Everything BUT the Kitchen Sink....

This week's Carnival of Healing is posted at Spiral Visions, focusing on the kitchen as the heart of the home. Phylamena threw in 'everything but the kitchen sink' for this edition! The kitchen in her home has been under re-construction since August and it's causing some rather interesting changes in how she nourishes herself and her husband...

carnival of healing, Blog Carnival

Out of the Cave & into the Light

I just had a most interesting session with a client who I haven't spoken with for several months. She was commenting that she had taken that time to go 'into her cave' and be deeply still in order to emerge into the light in a new way. It was a nice comparison to the caterpillar cocooning to become the butterfly.

In our deep stillness, we touch the beauty within our true self and reconnect with our center of truth. For her, she had emerged at a new level, she was the butterfly ready to spread her wings and see which way the wind would carry her. She had called because she felt that emergence take place and asked for assistance in understanding the next level of her journey.

It is a powerful role to play witness to such transformation.

I find myself filled with gratitude for my role of service to others, as guide and witness. I walked away from this session with a renewed sense of purpose and a reminder of why it is that I do this intuitive counseling work with others. Not only it is my service, but it is my calling and my sense of placement in this life. It is something that has always come naturally to me, a sense of mastery that I had achieved throughout lifetimes of counsel and spiritual healing. It is my true self that radiates out when I am in session with someone. I needed that reminder, and for that gift coming to me today, I am grateful.

transformation, spiritual healing, intuitive counseling

Really Taking it all in...

Assimilation vs Accumulation

The practice of getting full nourishment from everything in your life.

Western culture has reached a level of material wealth greater than at any time in history. We include in this material wealth, wealth of information as well. Currently, at the pinnacle of our ability to manipulate our environment and produce all the things we need, and many that we don't, it's entirely possibly that many of our ills are arising as a result of our inability to handle this incredible glut of input, in all of its forms.

Prior to the recent age, when resources and information were scarce and hard to come by, we would never think of turning either of these away. The arrival of this incredible abundance is relatively recent, in the past 50 years or so, with the refinement of industry and the emergence of the information age and the Internet. It has come upon us so quickly that many of us haven't learned or prepared ourselves to handle this new level of abundance. If indeed it is possible to adapt and prepare ourselves for the onslaught at all.

We haven't asked ourselves the questions, "How much is enough?" "What do I value over everything else?" We just cannot say "no" to available "things" and information that meet our fancy. And, in some ways, we crave each new thing with the hope that it will somehow set us free. Consequently, we are literally dying from over consumption in one form or another.

More than half the US population is now considered "obese," while people are starving for renewal of "spirit" and "soul" in their lives and work. People are busier, have less time, and often feel overwhelmed, surrounded by "too much stuff" and stressed out under the growing burden of "too much information."

Application

How do we cope with the temptation to consume ourselves into oblivion? Our proposal is simple. We suggest two things. First, that you begin replacing the habit of "accumulating" with the practice of "assimilating." And second, that you make sure what you ingest in any form is of the highest quality possible. Let's first quickly define these words:

Accumulate: To heap up in a mass; to pile up; to increase; to collect or bring together; to amass; as, to accumulate a sum of money.

Assimilate: To appropriate and transform or incorporate into the substance of the assimilating body; to absorb or appropriate, as nourishment; as food is assimilated and converted into organic tissue.

Proper assimilation and digestion of food, experience, and information will allow us to extract its full benefit and put it to good use. Whereas overstuffing ourselves, in any of these arenas will cause a buildup of unsightly fat, waste, stress, toxicity, confusion, unease, often fueling an unconscious compulsion for more. All of us know how much better we feel when we push ourselves away from the table before we're full, and the satisfied feeling we get when we give ourselves a little time for our systems to "assimilate" what we've taken in. Unconscious compulsions for "more input" seldom satisfy our true needs. Nor will having piles of unread books and magazines ringing our desks reduce the nagging sense that there is some piece of information that will really change everything for us.

Satisfaction comes from fully digesting and extracting the fine nutrients from what we already have, and making choices for new input based on our true values and passions, not our casual likes and vague interests. Saying yes to only what most serves our needs and resonates with our deepest sense of self, and our chosen mission will go a long way to lessen the burden. So will focusing on what is important to ours and not someone else's sense of self.

How to Facilitate Assimilation

Of Information.
We often spend a great deal of time looking for that special piece of information or that magical answer to our current problem when more often than not, the answer we seek is right in front of us. But unless we slow down to see, hear, and process what's already in our world, we may miss these gifts. In your groups, model this by inviting your participants to assimilate fully the meaning and consequences of every activity. -

Of Relationships.
We rush around so often focused on "getting stuff done" that we sometimes neglect our most precious resources--our friends, associates, coworkers, and family. The benefits in good will, emotional support, new connections and ideas, very often offset the time spent cultivating and maintaining these existing relationships.-

Of Customers.
Balance your expenditure of energy on seeking new customers with efforts to deepen and enrich your relationships with existing customers. It takes a whole lot less effort to cultivate these existing relationships where some trust already exists. Share your gratitude for them being in your life, appreciate their trust in you, and seek to deeply understand and respond to their needs. Become so familiar with their situation that you can act as a trusted advisor and in turn help them assimilate the tidal wave of information bearing down on them as well.-

Of Ideas.
If you're anything like us, you're a life long student of personal growth and have hundreds of books on your bookshelves. Just imagine what might happen if instead of picking up yet another new title to read, you were to study the principles from just one chapter of a favorite you've already read and actually apply them for the next 30 days? This, my friends, is called assimilation.

Create a learning plan with specific goals for the next six months. Include both informational and learning goals into this plan. And, only include that which you know you can assimilate with minimum effort so that you have time to really make the information a part of your very being instead of just being a walking index pointing people to this book or that website.-

Of Food.
During at least one meal this week...you may even want to experiment with the (big) one this Thursday, try eating slower than usual. Chew your food just a little bit longer. When you're talking or listening to someone, stop eating. Take time to really assimilate your food and experience with family.

Try just doing one thing at a time. Enjoy the rainbow of flavors and textures, each bite a miniature world of experience.-

Of Experience.
We're all tempted to accelerate our pace of life to match that of our increasingly frenetic culture. But this is a personal choice. Most of the time, we can choose to slow down and carefully select our inputs, experiences, and the speed at which we subject ourselves to them.

There are ways to help make this choice easier. Commit to a practice of "being fully present" for a few minutes each day. Use whatever method appeals to you. Some choices are meditation, yoga, quiet walks, prayer, tai chi, marshal arts, sitting alone quietly, journaling, etc. Or just look out the window with all of your senses.

Focus on what is before you and allow it to really enter your being.These kinds of practices are more and more important as the world accelerates around you. They give our inner selves time catch up with, reconnect with, and properly assimilate with our outer experience.

Now go forth and assimilate!

About the Author:

Steve Davis, M.A., M.S., is a Business and Life Coach and Infoprenuer, who works with individuals to realize their own personal or business dreams, and with leaders frustrated by typical problems they experience in groups. Subscribe to Steve’s free weekly ezine for group leaders at www.MasterFacilitatorJournal.com and check out his virtual university - packed with information for group leaders and participants at www.FacilitatorU.com . Contact Steve at mailto:contact@facilitatoru.com

lifestyle, Health

Sounds to Sleep by....

One of our visitors posted a comment about this fabulous site for free relaxing music. You can choose and create your own blend of nature sounds, drums, chimes, etc. I've been listening to my selection in the background and actually needed to shut it off because I was getting sleepy just writing this!

www.soundsleeping.com

"The free relaxing music and nature sounds on this website have been carefully chosen for their ability to aid sleep, reduce stress, and provide a relaxing atmosphere for activities such as yoga, tai-chi, and meditation..."

check it out!

sleep, Music, insomnia

Close Encounters of the Saturn Kind

On Friday, Jan. 27th, Saturn will be at its closest to Earth for all of 2006.

Even a small telescope will show the planet's exquisite rings. Look for Saturn rising in the east at sunset (it looks like a bright yellow star) and soaring overhead at midnight. Bad weather on Friday? Don't worry. Saturn will remain close to Earth for weeks to come. You'll have many more chances to see the ringed planet at its best.

Visit Spaceweather.com for details and a sky map.

saturn, Space, Astronomy, planets

Sacred Spaces Carnival & Gallery

Whoops! I missed the last Carnival of Healing! It was hosted by Phylameana at healing.about.com. Her theme for this 26th edition is Sacred Spaces. From the sewing room, to sacred marriage and Japenese temples, sacred space is unique to each individual. Where is your sacred space? Mine is being with the trees.


Phylameana's was her Mom's sewing room...

"Spending some quality time in a space that is void of distraction is a blessing. A seed was planted in my mind and heart yesterday to start up the Sacred Spaces Gallery Project. In the gallery I will display photos of reader-submitted special places. Perhaps your special place will motivate others to spawn their own personal sacred space. The submission guidelines are pretty straightforward. I hope you will feel inspired to contribute.

One of the first sacred spaces that I encountered as a child was my mother's sewing space..."

Read the Full Carnival

sacred spaces, sacred, Spirituality, carnival of healing

Success is a Journey- Enjoy the Ride!

Success is not a destination, it's a journey. The truth is, if you were to ask the most successful people in the world, Donald Trump included, they would more likely than not tell you that they haven't reached the pinnacle of success.

And that is a very good and healthy thing. Think about it. If you were to look at your life and be totally content with what you have achieved then what would there be left to do? You'd be sitting around looking at your bank account, or your possessions, or whatever it was that you defined success by with nothing left to do. You may be alive physically but emotionally there would be very little life inside of you, especially if you were driven by the need to succeed.
So success is a journey. One who's destination you hope never is fully reached.

Having said that, you still want to have some kind of success. You certainly don't want to look back at your life and feel that you haven't achieved anything. The last thing anyone wants to feel like is a total failure. But what exactly is even partial success? Sure, you can micro manage things to the point where you declare that simply getting up and making it through your day without anything terrible happening to you is a successful day. And yet, to some people, that would be a miracle. I'm talking about people who have serious illnesses, or have some kind of addiction to drugs or alcohol. For these people, getting through a day is a major triumph.

You have to look at the life you've been given and figure out how you can make it better. You have to first decide what it is you want to be successful at. If it's to be a great actor then the first thing you have to do is learn your craft. You may never reach the point of hitting the silver screen but if you managed to land a small role in a local town production of "My Fair Lady" wouldn't you consider that a degree of success? I know I would.

See, success is not an absolute. It's a continuing evolution of your progress as a person. When you learned to cook, if you learned to cook, you didn't make the most tasty meals right from the start, unless of course you are just naturally gifted. But gradually your cooking skills became greater and greater. Okay, so maybe you never get that job cooking at the Waldorf. But wasn't it successful having the family over for Thanksgiving dinner and telling you how wonderful everything was?

The point I'm trying to make is this. Success is relative. And the key to success is recognizing the strides that you have made along your journey to success, or whatever your definition of success is. As long as you keep trying; as long as you don't give up; as long as you continue that journey; that brass ring, if that's what you're reaching for, will always be within reach. You may not reach your ultimate goal, but every inch of progress you make brings you that much closer to getting there.

Success is a journey. Enjoy it!


Margaret Cowles is an entrepreneur and a veteran Home Based Business Owner and has trained and coached representatives both inside and outside of her sales organization. One of her primary goals is to help others succeed. She can be reached through her web site at
http://www.ScentsibleLady.com

success, Personal Growth, Self Improvement, joy

Body image and the myth of perfection

by Edel Jarboe

It's unlikely we'll ever see a typical American woman on the cover of any woman's magazine. It is the media's job to sell the myth of perfection. How do you protect your self-esteem from the dangerous promise of perfection offered by the media? Here are ways to promote a healthy self-image within yourself.

Dissatisfied Have you ever taken a good look at the cover of women's fitness magazines? The models are thin but they aren't "fit." They seem to be the direct opposite of what the magazine is about -- fitness. Shouldn't the cover of a woman's fitness magazine show a real woman with muscle tone and not just another "perfect" body? Unfortunately, we'll probably never see a typical American woman on the cover of any woman's magazine. Our society is very "outer oriented" and it is the media's job to sell the myth of perfection.

According to the American Psychological Association, 30-40% of Americans are somewhat unhappy with their appearance while another 45% may experience anxiety or depression due to dissatisfaction with their appearance. In other words, we are buying into the myth.

Dangerous promises We are also punishing ourselves for not having perfect bodies. It's our body's fault that we aren't happy -- with our relationships, our jobs, and our lives. Therefore, we deny our bodies desserts, new clothes, and even love. Sadly, a lot of us hate our bodies (or certain parts) and this negative body image poisons the rest of our self-image. If you don't love all of you, how can you really be happy?

How do you protect your self-esteem from the dangerous promise of perfection offered by the media? Be honest with yourself and practice self-acceptance. Due to genetics and body types, all of us can't be thin but we can all be healthy. Instead of comparing yourself to a model on the cover of a magazine, look in the mirror to find your own standard of beauty. Ask yourself if you are feeding your body nutritious foods and exercising regularly. Ask yourself if you are at a healthy weight -for you.

In addition, self-acceptance means that you choose to feel good about yourself and to take care of yourself, regardless of society's standards. If you love yourself, love handles and all, your feelings about your body will not be influenced by media images.

Make peace with your body

1. Quit dissecting your body. "I like my thighs but I hate my fat stomach," for example harm your self-image. Appreciate how well your whole body works together to keep you going strong. Love the whole you.
2. Don't punish your body by playing mind games with food. Food is not the enemy. Eat healthy but don't obsess. Allowing yourself to enjoy treats helps prevent bingeing and keeps you in control.
3. Focus on who you are and not just on what your body looks like. Acknowledge the whole you and not just your body. What are your gifts, talents, and dreams? What have you done to uncover your hidden assets? How many lives have you touched? How is the world a better place because you are in it?
4. Speak lovingly and positively to yourself. Fight negative self-talk by complimenting yourself. Look for the good and praise it. Remind yourself how wonderful you are.
5. Take pleasure in just being alive. Be grateful for all you have and all that you are able to experience. Life is too short to be miserable over the external things that will fade away with time. Focus on living each moment from the inside out.
6. Pamper your body. Treat yourself to a facial, a manicure, or a pedicure. Indulge in a long, hot bubble bath. Wear a wonderful fragrance.
7. Take off your rose-colored glasses. Look at the other real bodies around you. The majority of us are not models. Appreciate the beauty of your own body and stop comparing yourself to glossy media images.
8. Learn the basics of exercise and nutrition and set realistic goals. Your focus should always be on your health.
9. Be the star of your own fitness program. Walk, run, bike, or do aerobics. Exercise makes you feel good about your body. Indulge your body in fun, feel-good activities often.
10. Dress up your self-esteem by taking care of your appearance. Wear clothes that are flattering to your figure no matter what size you wear. Stop waiting until you lose a "little more weight" before feeling good about yourself.
11. Ask for support and encouragement from family and friends when life is stressful and/or you are feeling down.
12. Focus on living a whole and fulfilled life- both personally and professionally. Enjoy family, friends, and, most importantly, life. Do something everyday that brings you joy.

Read more at She Knows website

body image, weight loss, health, intuitive dieting

What Is Your Stress Level?

Check out this Interactive Tool

What Is Your Stress Level?

What does this tool measure?

Although everyone responds differently, major life changes are some of the biggest causes of stress, both positive and negative. This interactive tool gauges your stress level based on the number of life changes you have had recently. Your score indicates a rough estimate of your current stress level and the likelihood that you will have health problems due to stress in the next 12 to 18 months.

Short-term (acute) stress can keep you awake at night and make you feel irritable and edgy. High stress levels over a long period of time (chronic stress) can cause serious health problems such as high blood pressure, and it can weaken your immune system and make it difficult for your body to fight disease. Stress is linked to health conditions such as depression, heart disease, and asthma.1

Try the interactive tool now.

stress, Health, fitness

Get in Gear with your Gut!

Developing Your Intuition:
11 Keys to Expanding and Utilizing your Intuitive Abilities

• Your perceptions are unique to you. Asking another person how
they get intuitive ‘knowings’ or psychic impressions doesn’t mean
your experiences will be the same. We are all unique, each
learning and sensing differently. Honor your sensory
impressions.

• Accept your “1st” feeling or instinct, even if it doesn’t make
sense to you at the time. It’s your intuitive self at work when
you get a 1st feeling. By engaging your logical mind to question
it or make sense of it, you disengage your intuition. Simply
allow the feeling and know that it is part of a puzzle and you
will have all the pieces when it’s time.

• Usually you will get ‘pieces’ of the puzzle. Allow yourself to
sleep on it and let it germinate. Don’t try to figure it out.
Attempting to interpret it right away will put you into the
logical left brain, out of the intuitive right brain.

• Pay attention to thoughts that come in ‘out of the blue.’ This
means while you are day-dreaming, meditating, or even doing
‘mindless’ repetitive tasks. This is the time when you’re more
open and receptive to intuitive information because your conscious
mind is ‘out of the way.’

• You will tend to experience intuitive impressions the same way
you learn; visual learners will tend to be clairvoyant, audio
learners would gear towards clairaudience, and kinesthetic
learners would benefit from movement and yoga.

• Perceive and record your dreams. Keeping a dream journal is a
positive step in developing your intuition. It assists you in
remembering and connecting to intuitive impressions you receive in
your dream state. The journal also helps you look for patterns
that may be expressing themselves.

• Also, journal your intuitive and psychic impressions. This
includes déjà vu experiences, chills, knowing who’s on the phone
when it rings, etc. Journaling these events can help to enhance
your awareness and develops your listening skills.

• Pay attention to strong urges, synchronicities, strange
happenings, gut feelings, etc.

• Listen to your body. Sometimes your physical body will
experience the sensation before you perceive it psychically. For
example, having a feeling in the pit of your stomach, goose bumps,
the hair standing up on the back of your neck, etc. These are all
intuitive experiences. It is a sensory response to something you
are feeling. It may take longer to get to your conscious
awareness. The physical body knows how to get your attention.
These are signals to stop and listen to your intuition.

• Meditate daily. Meditation is different for everyone. It
doesn’t mean you must sit in a particular pose and chant. Some
people find it meditative to sit and listen to instrumental music,
others meditate in nature by watching the trees move with the
wind, or listen to a river flowing. Find the method that works
the best for you. Practicing everyday enhances your listening
skills and connects you to your inner self.

• Think about developing your intuition as if it were a new skill
you are gaining. It will play an important role in decision
making, meeting new people, being safe in uncomfortable
situations, even help you get the job you desire. Intuition is a
critical skill needed in today’s environment. With development of
this skill will come greater self-assurance, self-esteem and
self-confidence. It develops a sense of trusting in your self.


© 2005 Jodie Foster

intuitive, intuitive dieting, intuition, developing intuition, Building Customer Intuition

The Power of Intention

Carnival of Healing week #25 is now posted at Intuitive Living.

In this edition, Christopher chose to focus on the energy of:

Intention

"The dictionary defines intention as an aim that guides action or a course of action that one intends to follow. In medicine the word intention is defined as “the process by which or the manner in which a wound heals.” The word itself comes from the Latin intendere which means to direct attention.In healing, energy follows thought, it is the intention that allows the energy that is healing to follow and take root where it is needed.

"Intention is the opening of the cycle of Intention ~ Manifestation ~ Gratitude"

Read the Full Carnival

carnival of healing, Blog Carnival, intention, healing

Tribal Moons...

Full Moon Names for 2006
By Joe Rao
SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist
posted: 13 January 200608:09 am ET

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.

There were some variations in the Moon names, but in general the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England on west to Lake Superior.

European settlers followed their own customs and created some of their own names. Since the lunar (“synodic”) month is roughly 29.5 days in length on average, the dates of the full Moon shift from year to year.

Below are all the Full Moon names, as well as the dates and times, for the next twelve months. Unless otherwise noted, all times are for the Eastern Time Zone.

Jan. 14, 4:48 a.m. EST: The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the “Moon after Yule.” In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next moon.

Feb. 12, 11:44 p.m. EST: The Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon.

March 14, 6:35 p.m. EST: The Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. In addition, a very minor penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on this night; the Moon will pass through the Earth’s outer and cause a slight tarnishing or smudginess to appear on its lower rim. The darkest phase of this eclipse comes at 6:48 p.m. EST. For about 40 minutes before and after this time, the subtle penumbral shading may be detected with binoculars and even the naked eye.

April 13, 12:40 p.m. EDT: The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad came upstream to spawn. This is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed three days later on Sunday, April 16.

May 13, 2:51 a.m. EDT: The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.

June 11, 2:03 p.m. EDT: The Full Strawberry Moon. Known to every Algonquin tribe. Europeans called it the Rose Moon.

July 10, 11:02 p.m. EDT: The Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes also called the Full Hay Moon.

Aug. 9, 6:54 a.m. EDT: The Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.

Sept. 7, 2:42 p.m. EDT: The Full Corn Moon. Corn – an Indian staple -- is now ready for gathering. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day, at 11:00 p.m., at a distance of 221,938 miles/357,175 km. from Earth. As such, this will be the biggest and brightest Full Moon of 2006. Very high tides can be expected from the coincidence of perigee with full Moon. In addition, a rather small (19%) partial lunar eclipse will be visible from Africa, Asia, Australia, and Eastern Europe. Maximum eclipse occurs at 18:51 GMT.

Oct. 6, 11:13 p.m. EDT: The Full Harvest Moon. Always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. In one out of three years, it comes in October and 2006 is one of those years.

Nov. 5, 7:58 a.m. EST: The Full Beaver Moon. Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. Also called the Frosty Moon.

Dec. 4, 7:25 p.m. EST: The Full Cold Moon; among some tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the “Moon before Yule” (Yule is Christmas, and this time the Moon is only just before it). The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun.

Lunar cycles

Lastly, here are some interesting calendrical facts that the famed Belgian astronomical calculator Jean Meeus has compiled concerning the phases of the Moon.
All are cyclical, the most noteworthy being the so-called Metonic Cycle that was independently discovered by the Greek astronomer Meton (born about 460 B.C.). This is a 19 year cycle, after which time the phases of the Moon are repeated on the same days of the year, or approximately so.

For instance, there is a Full Moon on July 10, 2006. Nineteen years hence, in 2025 there’ll be another Full Moon on July 10. Another interesting cycle: after 2 years, the preceding lunar phase occurs on, or very nearly the same calendar date. Thus, in 2008, the First Quarter Moon will occur on July 10. After 8 years, the same lunar phases repeat, but occurring one or two days later in the year. The Greeks called this 8-year cycle the octaeteris. Indeed, in 2014, a Full Moon occurs on July 12.

Finally, in our Gregorian Calendar, 372 years provides an excellent long-period cycle for the recurrence of a particular phase on a given date. Thus, we know with absolute certainty that the same Full Moon that shines down on us on July 10 of 2006 will also be shining on July 10 in the year 2378.

Mark your calendars!

full moon, Astrology, space, moon

Practice Non-Attachment

"If you cling to an idea as the inalterable truth,

then when the truth does come in person and knock at your door,

you will not be able to open the door and accept it."

-Udana Sutta

letting go

Paraskevidekatriaphobia: Widespead Superstition

According to David Emery, the About.com guide to Urban Legends and Folklore, fear of Friday the 13th is relatively widespread... for me it's always been a lucky day- no fear of that! My birthday is on the 13th and sometimes falls on a Friday...

"Paraskevidekatriaphobics — people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th — must be pricking up their ears just now, buoyed by seeming evidence that their terror may not be so irrational after all. But it's unwise to take solace in a single scientific study — the only one of its kind, so far as I know — especially one so peculiar. I suspect these statistics have more to teach us about human psychology than the ill-fatedness of any particular date on the calendar.

The Most Widespread Superstition

The sixth day of the week and the number 13 both have foreboding reputations said to date from ancient times, and their inevitable conjunction from one to three times a year portends more misfortune than some credulous minds can bear. Some sources say it may be the most widespread superstition in the United States. Some people won't go to work on Friday the 13th; some won't eat in restaurants; many wouldn't think of setting a wedding on the date. .. "

Read the Full Article

superstition, friday the 13th, Paraskavedekatriaphobia

Full Moon: Time to Review

While the moon will appear full for Friday the 13th this month, it does not peak until Saturday the 14th.

"The next Full Moon peaks on January 14th at 24º Capricorn-Cancer at 1:48 AM PST, shining a bright light on whether we are on our path or on a detour. We have all been deeply conditioned by parents, school, religion, culture‹to strive for what we should want and should be.

Capricorn represents the development of personal integrity and accountability living our lives in accordance with our inner compass and taking full responsibility for our choices.

Cancer symbolizes the importance of receptivity... " Read the Full Post

by Stephanie Austin, astrologer
www.ecoastrologer.com
- posted at Intuitive Living

full moon, astrology

Intuitive Eating- The Latest in 'hip"

According to "A Weight Lifted" blog:

"It’s been very interesting watching the latest weight control “it diet" gather steam in the media. It’s the “non-diet” diet of Steven Hawks EdD (Doctor of Education) , professor at Brigham Young University, and the founder, president and director of the new National Institute of Intuitive Eating ("doors opening in July 2006", according to website).

Dr. Hawk's version of “intuitive eating” is an amalgam of the philosophy that’s been helping women for the past 33 years at Green Mountain at Fox Run, along with his own ideas about this and that. Normally "intuitive eating" is not sexy enough on its own to merit much media attention - it's just too commonsensical and not gimmicky enough - but since Dr. Hawk has married it with the words “diet” and “weight loss” so heavily, it's become the new "in" thing. It’s been interesting to see this “new and hottest trend” emerging when..." Read the Full Post

weight loss, weight,diet,intuition, intuitive dieting

Gradual Spiritual Awakening

Inspired by A Gradual Awakening, by Stephen Levine (Anchor Books, 1989).

Many of us have wished for the sudden flash of illumination, the moment of instant revelation, rather than the slow plodding progress of daily practices. After all, most of us live in societies that encourage quick fixes and fast results, even when it comes to the process of becoming deeply conscious or enlightened.

An image useful to understand the process of awakening is of fruit on a tree. It ripens ever so slowly, day by day, until at last it’s fully ripe and falls from the tree. Find out more about what this respected author and mindfulness meditation teacher has to say about sudden enlightenment and gradual awakening:

"There is a story about a Zen monk who had for many years practiced very hard to attain enlightenment. He had worked and worked for enlightenment. One day, as he was digging in the monastery garden, his spade threw a pebble into the air which struck a piece of bamboo fencing around the garden; it made a hollow clicking sound. Upon hearing that sound, his understanding of the nature of things was so profound that he became enlightened in that moment. Now, was that a sudden awakening, or was that the fruit of a gradual awakening? Any moment could enlighten us if we would see its totality, its complexities, its simpleness. It seems to take awhile before we clear the senses enough, clear our conditioning enough; to let go of models and perceptions so that we can simply hear, simply see, perceive deeply enough to understand the way things are.

Ramakrishna used an image of the freshly picked nut. When its husk is green, we could hit it with a stone and hardly dent it. But when that nut has ripened, just a tap and the shell will fall open. This is the gradual awakening that we are all participating in: ripening so that the shell can fall away and leave us free of our ignorance, free of our imagined self and its incessant posturing, open to the direct experience of the wisdom mind. "

spiritual healing, spiritual awakening

Harnessing the Power of Anger

"I'm So Mad I Could Just..."
Anger done right can be a motivating, confidence-boosting force. But many of us do it badly -- blowing up or bottling up. Here, how to take the reins on your rage.
By Laurel Naversen Geraghty

Out-of-Control Anger and Your Health:

"Laura Imperia, a 44-year-old registered nurse from Jacksonville, Oregon, isn't proud of her temper. "I don't get angry often, but when I do, it gets ugly," she admits. "A few years ago, I had just moved into a new house and I kept misplacing everything -- my keys, my cell phone, my address book. I felt so frustrated. I called a friend at home to ask her for help with something, but I got her machine."

Failing to get through to her pal, by any measure a minor setback, pushed Imperia over the edge. "I wasn't so much mad at her as just totally fed up with my own disorganization," she says. "I threw my phone across the room, screaming obscenities. But I hadn't actually turned off my new phone, so my entire tirade was all recorded on my friend's answering machine. When she came home and heard the message, she called me and timidly asked, 'Laura, are you okay?' I answered, 'Oh, you just got an example of one of my tantrums.' I had nothing left to do but say I was sorry and laugh at myself."

A rampage like this can certainly leave us feeling sheepish.. " Read the Full Article

anger, emotions, lifestyle, Health

Determination & lots of football!

Well... the epiphany of yesterday has led to some sheer determination today!

It's lightly snowing, it's Sunday, and there are two football playoff games on tv- what better day to accomplish lots around the house! I've got a Christmas tree and decorations to take down and pack away, and numerous craft projects to finish. I can do all those tasks while watching football. It makes for a good day!

What more could I ask for? A little rest, a little accomplishment, a lot of football and a clean house. Yeah!

football

Carnival of Healing #24: 2006 Epiphany

As I approached writing this week’s Carnival of Healing, I noticed myself procrastinating, avoiding and even forgetting to do it. This is odd behavior for me when I have a task to do and a time frame to meet.

I knew my subject matter was to be about Epiphany and the Magi, astrology, numerology, and more. Yesterday I collected the blogs I wanted to include, but then still couldn’t write anything down. Finally I let it go and walked away.

Last night I couldn’t get to sleep, I tossed and turned and didn’t fall asleep until after 2:00 this morning. Then at 4:10, I woke up with a sudden burst of knowledge and enlightenment- I had an epiphany! It was regarding an issue I had been faced with for a very long time that never seems to be resolved. This sudden enlightenment, also known as satori according to the Zen Buddhists, was the deep revelation I have been questing for for many years. It was as though I needed to have an epiphany before I could write about the Epiphany!

I wonder if that is what the 3 Wisemen, or Magi experienced when they arrived in Bethlehem? Was their discovery a ‘revelation of God to mankind in human form’ a satori experience for them, and therefore is known as the Feast of the Epiphany, generally celebrated on January 6? Epiphany in Greek means 'the appearance or miraculous phenomenon.'

“In 1999, astronomer Michael R. Molnar published the results of his investigations in the book The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi. In contrast to other suggested events involving other constellations such as Leo, Virgo, or Pisces, Molnar had discovered evidence from multiple sources indicating that the stargazars of that time considered the constellation of Aries the Ram to be associated with the people of "Judea, Idumea, Samaria, Palestine, and Coele Syria", i.e. the lands ruled by King Herod. Additional evidence indicated that a special occultation of Jupiter by the moon that occurred in the east in Aries on 17 April 6 BC signified the birth of a great Jewish king.” according to the northanger's blog at LiveJournal.

The Magi were astrologers and knew of prophecies and divination. Were they following the stars, their intuitive knowings and predictions? Today we follow astrology closely and watch patterns emerge that influence us and our personal journeys. Transits and astrological events are widely known through the use of media and the world wide web. No longer is it prized by only the few learned in its science.

Simple intuitive timing can be based on the activity of the New moon and full moon. Christopher Stewart explains how to use moon timing in your life at Intuitive Living blog. I have a list of the New Moon and Full Moon dates for 2006 here.

Astrologically we are entering 2006 with a Grand Cross planetary formation, signaling that 2006 will be a year of inner and outer transformation.

Using the science of Numerology, "the World and Universal energy of the year 2006 is ‘8’(2+0+0+6 = 8)." according to Native Paths Numerology blog. An 8 year signals a good time for business, wealth and personal accomplishment:

"Some very interesting words came to my numerological mind when looking at 2006. They are PROSPERITY (62/8), DOLLAR (26/8) and INVEST (26/8). The words RICHES (35/8) and MIRACLES (35/8) are also an ‘8’ but with different components accomplishing the same end result. The words KARMA (17/8) and SUCCESS (17/8) also need to be mentioned. Last but not least is the hyphenated word WELL-BEING (44/8). Christmas Day of this year 12/25/2005 was a (44/8) energy day."

Figuring your personal Life Number, numerologically, you can determine the energetic influence that will be assisting you throughout the year by combining numerology with the symbolism of the tarot. The Magi always remind me of the Magician card in the Tarot deck.

Tarot cards are another form of divination and can be utilized to achieve greater clarity about yourself and your path. Spiral Visions offers us a simple Tarot quiz you can use to identify your personality.

Moving from divination, we look to prophecy as another gift of the Magi. Their astrological forecasting and prophetic abilities lead them to discover a precious gift to the world. Bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincese and Myrrh, they traveled through the desert to experience their epiphany. For us today, we look to prophecies from around the world and from famous prophets such as Nostradamus that scholars like John Hogue have spent years studying. Hogue, who offers his own prophecies with relatively good accuracy, publishes his new year predictions each January.

Looking into 2006, I wish you a year filled with powerful prophecy and epiphanies of your own!

Blessings,
Jodie


Next week the Carnival of Healing will be hosted by Intuitive Living. If you would like to submit your blog post for consideration in an upcoming edition of the Carnival, please visit the Carnival home page.

tags: carnival of healing, Blog Carnival, holidays, magi, magician tarot, epiphany, prophecy, prediction, astrology, numerology, tarot

New & Full Moon Dates for 2006

There's a wonderful post "Intuitive Timing:Using the Monthly New Moon" at Intuitive Living blog about using the basic timing of the new moon and full moon to make decisions and plans for your life. Take a moment to visit.

Here are the list of 2006 new moon & full moon dates:
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2006 New Moons

01/29 09ª32’ Aquarius 6:15 AM PST
02/27 09º16’ Pisces 4:31 PM PST
03/29 Solar Eclipse 08º35’ Aries 2:15 AM
04/27 07º24’ Taurus 12:44 PM PDT
05/26 05º48’ Gemini 10:26 PM PDT
06/25 03º58’ Cancer 9:05 AM PDT
07/24 02º07’ Leo 9:31 PM PDT
08/23 00º31’ Virgo 12:10 PM PDT
09/22 Solar Eclipse 29º20’ Virgo 4:45 AM
10/21 28º40’ Libra 10:14 PM PDT
11/20 28º27’ Scorpio 2:18 PM PST
12/20 28º32’ Sagittarius 6:01 AM PST


2006 Full Moons

01/14 24º05’ Capricorn-Cancer 1:48 AM PST
02/12 24º20’ Aquarius-Leo 8:44 PM PST
03/14 Lunar Eclipse 24º15’ Pis-Vir 3:35 PM
04/13 23º37’ Aries-Libra 9:40 AM PDT
05/12 22º23’ Taurus-Scorpio 11:51 PM PDT
06/11 20º41’ Gemini-Sagittarius 11:03 AM PDT
07/10 18º42’ Cancer-Capricorn 8:02 PM PDT
08/09 16º44’ Leo-Aquarius 3:54 AM PDT
09/07 Lunar Eclipse 15º Vir-Pis 11:42 AM
10/06 13º43 Lib-Aries 8:13 PM PDT
11/05 12º48’ Scorpio-Taurus 4:58 AM PST
12/04 12º43’ Sagittarius-Gemini 4:25 PM PST

Stephanie Austin www.EcoAstrology.com

new moon, full moon, astrology, 2006

Kick it up a Notch in '06

The New Year is here and what are you going to do with it? Are you going to just let it slide by and say it's no different that 2005? "Oh it's just another day..." is your comment? Well that's unfortunate, because a new year signals new energy and a change in focus.

I'm not talking about new year resolutions- I'm talking about the energy of tranformation and transition- the act of birthing into something new. Any closure brings us to the brink of something new- new circumstances, new energy, new relationships, new players and a new container. The numerology of the year has transitioned from 2005 = 7 to 2006 = 8. The vibration of a #8 year is different than the energy of the #7. For a good look at the #8 energy of the new year- visit Native Paths Numerology blog.

The new year also signals the beginning of new thoughts in our mind set. THe holidays are over and the winter looms before us. For those in the Northern hemisphere, it is a time of taking action to organize, renew and refresh. Is it any wonder why all the department store sales flyers start having sales on organizing bins, totes, etc in January? It's because we start to feel the inner drive to clean house, organize ourselves and prepare for the brand new.

This new year is one of business, finances, karma and wealth. It's time to invest in yourself and move out into the world to deliver your 'goods' or 'service' to others. It's time to get the 'show on the road' as they say... We been collectively preparing for several years- now its finally time to make it happen. Roll up your sleeves, dig in your heels and push forward.

Happy 2006! Here's to a good and productive year!

2006, new year, Resolutions

Delivering Light to Others...

A friend sent me a beautiful e-card from Conscious Greetings and I loved it! I'm always looking for new websites that offer a light-filled message, especially one that I can share with others.

Each card features a meditative flash animation and soothing music along with heart-felt thoughts such as " You are loved", "Abundant Peace", "Infinite Joy", "Fill your Heart" and more... send a loved one a message from your heart today and see how wonderful you feel... and they will too.

The e-card from Conscious Greetings are free, and you can send the same card & message to as many as 10 people at a time. Enjoy!

ecard, greetings, greeting card