them in your own time frame, not when someone else tells you.

·         Develop a support system of people who respect your right to set boundaries. Eliminate toxic persons from your life—those who want to manipulate, abuse, and control you.

Addressing Boundaries from an Energetic Perspective:

·         Be sure to put protection around yourself daily

·         Keeping the human energy system – the chakras, body and aura healthy and clear will support healthy boundaries

·         Pull in that heart chakra! J An excessive heart chakra sounds nice but it’s not good for us or for others. Mentally pull that heart chakra in to a healthy size. If you’re having trouble with this imagine or see a band of light around the front and back of your heart chakra like an energetic tube top and ask for angelic assistance in holding it in place (Archangel Michael is the angel of protection). Another helpful technique is to make a list of 10 things you love about yourself. Then make a list of things you can forgive yourself for. Offering love and compassion to ourselves is very helpful in maintaining a healthy heart chakra

·         Practice breathwork. Air is the element of the heart chakra, breathwork is a good way to get in touch with this element

·         If you have a small solar plexus chakra (third chakra) that presents as deficient personal power examine the groups you belong to and your place in them. Your home life, work life, social groups etc… Are there imbalances of power in these groups and how does that effect you? What steps can you take to correct these? Consider any unhealthy attachments you may be carrying and let them go

·       If your crown chakra is deficient meditation is very helpful. Also consider reading a book or taking a class in a topic that is spiritually or intellectually stimulating

A Valentine's Day Story

Many years ago shortly after my divorce I was still working a corporate job and my desk at the time was situated along a hallway. That Valentine's Day I watched women walking down the hall all morning with flowers that had been sent to them. 

I thought to myself how nice that was and and how much I would enjoy flowers as well but being newly single let the thought go. That afternoon as I left the deli after lunch there was an elderly gentleman standing out front with a basket of silk roses. He was very kind and handed me a silk rose which I put in a planter sitting on my desk. How lovely that my wish had been granted and someone had given me a pretty flower! I was grateful for this gift which had come in an unexpected manner and decided it was a present from Spirit.

About a week later there was another parade of women walking down the hall carrying their fresh flowers that had wilted to the trash can. I looked at the silk rose on my desk which was still as lovely as a week earlier and had the realization that which we receive in our current physical existence is beautiful but temporary. That which we receive from our relationship with The Divine is beautiful and everlasting. That silk rose is still on my desk years later as a reminder of Divine love.

Forgiveness

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner was you." - Lewis B. Smedes.  

Forgiveness is a key component to letting go of the past and moving forward; forgiveness of both self and others. If we don't offer ourselves compassion it's hard to offer it to anyone else. Forgiveness does not mean we condone the actions, nor does it mean we have to subject ourselves to it again. We don't even have to reconnect with the other person if that is best, forgiveness is something we do for ourselves. 

By forgiving we allow ourselves to put down the heavy baggage of hurt, pain and anger and move forward with increased lightness and freedom. Consider what opportunities for forgiveness exists in your life! If you work with crystals lepidolite is wonderful for supporting forgiveness. Lepidolite is a lovely lilac colored lithium mica, it has a soothing tranquil energy and also supports the third eye chakra/intuition. The lepidolite image below is from www.auburn.edu.

Flowing with the Higher Energies

Hello Beautiful Souls - have you been feeling all the shifting going on this year? These are changing and exciting times for certain, there has been a lot of higher vibrational energy coming in all year to support letting go of the old and raising our energy vibrations to align more closely with our higher selves and The Divine.

Now is the time to release anything that is not supporting your personal growth and movement to a love based existence. You may have noticed old issues and challenges have been coming up all year to be re-examined and released. You may also feel tired and sluggish as our bodies are adjusting to the higher energies.The human energy system is comprised of our physical bodies, our chakras (energy centers) and the aura, these are all connected to each other. In terms of raising our vibrations it is important to keep all three clear and healthy.

What can you do to support flowing with these changes?

1. Stay well grounded and hydrated

2. Make it a point to take care of your body and listen to what it is telling you. If you feel tired rest, if you're antsy get some exercise, etc... Eat healthy natural foods.

3. A daily meditation practice will help with clarity and balance, it only takes 15 minutes a day to feel the benefit of this!

4. Identify and release attachments. To help identify attachments complete the following sentence: I will be happy when <fill in the blank>. Whatever your "when" is is the attachment. Happiness exists inside of us in the present moment. Letting go of the "when" supports being happy now.

5. Notice what relationships and activities are not in alignment with your values and ethics and make adjustments accordingly

6. Crystals are a wonderful and easy way to support the clearing process. If you're not sure which to use start with clear quartz to align the energy centers in the body, a grounding crystal such as black onyx and amethyst. Amethyst is the master healing crystal. You can wear these, hold them or sit them near you. 

7. Stay in the present moment, catch those ruminations on the past or worries about the future and replace them by focusing on what is happening in the present moment

8. In this new energy it's important to operate from the heart (love) rather than a head (ego). When we navigate through life from a place of love rather than ego it creates more joy for us as individuals and also for those around us. That's the beauty of love - when we share it with others it lifts us up as well! To give it a try check in with yourself the next time you have a choice to make and ask yourself if it feels like a love based choice or an ego based choice. There is a well known idea that all thoughts and actions can be boiled down to one of two basic sources; fear or love – being aware of this and checking in with ourselves about our true motivations can help us to be more self-aware and make higher vibrational (more love based) choices.

9. Let go. We really only have control over one thing in life – ourselves, this includes our thoughts and our actions. When we base the condition of our happiness on events we cannot control (other people’s behavior, situations, etc…) we are setting ourselves up for disappointment and unhappiness.

10. Forgive. When we are able to forgive ourselves it is much easier to forgive others.

If you would like support during this process I am available for individual energy healing sessions, readings. All of these can be performed while we are on the phone together or in person in Hereford, MD. Onward and upward!!

Navigating a Mercury Retrograde

The planet Mercury is associated with communication, thinking processes, travel and commerce. Mercury goes retrograde (appears to move backward although it actually isn't) three or four times a year for around three weeks during each occurrence with a shadow period before and after the retrograde. From an energetic perspective this is a time known for miscommunication, things breaking and plans going awry - there is usually a bit of groaning around a retrograde HOWEVER it's also a wonderful opportunity for reflection, completing unfinished business and letting go!

Each Mercury Retrograde is colored by the sign it occurs in, to see a listing of Mercury Retrograde dates and the signs they are in click here http://www.astrologyhoroscopereadings.com/2016-mercury-retrograde-calendar.html. To determine how Mercury impacts you personally look at your natal chart to see what house Mercury is in and the associations. Astro.com has some good, free information on this topic http://www.astro.com/

Tips For Navigating Mercury Retrograde:

1. Be very clear with your communications and check that you are correctly understanding what others are communicating to you.

2. This is not known as an advantageous time to begin new ventures - sign contracts, purchase electronics, start a new job or relationship.

3. Allow extra travel time.

4. Be prepared for unresolved relationships and other connections from the past to come forward for resolution.

5. Consider this a powerful review period! Re-think, re-assess, re-evaluate, re-organize your life.

6. Wrap up those loose ends. Pay off old debts, seek closure on old relationships, pay back any favors owed, etc...

7. Stay well grounded. Focus on the present moment and release ruminations about the past and worries about the future.

8. Be patient with yourself and others.

9. Items that are ready to go often break during a Mercury Retrograde. Consider this a blessing and repair or replace them as needed.

10. Take this opportunity for reflection for deeper self-knowledge to help you move forward in deeper alignment with your higher self.

11. Go with the flow! Don't be attached to specific outcomes it will likely lead to disappointment. Rather be open to what opportunities are presented.

12. Let go, let go, let go...

Essentials for Your Crystal Tool Kit

I do almost as much work with crystals in my Reiki practice as I do with Reiki - both in working with individual clients and in the form of workshops. People often ask which crystals they should start with; this is a list of what I consider to be the seven most generally useful crystals to have. 

I hope you will consider adding some of these to your own crystal tool kit! It's important to periodically cleanse your crystals by smudging or using other cleansing methods. It's also helpful to remember the size of the crystal will make a difference in the amount of energy it generates. There are many ways to work with crystals, one of the most effective being to wear them against the skin.


Amethyst - Amethyst is the master healing crystal and does pretty much everything except ground us. If I could have only one crystal it would be amethyst. This versatile powerhouse is a form of quartz and is therefore also a strong amplifier of energy. 

Amethyst has a tranquil, calming energy and resonates primarily with the third eye and crown chakras. It's wonderful to use to promote relaxation, balance, and deepening intuition. Hold or wear amethyst during meditation for a boost in your connection to the upper realms. Amethyst placed under the pillow or on a nightstand will help with a restful sleep and pleasant dreams. 

Amethyst helps to align the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. It also assists with spiritual development by promoting higher states of consciousness and connection to divine as well as transmuting negative energies. An amethyst cluster is a lovely crystal to place in the bedroom due to it's calming energy and a cluster shape will help send the energy in all directions due to the various facing points.

Try placing an amethyst directly on the body wherever you have pain, this is especially helpful with headaches. If you're feeling stressed or upset place an amethyst on your heart chakra for 15 minutes and notice the difference!


Black Kyanite - This crystal balances yin and yang energies, grounds, protects and aligns the chakras. It supports clearing the Root chakra and the Earth Star chakra. This is my "go-to" crystal for grounding! I strong suggest anyone who offers energy healing to others wear this crystal for it's grounding and protective qualities. 

Black kyanite works beautifully with other colors of kyanite, the most common being blue kyanite. Try wearing these together. Another way to work with black kyanite is to place it near the first chakra and by the feet for deep grounding and alignment. It also supports manifestation which is one of the life themes associated with the first chakra. The alignment energy of black kyanite is quite strong and palpable.


Carnelian - Carnelian is a member of the chalcedony family of quartz. Chalcedony is an umbrella term for a variety of quartz that is translucent and has a crystalline structure too fine to be seen by the naked eye. Other members of this classification are jasper and agate. Carnelian has a  grounding energy and generates an uplifting feeling of positive energy. If there was a crystal that had a smiley face on it carnelian would be the one:)

Carnelian supports motivation and self trust; the happy vibe it projects helps with depression. It is used to promote a love of life, to calm anger and sharpen focus. Carnelian also has a slight grounding energy which compliments the uplifting aspect of this crystal.

Carnelian resonates with the second chakra and is the perfect crystal to sit on your desk. It will boost focus, vitality and creativity as you work. Use in healing work by placing on the body or wearing when recovering from an illness to restore vitality, it's also good for helping ease cramps. Wear carnelian next to the skin for grounding in the present moment and a little boost of pep


Clear quartz - Clear quartz amplifies and harmonizes the energy it is exposed to altering it to a higher state, so the key to using clear quartz is your intention. Clear quartz has the quality of vibrating with all colors therefore resonates with all of the chakras however it is particularly helpful in working with the crown chakra. This crystal may be used with any other crystal to amplify the energy of that crystal. Clear quartz also works on all levels of our being - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual and can be used for energizing, healing and cleansing. It is a highly versatile crystal. 

“Like humans, each Clear Quartz crystal is unique, each with its own personality, lessons, and experiences. The crystals attracted into one's life are stones that will in some way help facilitate personal growth and awareness. They may work subliminally in unawakened minds, but for those spiritually attuned to the universe Quartz crystals are like beacons of light and positive energy to be used in daily thoughts, feelings, words and actions and integrated onto the earth.” - Katrina Raphaell, Crystal Enlightenment http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Enlightenment-Transforming-Properties-Crystals/dp/0943358272


Danburite - Danburite connects the heart and mind, both the heart and high heart (thymus) chakras. It is a very high vibrational crystal that promotes love energy and let’s our true selves shine through. Use it for heart and crown chakra healing, acceptance and connecting to higher realms. Danburite has a peaceful, calm energy and helps to clear karmic ties.

Place Danburite under your pillow or near you at night to help with peaceful sleep and lucid dreaming; Wear as a necklace or earrings to have it near your upper chakras; Hold it or place it on your body while meditating to connect with higher realms; place it on or near your crown chakra while performing self-Reiki


Lepidolite - Lepidolite is a lilac variety of lithium mica that has a peaceful energy and is used to promote connection with the Divine, love and peace. Its soothing energy is helpful in reducing anxiety and instills a sense of calmness and serenity. Lepidolite resonates most strongly with the third eye and crown chakras and is helpful with meditation as it resonates with an energy that assists with connection to the higher realms.

Work with this crystal to promote harmony, to support forgiveness and to heal from emotional suffering. Lepidolite is also very helpful to hold or wear during a Violet Flame meditation.


Selenite - Selenite resonates with higher frequencies and the upper chakras. It supports opening the Crown Chakra, Soul Star Chakra and those above and assists in the spiritual journey. Use selenite during meditation to support connection to the higher realms including angelic energy.

Selenite can also be used to clean other crystals. Sit the other crystals on a selenite rod or slab overnight or longer. You can also use selenite to help remove negative energy by sweeping your aura with it.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese word derived from Rei, meaning “spirit” or “universe” and Ki meaning “energy”. These Japanese characters when combined, present the concept of a “Universal Life-force Energy” that can be used for healing.  Usui Reiki is a natural healing system that uses the Universal Energy to support the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Reiki is not based on religion and is not massage. The Certified Reiki Practitioner uses scanning techniques and specific hand positions to pass this energy into the body of the recipient. Some practitioners hold their hands a few inches over the body and some lightly touch the body. The client is relaxed in a chair or on a massage table during the session and remains fully clothed. A session generally takes about an hour but can last longer. During the session the client will experience relaxation and may feel a gentle warm or tingling sensation.

Reiki promotes relaxation, pain reduction, overall wellness, and balance in the mind, body and spirit (the “whole” person). It is a simple, safe, non-invasive technique that works by opening and clearing the energy centers in the body so it can better heal itself.

As Reiki Practitioners we are not healing anyone ourselves. We are simply conduits for passing the Universal Energy into another to facilitate their own self-healing. Each person receiving Reiki is responsible for their own healing in accordance with their highest good. Reiki is not medicine and does not replace modern medicine or the need for professional medical care.

I became a Reiki practitioner in 2008 after being a client for several years. During my time as a client I experienced healing of some emotional and physical pain that impressed me so much I was drawn to become a practitioner myself.

My Reiki experience has been a wonderful learning and healing journey. It is an effective natural healing practice and I am confident you will find many treasures in your own growth along this path - just as I have. Reiki literally changed my life.

Protection

Why do we need protection and from what?

There are many things that can cause a disturbance in our energy field or cause us to feel bad including other people, EMF’s, particular physical locations, cosmic events and even ourselves!

Have you ever been around someone who completely drains you? Or felt a strong influx of negative energy from another person or in a location? Perhaps crowds are exhausting to you? If you’re sensitive to the energies around you or are empathic (meaning you feel what others feel in your body) it’s important to protect yourself. Sometime others who vibrate at a lower level or emit strong negative emotions feel draining to us and it’s even possible that negative energies can be sent from one person to another either intentionally or unintentionally via strong thoughts or intentions, these can create a disturbance in the energy field of the recipient.

Lower vibrating energies can also be held in a physical location or come from another source. There are even events happening in the universe such as the solar flares so many of us have been feeling that can affect us. People can send out negative energy either unintentionally or intentionally through anger, jealousy or intense negative thoughts. In my personal experience the most common reason for one person to inflict negative energy on another on purpose is jealousy. Jealousy is an emotion based on lack mentality and powerfully negative.

Any kind of fear based emotion strongly directed at another person subconsciously, consciously or even with the intent to harm can cause issues. If someone is directing low vibrating energy at you it is best not to engage them in interaction. Just mentally wish them light and love to diffuse the situation and get away from them if possible. Even something as simple as crossing your arms and legs will deflect the other person – this position blocks some of your chakras and sends a clear message in body language that you are not open to the other person. On a subconscious level when they realize they can’t dump their negative energy on you they will often get tired of trying and leave. We can also draw negative energy and people to ourselves by harboring these same emotions for a prolonged period of time.

At a highly concentrated advanced level negative energy can take the form of psychic attacks. Psychic attacks from others are possible but are not always the reason for feeling bad, it’s important to examine what is going on with yourself to decipher the source of your symptoms, or consult an energy healer.

Some of the symptoms of psychic attack include a sudden onset of intense anger, fear or sadness, feeling exhausted and drained, acting out of character, nightmares, sudden illness that have no physical source, loss of memory, a string of accidents, or feeling like you are being watched. There can be many different symptoms these are just a few. Again the hallmark is a sudden onset of these symptoms with no other explanation. Also notice if you feel exhausted, drained, angry or even feel like crying when around around certain people or in a particular setting.

Here’s the good news – Our protection can only be broken from inside of ourselves! If we have strong healthy bodies, chakras (especially heart and solar plexus) and a strong aura it is very difficult for negative energies to get in as they need a place to enter. It is also important to be very well grounded and centered. And of course there are other things we can do to protect ourselves, some of which are listed below.

How to lessen the risk
Be sure to protect yourself before going to places where there is a lot of prolonged pain or sadness like hospitals and funeral homes.

Use discernment regarding physical contact with others – even polite hugs and especially sex. When we are intimate with another person physically we open ourselves up to their energy and there is an exchange, even if it’s something like a one night stand. It’s important to be judicious who you share yourself with in this manner and be sure you really know who they are because you are sharing essences with that person back and forth.

Be careful about the thoughts and emotions you give energy to – you can create your own negativity with your thoughts or what you are focusing on. Like energy attracts like!

Reduce or end relationships with toxic people. These are the people that drain us, who are always negative, who demean or put down others, have anger and rage for everyone, who are deceitful or even hurtful and try to control everyone around them.

How do we protect ourselves?
We start with our bodies. Our bodies are the vehicle we use to navigate this life on earth, they are our home while we are here. It’s important to keep them as strong and healthy as possible. This means avoiding toxins that can weaken our bodies and aura such as alcohol, cigarettes, and chemical filled junk food just to name a few things. Negative emotions and even things like funguses, metals and other toxins can also weaken our bodies and aura. Getting proper sleep is also very important in this culture where being overly busy is seen as an accomplishment. Long ago mankind aligned themselves to the cycles of nature. Meaning people rose when the sun did, went to bed when it was dark and ate only natural foods. They also spent much more time outside and ate only natural local foods. In this way they were naturally more grounded and connected to the earth where they lived.

Today we live in a culture where we are so busy we often don’t get proper rest, most of us spend our days in offices with artificial lighting and recycled air and often eat in the most convenient way which includes foods with a lot of chemicals and preservatives. All of these things can start to weaken our bodies and energy systems over time.

It’s also important to attend to any health needs we have been neglecting. When was the last time you had a checkup? Do you have a dental issue that needs to be addressed? What about that nagging pain in your shoulder? Our bodies are designed to communicate with us and it’s very helpful to listen to what they are saying! They can tell us when they need rest, when we are too stressed or not eating properly. They can also tell us when we’re in danger or when we shouldn’t proceed with a plan.

One good way to check in with your body is to sit or lay down in a comfortable position and do a body scan. Start at your feet and work your way up. How do your feet feel? Wiggle them around a little. Do they hurt, are they tired? If they were a color what color would they be? This is helpful in pinpointing any chakra related issues that may be manifesting in your feet. Continue in this manner upward, checking in with your calves, knees, thighs, all the way up to the top of your head.

Once you have identified what’s going on with your body make a plan to address any needs. Can you schedule in some down time, set the alarm a half hour later? Do you need to see a doctor or a therapist? If emotional issues are presenting themselves therapy can be very helpful. Maybe it’s time for a massage to help relieve some of that tension you’ve been carrying. What about your diet, set aside a little time one afternoon a week to cook some healthy meals that you can just grab from the fridge or freezer later. And don’t forget energy work! If you are Reiki trained or do any other kind of energy work schedule in time for self-treatments every day. Even if it’s only 15 or 20 minutes. As Mrs. Takata said “Any Reiki is better than no Reiki”.

It’s also helpful to have someone else do energy healing for you at least once a month. Locate a Reiki share near you or make an appointment with an energy healer – it’s beneficial to have someone who is objective and may see things you may miss treat you. I receive a Reiki treatment from another practitioner at least once or twice a month and try to get a massage or other body work once a month as well. There are many other ways to protect ourselves as well, paying attention to our physical bodies is a good start.


There are other things you can do to protect yourself. Surround yourself with a bubble of white light of protection. Start it at your solar plexus spreading outward to it fills and encompasses your body and aura. Then ask Archangel Michael and the angels of protection to hold it in place and only allow in that which is to your highest and greatest good.

                                 

Archangel Michael is the Archangel of protection. Angelic energy is always available to 

us however it will not bypass our free will so we have to ask for it. We also call on the 

groups of angels of protections. Groups of angels have great strength. Are the 500, 5000

or 5 million angels in the group of angels of protection? I have no idea but there are a lot!!

We specifically ask that only that which is to our highest and greatest good be allowed in

because that way we will not be blocking any lessons that are beneficial to our growth. 

You can make the light different mediums like a mirror facing outward or even metal to

deflect all energy if you are in a particularly negative place. Don’t leave it like this too long as

you will be blocking everything. Please be aware your intention is the key to making these

energetic protective measures work.

Letting go of painful relationships with gratitude

Many of us have experienced some degree of an unhealthy romantic relationship at least once in life. I attended a wedding last month which started me thinking about a particular ex, our relationship and the pain that came along with it. This suffering was due in large part to my reluctance to accept the reality of the situation at the time and let go.

Half of the time we had together was the most fun I've ever had with another human being and the other half of the time it was the most painful. The dichotomy in the relationship proved more than I could handle, however I kept trying to make it work - hoping the some attention and effort could change things. I created much unhappiness for myself by having an attachment to that relationship being something other than the reality of what it was (will of the ego vs. acceptance).

In retrospect I learned much from that experience and over the years since our split have become grateful for these lessons. The main gift from the relationship was the gift of learning to let go. He was a soul mate whose purpose in my life was to teach me this. Soul mate relationships are not always hearts and flowers, sometimes they exist for the purpose of helping us grow then we are to keep moving ahead.

A few tips I have found helpful in letting go process:

1. Take off those rose colored glasses and look at the reality of the situation - the good, the bad and the ugly. Acceptance goes a long way in helping us to move forward.

2.  Understand why you're still holding on. It may be fear of being alone, fear of change, or perhaps it's an attachment to a desired outcome that did not come to fruition. Is holding on to that attachment meeting your desires any more than the unhealthy relationship did?...

3. Our homes are an outward reflection of how we are feeling internally. Clearing your living space and rearranging it can be a supportive physical aspect of a new phase of life.

4. Focus on taking care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Nourish your body and get proper nutrition and sleep. Make a list of things you would enjoy and go do them, reach out to some friends and invite them along. Take time to incorporate your personal spiritual practices into your daily schedule as well.

5. Offer compassion to yourself  and forgive the other person, this is an integral part of letting go. Forgiving doesn't condone the hurtful actions of another or mean we have to subject ourselves to them again; rather it's an intentional releasing of the burden of carrying that pain, anger or resentment. Forgiving does not mean we have to speak to the other person, it is a gift we give ourselves to restore our own peace of mind.

6. Determine what lessons came from the relationships and have gratitude for receiving them. These lessons will help create a healthier relationship in the future (provided we embrace them). When we consider those lessons a gift that supports our growth and wisdom it's much easier to let go.

Here's to moving forward with gratitude, grace and compassion!