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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Inner beauty is more beautiful!

What color lipstick is "in" this season? Natural glow or matte finish? Big hair or slick bob? Is auburn the new blonde? Are you trying too hard?

Breathe... and find your inner beauty that transforms you beyond your skinny jeans and allows you to feel your essence and what is essential to life. Get in touch with your inner beauty that you always are, and be free once and for all!

Inner Beauty means you acknowledge you are not who you think you are!

Inner beauty is your essence. Your personality is like the light of the moon. This light of the moon is beautiful but the source of the moonlight is from the sun. The moon is merely a reflection of the true light. The light of your being is powerful beyond any foundation with built in shimmer or shampoo with built in highlights.

Inner beauty means you are forever enough. In this culture of hurry and hustle you are focused on the dynamic of “never enough.” Our collective media's main focus is ensuring that you never get to “feel enough.” If you get to feel enough it might then mean the end of economics. You get little time to rest in your soul. This is the place of real recreation. This is the place where every day is a holy day. These words “holy day” are the original meaning of the word “holiday.”

You can travel the world of inner beauty without ever going anywhere other than your heart. You can go on a holiday anytime. Just take a moment. Sit still and breathe in and out slowly. Become the fine being you always are and learn to know you will always be fine. Commit to knowing life and give up the limitation of belief.

Inner beauty is the expression of love.
Inner beauty is the expression of love and compassion. It begins with awareness of each moment just as it is. Inner beauty requires you to be vulnerable. Take a moment this week to allow your feelings to be feelings without judgement.

Inner beauty is being comfortable with the experience of no-thing. It means being prepared to be empty in order that the Beloved can pour unconditional love into this empty space. All you are asked to do is be attentive. Allow the free flow of grace to enter, and you will know that you are the beauty you seek. Be beautiful. Look inward and find the source of beauty that you truly are. This will give you a glimpse of the timeless, ageless wonder that you are. Just perfect, and beautiful as you are!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Reach for happiness! Smile!


"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. They are but trifles, to be sure, but, scattered along life's pathway, The good they do is inconceivable." - Joseph Addison

Want to be happier? Just smile. A smile is usually contagious and will often be returned, so that the positive feelings flow both ways. Cheerfulness is a state of mind in which we feel content and confident and are free of stress, anxieties and fear. A prolonged state of being cheerful is called happiness. And you can choose it, no matter what is going on on your life.

Jon Haidt, author of The Happiness Hypothesis, teaches positive psychology. He actually assigns his students to make themselves happier during the semester.

"They have to say exactly what technique they will use," says Haidt, a professor at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville. "They may choose to be more forgiving or more grateful. They may learn to identify negative thoughts so they can challenge them. For example, when someone crosses you, in your mind you build a case against that person, but that's very damaging to relationships. So they may learn to shut up their inner lawyer and stop building these cases against people."

Be grateful for life's simple pleasures, and be accepting of life as it is in this moment. Focus on what is beautiful, miraculous, magical. Simply by cultivating an attitude of gratitude and non-judgement you will be so much happier! Once you've decided to be happier, you can choose strategies for achieving happiness. I recommend performing a daily "gratitude exercise." It involves listing a few simple things that you are grateful for. This shifts your energy away from draining negativity and promotes a wellspring happiness vibes. It is most often our response to a situation—not the situation itself— that is responsible for our unhappiness.

Unhappiness doesn’t lead to anything positive. It does lead to negative feelings of powerlessness. The more unhappy you believe you are, the greater your feelings of powerlessness. This contributes to even greater unhappiness. The cycle goes on and on, getting stronger with each go-around.

We don’t have to spend our lives troubled by feelings of unhappiness, sadness, powerlessness or low self-esteem. We can learn to take greater control of our thoughts and feelings, and thus to exercise greater control over our lives. We can choose to be happy.

Holding a grudge and nursing grievances can affect physical as well as mental health, according to a rapidly growing body of research. One way to curtail these kinds of feelings is to foster forgiveness. This reduces the power of life's challenges and the people who perpertrate negativity to drain you of your happiness.

In his book, Five Steps to Forgiveness, clinical psychologist Everett Worthington Jr. offers a 5-step process he calls REACH. First, recall the hurt. Then empathize and try to understand the act from the perpetrator's point of view. Be altruistic by recalling a time in your life when you were forgiven. Commit to putting your forgiveness into words. You can do this either in a letter to the person you're forgiving or in your journal. Finally, try to hold on to the forgiveness. Don't dwell on your anger, hurt, and desire for vengeance.

The alternative to forgiveness is mulling over a transgression. This is a form of chronic stress, says Worthington.

"It's associated with almost everything bad in the mental health field includiung obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, probably hives, too."

Who wants hives?

image credit: www.shootstudios.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Welcome To Your 30-minute At Home Spa Vacation!


Grab your robe and slippers, and find a soothing CD that you absolutely love. Light a scented candle...

Let go of your day, your obligations, responsibilities and stress. Try to relax. Take yourself on a far away vacation in your head, tell yourself a “Once Upon A Time” story, remind yourself what a princess you are and remember how essential these precious moments are to your happiness and sanity! Even on a Tuesday evening!

Welcome To Your 30-minute At Home Spa Vacation!

Slow down your breath, your thoughts and your movements. Put on your favorite CD and start prepping a very simple shower or bath in a wonderfully slow, deliberate and unhurried way. Take time to watch the candle burn, smell the fragrance, feel the soft robe or towels, look at the sparkling drops of water and run your hands through it, take in the joyful process of an every day activity that we normally just fly through without a second thought! Cherish these simple, sacred, rejuvenating moments.

Use your essential oils. Not only do they smell great, but they are extremely good for your skin. Essential oils can help rejuvenate the skin, eliminate waste, alleviate stress, enhance your mood, restore vitality and facilitate the regeneration of new, healthy cells. The rule to applying essential oils is to never apply them directly on your face or skin. Just add about five drops to a bowl of warm water. Soak a washcloth in the water and then apply to your face and neck as a compress for five minutes. Repeat three times. Gently towel dry and finish yourself off with an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory facial splash.

If you have a choice of essential oils to choose from, select one that suits your mood and purpose. Choose soothing oils (like lavender, chamomile, jasmine, sandalwood and ylang-ylang). Good revitalizing and energizing oils when you need them are peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, basil and juniper.

Another in home spa trick is to mix an ounce of ground sea salt with 10 or so drops of your favorite essential oil. Add water and make a paste so it spreads easily. Apply it to your entire body and slough off the dead skin with big circular strokes. This salt scrub will exfoliate dead skin cells, cleanse the pores and help your body get rid of any toxins. These are your precious rejuvenating moments. Take your time. Pamper yourself !

Care for your hair if t is taking a beating in these winter elements. Add ¼ ounce of lavender to sixteen ounces of shampoo. Or for oily hair, add ¼ ounce of lemongrass or rosemary to 16 ounces of shampoo. Essential oils can make invigorating scalp massages. Rosemary is awesome! Replenish lost moisture to your skin and hair this winter by taking two tablespoons of organic flaxseed oil twice a day. You’ll also get rid of the skin itchies and combat wrinkles and sagging skin!

Remember to rejuvenate from the inside! Drink 8 to10 glasses of water every day. Eat lots of whole foods, green vegetables, fresh fruits, grains, nuts and lean protein to reduce inflammation, replenish moisture and bring back that, healthy youthful glow.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Bathing in Blessings: Flowers, Rocks and Water


In this series, "Bathing in Blessings," we've been combining the energies of flowers, rocks and water to create powerful elixirs. Today, in this last lesson, I'll share a list of some of my favorite, most trusted stones and essential oils that you may combine and experiment with. Use this list to guide your purchases as you create the basics of your well-stocked pantry. Begin here, and you'll be well on your way to taking an active and pro-active commitment to yout total health and well-being and to living your best life.

(For basic directions on how to make and use synergistic elixirs, please refer to the blog archives Sunday, December 28, 2008.)


The Stones

Amber Healing, soothing, stabilizing, harmonizing. Opens the doors of the mind to higher vibrational realms.

Amethyst Blood cleanser & energizer. Helps alleviate addictions. Purification & regeneration on all levels of consciousness. Meditative, opens divine love and inspiration.

Aquamarine Purifies the body, gives clarity to the mind, calms the emotions. Assists in dispelling fears and phobias. Supports creative expression, meditation.

Citrine Cheerful, lighthearted, golden rays of hope! Warming, energizing. Detoxification on all levels: physical, mental, emotional. Disperses self-destructiveness. Assists in awareness of higher self. Attracts abundance.

Fluorite Assimilation of nutrients. A powerful physical healer. Grounds excess energy, improves concentration, meditation.

Hematite Relieves stress, energizing. Assists blood circulation. Supports will and courage.

Lodestone Aligns energy fields. Magnetic, attractive element. A powerful healer.

Moonstone Emotional balancing, relieves anxiety & stress. Assists in birthing and female imbalances. Calming, aligns emotional body with higher self.

Quartz Crystal Amplifies all energies!

Tourmaline A most powerful healer! Balances endocrine system, vitalizes body and mind. Highly electromagnetic. Dispels fears & negativity. Protective.


Essential Oils

Acacia Relieves stress, nervous exhaustion.

Amber Aid to deep meditation. Healing, soothing, harmonizing. Spiritualizes the intellect.

Clary Sage Tranquility, peace of mind, relaxation, confidence, antidepressant, vivid dreams. Strengthens kidneys. Aids PMS.

Frankincense Excellent for meditation, inner strength, intuition, mystical. Calms body/ mind & emotions. Peaceful sleep and pleasant dreams.

Grapefruit Vibrant, light, cheerful. Aids in dispersing negativity, depression. Promotes digestion. Tones body, circulation, liver, kidneys, pancreas, gall bladder, nervous system.

Jasmine Sensual, aphrodisiac. Assists in opening the heart to spiritual realms. Emotionally uplifting, eases depression. Stimulates creativity, dreams.

Lavender Highly charged purifying and healing properties. Eases depression, anxiety, insomnia, headaches. Strengthens immune system, respiratory system. Clears negativity from aura & environment. Promotes intuition, inner guidance.

Myrrh Facilitates deep meditation. Mystical and sacred. Promotes inner strength, confidence, courage.

Peppermint - Refreshing, vitalizing. Assists in clearing negativity in aura & environment. Concentration, calms nerves. Eases headaches, digestion, nausea, colds, flu.

Rose Brightens the heart, romantic, inspirational, beauty, harmony, divine love. Soothes relationship difficulties. Relieves tension, sadness, grief, envy, jealously, resentment, anger. Rejuvenates circulation, nervous system.

Sandalwood Opening, expansive and centering. Calms mind & emotions. Very meditative. Relaxing, calming, relieves depression and stress. Inner strength.

Tangerine Happy, bright & cheerful! Assists adjusting to life's circumstances. Stimulates digestion.

Vetiver Balances connection with earth. Aids in development of patience & stillness. Deep relaxation.
Tranquility.

I hope that you will come to love and respect the spirits of these minerals and plants.
As a healer, I use them almost every day to balance energies, to heal mind, body and soul. They were placed on this Earth by our Creator for you, and for us all. My personal perspective is that spirituality, and rocks, and plants, and pure water are synonymous, I can't have one without the other! These are the sacred gifts from the Earth Mother, the most powerful medicinal tools that are available to enhance that connection with Spirit.

May you be blessed.

image credit:
www.clermontduvalartgallery.com

Thursday, January 22, 2009

109 Front Street, a most wonderful shopping mall you'll just have to experience!


This rare Centauress is almost 7 inches tall and about 8 inches long and as you can see she's charming! A most lovely figurine, she was made by the long closed Freeman-McFarlin Pottery Company of California, most likely in the 60's. She has subtle silver lavender coloration on tail hair and hooves and her her eyes are interesting and almost lifelike...

You certainly won't find a wonderful treasure like this at the mall!

Or will you? I just have to let you know about the grand opening of 109frontstreet.com– a most extraordinary virtual shopping mall, created of widgets from the finest sellers at Bonanzle. And this
Centauress is waiting for you at Jamiro Eclectica on the Mezzanine level!

Because you appreciate unique and beautiful things, and love finding bargains and delights online, 109frontstreet.com offers a huge variety of unique products and services to take a quick peek at, 5 floors in fact – and then for deeper searching links lead back to the shops on Bonanzle.com.

Enter on the Mezzanine where you'll discover Art, Photography, Ephemera, Antiques, and Collectibles. Be sure to stop on the third floor where you can browse collections of items for Home, Garden, and Pets, including the famous DogSPA Boutique, where you can pick up Gourmet Jimmy Chews, the most decadent delight ever baked for pampered pooches! You'll find Oshun Spirit Earth Friendly Goods on the fourth floor, which is home to sellers of health and beauty products, clothing and accessories, and personal care and wellness items and services.

109 Front Street is a most extraordinary shopping mall, and we are certainly excited to be a part of it! To celebrate the Grand Opening, we're offering 15% savings on any purchase at our mall store through February 14! Just enter coupon code LOVE109 at checkout for instant savings! We'll see you there!


Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Hang a prayer flag in your heart today


As the inauguration of Barack Obama takes place at noon today on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., as Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. oversees the changing of the guard by administering the oath, I will close my eyes and visualize prayer flags flying in the winds of change. And my heart will soar!

Prayer flags are colorful panels or rectangular cloths often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas to bless the surrounding countryside. The Tibetan word for prayer flag is "Lung ta", meaning "wind horse".

The prayers contained on the flags are carried by the wind, and your own mind, to all as a blessing. When I see a prayer flag flying in the breeze, I am reminded of the call to say a prayer for the welfare of all beings, to work to bring about virtue, goodness, healing, and happiness in the world around me.

Celebrate the winds of change! I hope that you will take a moment to to add your hopes and dreams to the prayer flags I’ve strung for today! Prayer flags are used to send blessings and prayers on the wind for the welfare of all beings, and to help us to be mindful to be kind, compassionate, and joyful throughout the day! Please leave your prayers and blessings in the comments box. Today is a good day to string prayer flags. I shall, from my heart to yours!

photo credit: www.johnharveyphoto.com

Monday, January 19, 2009

Win this Handcarved Burl Bowl on Bonanzle Today!



















Come Have Some Fun!

If you haven't yet enjoyed the thrill of a Bonanzle Live Chat Auction,
today's your day!
I'll be auctioning this "Root of the Earth Bowl"
live, in my booth chat box today,
Monday 1/19, at 5pm PST “Bonanzle Time”
(6pm MST, 7pm CST, 8pm EST)
www.bonanzle.com/oshunspirit1

This is a 15-minute progressive auction,
with more goodies added as the bidding heats up!
No reserve! Shipping is $5 in addition to winning bid.

A unique, one-of-a-kind Valentine gift for someone very special, this burl is perfect to use as a decorative centerpiece filled with pinecones or river rocks, in the kitchen to hold fruit or to serve rolls, in the bath to hold spa essentials, or on your desk or dresser to catch your car keys and your spare change. It measures approx. 10 x 12 x 4" deep.

Hand-carved from reclaimed Chinese fir trees, gorgeous in their simplicity and natural beauty, these gnarled bowls are not just useful, but have a great story behind them. Each bowl is made from the stump of a Chinese Fir called Shan Mu from the mountains of Central China. Artisans painstakingly hollow the stumps, sand them to a smooth finish, and seal them to be food safe. Knots, cracks and imperfections are considered part of their charm! Throughout this process, the artisans strive to maintain the unique character of the parent tree. Each of these pieces are one of a kind and they are all made by hand from a single piece.

Through Root Carving, farmers are able to provide a consistent income for their families. They do the work of digging up the roots and pass them on to skilled artisans who turn and carve them into unique bowls and baskets. The wood is washable using warm soap and water, occasionally treat with mineral oil to maintain.

Our collection of home goods is designed to reflect your passion to live an earth-friendly lifestyle, to preserve resources and the dignity of indigenous people, and to reconnect to the beauty of the natural world. Our offerings are good for you, and good for us all!

I'll be live in my Bonanzle booth before the auction
to answer any questions you might have about Bonanzle Live Chat Auctions. Please note that the $100 price currently on the piece is simply to hold it untill the auction. Bidding starts at 0.
See you at the auction!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Bathing in Blessings: Compassion

In this Sunday morning series, "Bathing in Blessings," I am sharing powerful formulas that combine energies of minerals, herbs, and essential oils that you can use to make wonderful elixirs. For basic directions on how to make and use synergistic elixirs, please refer to the blog archives (right) and read the blog posted on Sunday, December 28, 2008, "Bathing in Blessings Lesson One: Forgiveness."

Today we're going to create an elixir which stablizes and integrates issues around compassion. The heart is where we give and receive love and compassion. The heart chakra is the home of these emotions, these attributes that connect us all. We are born of unconditional love, in unconditional love, and as unconditional love. We are love. We are light. We are the embodiment of compassion, although we do not always exercise compassion. And unfortunately, we do not always exercise unconditional love towards ourselves and others.

“If you don't love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.” -Dalai Lama


If we are not fully exercising these innate gifts of love and compassion, is because we have shut ourselves off from them for some reason. Life's traumas, trials and tribulations can cause us to shut down. However, we must remember that in order to not be defeated by the adversity of life, we must always stay open, love, and share compassion with ourselves and with others. When you feel unconditional love towards yourself and others, when you are compassionate towards yourself and others, and when you are able to be forgiving towards yourself and others, you will notice a difference in the types of relationships you have in your life. Using theis elixir will help you to make better choices when it comes to matters of the heart.

We'll begin with Rose essential oil. The rose symbolizes innocence, love, passion, sympathy, desire, luxury and the ideal aesthetic. The healing tradition associated with the rose is no less remarkable than its fragrance and beauty. It was the 17th-century English physician Culpeper who wrote that roses strengthen the heart. He may have been referring to a physical action, but anyone who has inhaled fresh roses or their essential oil knows the aroma strengthens the heart spiritually and emotionally as well. Culpeper attributed other properties to the rose that foreshadowed its current use in aromatherapy and cosmetics. He recommended extract of rose for its cooling and astringent benefits, useful for headache and tired eyes.

Besides being used as a medicine in history, the rose has a long history as a costly perfume. Fresh roses were macerated in hot fat to produce fragrant pomades in ancient India, Greece and Egypt. In Egypt these pomades were shaped into cones and placed on the top of the head. As body heat melted the fat, fragrant, rose-scented oil would trickle down the face and neck.

With the advent of distillation in the 10th century, Persians began extracting rose flower water from fresh roses. An early reference to rose essential oil is mentioned in a legendary Mogul account of the betrothal of a princess named Nour-Djihan to the Emperor Dhihanguyr. The wedding feast was held in a garden surrounded by a canal filled with rose water. As Nour-Djihan and her lover plied the waters in a small boat she noticed a thin film of rose oil on the surface. It was carefully skimmed off and rose essential oil was born.

The difficulty of extracting rose oil from the plant has always caused it to be a very expensive substance. A rose blossom contains only about 0.02% essential oil. It takes about 60,000 roses to produce just 1 ounce of oil, and ten thousand pounds of rose blossoms to produce 1 pound of oil. The best oil is distilled from newly opened flowers, picked in the cool morning hours before the sun has warmed away the aroma.

Aventurine holds the vibration of compassion. Aventurine assists us in perceiving our own life dance, or the dance of others, from the foundation of compassion which understands from inside the human experience all dances, and in so understanding forgives and embraces all others in love regardless of circumstance. Known as the "comfort crystal," aventurine has the capacity to calm a troubled spirit and bring about inner peace. Immerse a piece of adventurine directly in the oil, and set the oil in the center of an aventurine grid.

Chamomile assists in opening the heart and processing the pain inherent in ascension to a biological level. Chamomile will bring comfort in our deepest moments of seeming darkness that we are transcending. In biology, pain is associated with toxic substances one is releasing. Chamomile will attach to such substances and assist them in being removed through the waste management systems.

Chamomile is a good tonic herb to have daily if desired. An infusion, made from 1 oz. of the flowers to 1 pint of boiling water, known popularly as Chamomile Tea, is an old-fashioned but extremely efficacious remedy for stress. It has a wonderfully soothing, sedative ,and absolutely harmless effect.

Place dried Chamomile buds in the gemstone infusion. This powerful oil is wonderful to use in the bath or at the heart chakra so do save some to use in this form.

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.” -Dalai Lama


Blessings to you on your path!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Life is a daring adventure, part 2

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India. He led India's movement for independence from British rule and is one of the most respected spiritual and political leaders of the 20th century. In 1948 he was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic who opposed his tolerance for all creeds and religions. Gandhi is honored by his people as the father of the Indian nation and is called 'Mahatma', which means Great Soul.

According to Gandhi, "a man is but the product of his thoughts, what he thinks, he becomes."

The Seven Blunders of the World is a list that Gandhi gave to his grandson Arun Gandhi, written on a piece of paper, on their final day together, not too long before his assassination. This list grew from Gandhi's search for the roots of violence. He called these acts of passive violence. Preventing these is the best way to prevent oneself or one's society from reaching a point of violence.

Seven Blunders of the World


1. Wealth without work

2. Pleasure without conscience

3. Knowledge without character

4. Commerce without morality

5. Science without humanity

6. Worship without sacrifice

7. Politics without principle

To this list, Arun Gandhi added an eighth blunder, Rights without Responsibilities.
And, I have added one more: Service without joy.

Gandhi wrote, "Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy."


And these words have become the mantra of my life. When I am serving selflessly, that is from the heart, from the seat of the spirit, from a position of oneness with my Creator, I recognize that I am simply returning to the Source all the love and the energy that has been given to me, and it is the completion of this circle that creates those indescribable feelings of joy we know as ecstasy.

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. May you be blessed with an opportunity to love unconditionally, and experience the joy of service today.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Life is a daring adventure

"Life is a daring adventure, or nothing at all!" – Helen Keller

It is said that heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and ultimately discover the treasure of their true selves. To me, true heroes represent the wisdom of humanity in all its glorious diversity. I have a few heroes, and although some are famous most have been relatively obscure blips of light, never reaching the world stage but somehow reaching me. Albert Einstein is one of famous ones.

He was daring, wildly ingenious, and passionately curious. He saw a beam of light and imagined riding it; he looked up at the sky and envisioned that space-time was curved. Albert Einstein reinterpreted the inner workings of nature, the very essence of light, time, energy and gravity. His insights fundamentally changed the way we look at the universe, and ourselves.

We know Einstein as a visionary physicist, but he was also a passionate humanitarian and anti-war activist. Born a German Jew, Einstein truly considered himself a citizen of the world. His celebrity status enabled him to speak out—on global issues from pacifism to racism, anti-Semitism to nuclear disarmament.

Einstein saw the universe as a puzzle, and he delighted in trying to solve its mysteries. All he needed to contemplate the cosmos was his most valuable scientific tool—his imagination. I will share a wonderful essay that I refer to often in my own quest as I seek wisdom, compassion and all that is beautiful in every day.

The World As I See It
an essay by Albert Einstein

"How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people -- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving...

"I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.

"My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a 'lone traveler' and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude..."

"My political ideal is democracy. Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. It is an irony of fate that I myself have been the recipient of excessive admiration and reverence from my fellow-beings, through no fault, and no merit, of my own. The cause of this may well be the desire, unattainable for many, to understand the few ideas to which I have with my feeble powers attained through ceaseless struggle. I am quite aware that for any organization to reach its goals, one man must do the thinking and directing and generally bear the responsibility. But the led must not be coerced, they must be able to choose their leader. In my opinion, an autocratic system of coercion soon degenerates; force attracts men of low morality... The really valuable thing in the pageant of human life seems to me not the political state, but the creative, sentient individual, the personality; it alone creates the noble and the sublime, while the herd as such remains dull in thought and dull in feeling.

"This topic brings me to that worst outcrop of herd life, the military system, which I abhor... This plague-spot of civilization ought to be abolished with all possible speed. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery -- even if mixed with fear -- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man... I am satisfied with the mystery of life's eternity and with a knowledge, a sense, of the marvelous structure of existence -- as well as the humble attempt to understand even a tiny portion of the Reason that manifests itself in nature."

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Inspired Gardening!

In 1986, Peter Cook had the idea of growing a chair and nine years later Pooktre was born. He has mastered the art he calls Pooktre, which is the shaping of trees as he grows them in predetermined designs. Some are intended for harvest to be high quality indoor furniture and others will remain living art outdoors. And, Peter invites you to grow a piece in his garden or will assist you in growing one in your garden.

"There are two ways to work with us. We will grow your commissioned piece in our garden where we can apply our techniques and guide it's growth until the time comes to transplant the living work to your location or harvest, dry and finish your unique piece. We can also assist you in designing, and planting your own piece on your property, guided by us every step of the way thought-out the growing of your trees.
"

Take a minute today and visit this magical garden and even if you can't work directly with Peter, you might just be inspired to try something new in your own garden! I just love the living tree people, and I have the perfect spot! How about you?





Monday, January 12, 2009

The peace of wild things


The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry

When despair grows in me
and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Original oil painting by Drew Keilback

May you be blessed with a peaceful heart today.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Bathing in Blessings, Peaceful in Power


In this Sunday morning series, "Bathing in Blessings," I will teach you how to make wonderful elixirs that combine energies from minerals, herbs, and essential oils that you can use to add light to your lifestyle, and to aid you and your family in the process of ascension.

For basic directions on how to make and use synergistic elixirs, please refer to the blog archives (right) and read the blog posted on Sunday, December 28, 2008, "Bathing in Blessings Lesson One: Forgiveness."


Today we're going to create an elixir which stablizes and integrates issues around power, our right to it, and our ability to forgive its misuse in the past. One aspect of learning, growing and ascending that is important is moving from being the victim to taking responsibility for the choices you make. Unfortunately, we've been conditioned to associate responsibility with fault or blame. But owning your choices is very different from trying to avoid blame. It's a position of power. It's "response-ability," the ability to respond to whatever occurs in your life. If you have responsibility for your choices, you also have the power to change them. If you give away your power by blaming someone else or the circumstances, you're back in the victim role, and power-less!

Amber is the result of the formation of a mineral from melting trees! Amber stimulates the ability to stand in one's truth in all that one does without the need to manipulate, control or subordinate others. Amber also assists in the repair of the emotional body in ascension. I like to immerse Amber directly in the carrier oil when preparing formulations in which it is used.

Sandalwood is a lovely, fragrant essential oil, and combines woodsy and spicy scents. It's energetic signature provides movement within the field that allows authentic power to emerge. Sandalwood also helps to retrieve your power and forgive your ancestors for their loss of power over time. Sandalwood is also a very grounding scent, and is especially effective in re-connect with the Earth Mother energies of healing and wisdom. One of the oldest incense materials, Sandalwood has been in use for at least 4,000 years. Do use a good quality, organic sandalwood essential oil. Ot is expensive, but well worth the investment.

Ginger assists in increasing the metabolism, digestion and cellular restructuring. Ascension requires that crystalline cells continue to consume more and more sugar as the entire form moves up in vibration. Ginger will trigger the cells to consume more so that one's biology may hold more light. Place a piece of crystalized ginger in gemstone and essential oil blend to boost the vibration. Ginger is also good tonic herb that can be easily added to your diet as tea, and in capsule form in addition to using it in recipies.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson



Friday, January 9, 2009

From a plant, not a deer!

This plant is cultivated for its seeds, which have a characteristic musk-like odor. The seeds are the source of ambrette, an aromatic oil used in perfumery.

The aromatic essence is inspired by a "musky" extract derived from a miniature antler-less deer which originated deep in the Himalayan mountains. The scent pod of the male musk deer has been sought after for centuries and its aroma is considered one of the most popular scents throughout history, dating back to ancient Roman, Persian, and Chinese cultures. This plant, Musk Ambrette, is used as a substitute for animal-derived musk oil.

One of the first synergistic oils we offered in 2005, Oshun Spirit Musk Oil is back by popular demand!

Oshun Spirit Egyptian Musk Oil is created using a powerful, ancient, ritual formulation. Our Egyptian Musk is a soothing, long lasting fragrance that both men and women enjoy, and is specially formulated to use as a body oil. It is wondefrul to scent and energize salts, lotions, and scrubs. You may also use with it with oil warmers, light bulb rings or add to potpourri to create a signature home fragrance. It is traditionally used in magik as an anointing oil, and for attracting romance and passion, also as an aphrodisiac, and to attract prosperity.

Soft, sensual, and mystically refreshing, ours is a warm, woody, and tender green musk. It is tachyon energized for optimum results!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

I will not eat monsters from outerspace

They came from Outer Space! Huge monsters never seen on Earth before. And they could soon be heading towards a supermarket near you! Pumpkins 10 times their normal size, 2lb tomatoes, and all grown from seeds sent into orbit by China. But how safe are they?

These giant mutations of common fruit and vegetables are grown from seeds sent into space, and are now being grown in southern China where they are being heralded as a solution to the world's food shortage. SCARY!

A total of 22 provinces are taking part in the program, coordinated by the China Academy of Sciences as China struggles to feed its 1.3 billion population. While the West agonizes over genetically-modified crops, China is steaming ahead and they are not shy about exporting the produce. Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia have all taken delivery of the mutated fruit and vegetables. European agricultural companies have also begun to show an interest in the technology.

Chinese expert Lo Zhigang believes space seeds represent the future. (Not my future!)

"Conventional agricultural development has taken us as far as we can go and demand for food from a growing population is endless. Space seeds offer the opportunity to grow fruit and vegetables bigger and faster."

Scientists have yet to offer a definitive explanation of why space causes the seeds to mutate but they believe that cosmic radiation, micro-gravity and magnetic fields may play a part. Once the seeds are returned from space they are cultivated and only fruit or vegetables that show improvements in size are selected and bred. To date China has bred more than 50 new species of plants and has plans to produce more than 200 new species. They are being marketed as "Accelerated Vegetables."

The China Academy of Sciences, working with the then Soviet Union, first started looking at the benefits of growing seeds in space in 1987. Then two years ago the Shijian-8, the first recoverable satellite designed solely to carry space seeds, was blasted into outer space on China's Long March rocket. On board were more than 2,000 seeds.

"A lot more space seed products are going to be coming on the market in the next two to three years, with sweet pepper, tomato and cucumber breeds on sale," said Mr Lo. "Some of China's space seed products are already exported to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. These include breeds of cucumber, sweet pepper, tomatoes and broccoli."

I, for one, will be planting a much larger garden in my yard this Spring! Mutations from outerspace will not be on my plate, no thank you!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Bathing In Blessings: Creating Structure

In this Sunday morning series, "Bathing in Blessings," I will teach you how to make wonderful elixirs that combine energies from minerals, herbs, and essential oils that you can use to add light to your lifestyle, and improve the quality of your life. For basic directions on how to make synergistic elixirs, please refer to the blog archives (right) on read the blog posted on Sunday, December 28, 2008, "Bathing in Blessings Lesson One: Forgivenes."

Humanity is Ascending. Much has been written on the subject, but for our purposes it is enough to say that we are changing, and waking up to our true divine nature and unlimited creative potential. And, as we may create sacred space in our environment in which to meditate or commit to a yoga practice, and restock our kitchens with healthy foods to support physical energy and health, we must also create a structure to hold the energy of creation before it can manifest in the physical world. In a very basic way, we are learning to hold more light, create with light, and add light to all aspects of our being.

Creating Structure. Structure is the formation vibration which when applied holds the space for layering other vibrations together for the completion or creation of a thought regardless of the creational level or dimension in which it is born. Much as a cup contains or holds the space for a potential mixing or blending in third dimension, structure provides a similar function in the energetic realms. Another way of perceiving structure is as a template or gridwork through which other vibrations may be woven. Structure provides a pathway for creation, development, or communication. The ingredients that effectively combine to create a structure elixir are lavender (essential oil), amethyst (mineral), and Saw Palmetto (herb).

A flower, a herb, a color, a scent, Lavender is each of these. Easy to grow and easy to appreciate, lavender is well worth getting to know as a flower and an aromatic herb. Although the flower buds are poopular in sachets and dream pillows, the stems and leaves of lavender can be used in dishes in place of rosemary in most recipes. To add a delightful twist to your next barbeque, place your favorite fruit on lavender stems and grill! For soothing lavender tea, brew 1 - 2 tsp whole herb per cup of hot water.

Lavender is a useful essential oil for the skin and for the mucous membranes. Lavender assists the skin in regenerating and has many acids that are supportive for healing dry skin conditions. Lavender oil is useful to mix with lemon and clove oil to help heal the gums and teeth; or for a toothache. Much has been written on the soothing properties of Lavender and it's obvious health benefits, so I won't go into those here. Instead, I am going to concentrate on how Lavender's energetic signature impacts the subtle bodies and assists in creation and manifestation.

Lavender provides the tone of creation related to structure which creates a new movement of energy flow that is rotational and magnetic. You will use a pure lavender essential oil as a base for your elixir. Advanced practioners can make their own lavender oil from thier medicinal gardens, but orgainic oil is readily available at health food stores, natural phamacies, and on-line.

Amethyst also assist you in restructuring your life and field to become unity based, or in other terms, embrace the flower of life energy flow. You can use a rough amethyst cluster or a faceted gemstone, or create a grid of amethysts and quartz points around your lavender oil.

Add the herb Saw Palmetto, which will assist you in ascending into the a new structure upon a biological level, which is crystalline. Throughout history, Saw Palmetto has been respected for its healing qualities. The Mayans drank it as a tonic, and the Seminole Indians used the berries as an expectorant and antiseptic. Saw Palmetto assists with the transmutative process during which cells re-compose themselves into a new genetic structure. In a deep way, Saw Palmetto acts as a bridge to assure that the new crystalline, genetic structure becomes physical in the act of biological ascension.

Elixirs are most often used by drinking glasses of charged water. They can also be used topically on the skin or put in bath water. A great way to absorb the elixirs is to mix them into your body lotionor blend into a salt or sugar scrub. These areall excellent methods of absorption into the body. You can also add them to distilled water in a clean spray bottle to create aura mysts.

Throughout time, Lightworkers have worked to see humanity ascend to a new level of awareness known as unity consciousness,a peaceful state of co-existence with all species upon Earth. And it is for this purpose that I share these powerful formulas, to serve in the momentum towards unity within the human experience, now. May we be blessed with a new era of peace, joy, abundance and love.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

A Meditation for the New Year

In the New Year may we remember
Today’s decisions shape tomorrow’s outcomes

That living each moment the best we can
Creates a harmonious life.

May we remember
By holding fast to integrity
Others see we are trustworthy.

When times are rough
May we remember to turn in
To our close and ready Source of comfort.

On New Year’s and every day
May we remember that each new moment
Can be a fresh beginning.

And may we especially remember that
Personal peace preserved leads to
World peace, well deserved

- by Susan Kramer