Article Archive Updated

I've recently added more articles to my article archive.

Visit my listing at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jodie_Foster


articles, article writing

Productive rambling uncovers your goals

Goal setting- is it really as difficult as it can sound? Not really.

Sitting down with a pad of paper, set a timer for 10 minutes and write your stream of thought. Do not take your pen up off the paper, even if it seems you are just rambling. As you write, you'll be surprised just how many inner thoughts will surface to be written down. Usually the 'to do' list comes out first, but underneath that you'll begin to see the inner desires and thoughts. Keep writing. If you feel unfinished when the timer goes off, keep writing. There is no limit, just a minimum of 10 minutes.

After you're finished take a separate piece of paper and make a list of all the themes that are in your ramblings. Those subjects, or themes are the beginnings of your goals list.

Think about each item on your list. What would you like to have happen? What do you see a year down the road? Write it down on your goal list.

Often it is the clutter in our mind that keeps us from realizing our goals. Sorting the subjects that float around in your mind can easily lead you to uncover the things you would like to have in your life.

Do this exercise often to keep your mind clear.

As you accomplish each goal, put a checklist next to it on your list and pat your self on the back. What new goal will you add to your list in it's place? The sky's the limit. You can accomplish any goal you set your mind to.

goal setting, Goals, Motivation, Success

Fear of Abundance?

Abundance: The Fear of Abundance

Is it possible for someone to fear abundance?
Who would not want to live the abundant life?

Polarity is a universal law. The law of polarity contends that everything has its polar opposite. The scales of life assures the existence of polar opposites. In conjunction with the Law of Rhythm, everything returns where it begins. Like a pendulum swinging, this is life. Meaning those things that begin with great expectations manifest greatness. Those things that begin with the purpose for serving humanity and the greater good manifest as beacons of light.

Everyone who researches the field of human potential, human development, personal development, religion, philosophy…at some point crosses the concept of a human emotion often called fear. It is comfortable for us to talk about the fear of poverty, however, we ignore our fear of abundance.

The reality is, if you fear poverty, then you fear its polar opposite–abundance. If you fear poverty you fear wealth and abundance. All these fears congest our lives and we are literally paralyzed.

Fear impacts our expectations. The principle of Expectations is linked to the Law of Abundance hence, "so a man thinketh so he is." The principle of Expectations contends that energy follows thought. If you fear poverty, then somewhere inside, you believe you will live in poverty. Consequently, energy has followed this thought and in due time, your expectation of poverty actualizes.

Now the connection between the fear of poverty and the fear of abundance. Let’s just end this debate right now. No one wants to live in poverty. Poverty means you have very limited options, and no assets. When you live in poverty, you struggle and have limited options. Moreover, poverty means your basic needs are at threat, limited, or diminished. Even those who take a vow of poverty for religious or spiritual purposes have there basic needs met.

So why would anyone have a fear of abundance? Some people believe that abundance and wealth would only lead to corruption and destruction of the human spirit. Not one person who is corrupted or on the path of destruction is living the abundant life. NOT ONE. Abundance is not just about material wealth, however, it does not exclude material wealth!

Abundance is about living healthy, vibrant, with purpose, resources, meaningful relationships, and a strong sense of our true self. Material wealth is a manifestation of mental and spiritual wealth that lies within the individual. We should not concern ourselves with the fear that material wealth will corrupt us. Material wealth, including money, will only make you more of what you already are.

Therefore, if you are kind, giving, loving, and creative, you will be even more kind, giving, loving, and creative while enjoying a life of abundance. If you are insecure, selfish, hoarding, and deceitful, you will be even more insecure... Read the Full Post


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carmellita Brown is Wellness and Success Coach. She is the instructor of the Online course entitled: Abundance Training 101: The Universal Law of Abundance available at: http://universalclass.com/i/crn/14056.htm and the online Course entitled Lose Weight While Becoming a Wellness Coach” available at http://universalclass.com/i/crn/9478.htm.

I received these today

and I've been smiling all afternoon...

It's the simple things that bring joy- like receiving roses when you least expect them. What simple things in life bring you the most joy & makes you smile?

Reincarnation, soul connections & more...

Do you believe in reincarnation, past lives and soul connections? Have you had experiences remembering a life you lived before?

It's been my personal experience, as well as experiences with hundreds of clients over the years, that we are influenced by our past lives and memories. Some of these memories are powerful and speak to our level of mastery in areas of our life and evolution. Other memories or unconscious feelings can be from traumatic death experiences or soul connections that have been triggered by meeting that soul in this present life.

What past life memories have you realized in your life? Do feel partcularly drawn to an area of the world, do you remember a town you lived in, a job or task that you performed, or a tragedy that keeps entering your dreams?

Please click on the comments link below this post and share your past life memory, or experiences you have had regarding a soul connection. Maybe you think its all mumbo jumbo as her question states below- let me know what you think!


The following is an except from the Intent blog about past life memories. You can click on the link to read the full post.

- from Intent Blog
Reincarnation, soul connections, astrology, intuition, past live regressions, reiki
Kavita Chhibber - June 25, 2006

Is it all mumbo jumbo?

I had my first encounter with reincarnation when I was 11. My dad was sent for a 2 month military course, along with several other officers from different parts of the country. The course coincided with our summer vacation; the place where it was held was very scenic, so while the dads were away training, the moms and kids, all of similar age groups bonded.

One day I over heard my friend Amrita(name changed) fighting with her younger brother Anuj(name changed) and she said at the end-"Go back to your fruit selling, you fruit seller's son..go push your cart and say-3 tomatoes for a buck." Anuj went crying to his mom. He was about 6 then. The next time Amrita teased her brother, many other kids ganged up on him, along with her until Amrita's mother overheard the commotion and called all of us to her house along with our moms. She said that after her son was born, he remembered his past life as a fruit seller's son and that he had died young after being bitten by a snake. Every one indulged him thinking it to be the creative imagination of a young child, until he started insisting he wanted to see his parents and tell them he was okay, and gave the address. When finally they gave in and went to the address, they did find the fruit seller, and the story of his death was accurate. Many years later when I reconnected with my friend in college, I was told as Anuj grew older his past life memory became hazy and he forgot everything... Read the Full Post


past lives, karma, reincarnation, Soul, Soul connection

Q. What is intuition?

Intuition comes from attention to inner self

question from-- W.R., Boca Raton

A. Nancy Pohle and Ellen Selover of the Association for Research and Enlightenment have addressed this question in detail. They illustrate below that intuitive impressions come in a variety of different ways.

"Clairvoyance [clear seeing or clear vision] is experienced when an individual discerns objects, people, or situations, not with the physical eyes, but with an internal sense sometimes referred to as the `third eye.'

"Clairaudience [clear hearing] is the ability to receive thoughts or information about a person or situation through an auditory sense instead of a visual one. It often comes as a voice that is literally heard either directly in the brain or through the auditory sense, as if it comes from beside or behind the person."

Clairsentience [clear sensing] is probably the most frequent way intuition manifests in our lives; through hunches, gut feelings, or a sense of knowing. This `sensing' is often accompanied by a physical sensation in the solar plexus or in the heart area."

At times, intuition may come as a thought that walks across the mind in a natural although subtle manner. When intuition comes to us in this way, it is so much like the regular musings of our mind that we can easily miss, dismiss or mistake for our own ruminations."

Edgar Cayce said, "Seek not from without, but to those voices, feelings and vibrations that arise from within."

The regular practice of prayer and meditation will open the channels for intuitive communication. The more spiritually attuned we become, the greater our ability to understand, interpret and follow through on the guidance we receive.

Liz Sterling is founder of LifeWorks in Boca Raton.
Posted June 10 2206
Sun-Sentinel.com

intuition, edgar cayce, clairvoyant

10 More Easy Activities to Reduce Stress

Managing stress can be challenging for anyone with a busy lifestyle, a hectic job, a family, a health concern, or concern about a loved one. Stress doesn't discriminate. It can and does affect everyone. Some people notice it in subtle ways like feeling more tired at the end of the day, or feeling tightness in your shoulder and neck muscles. Others notice profound effects such as migraine headaches, back pain, upset stomach or ulcers, even hair loss and addictive eating patterns.

Stress is a major health concern since we have become a technological society with ever increasing financial burdens and the need for both parents to work outside the home. The family dynamic has changed radically since the 1950's and earlier. More ways to cope with a hectic life and to reduce stress are needed.

Here are 10 more easy ways to reduce stress:

• Eat only when you are hungry. Food is necessary fuel to sustain your body, but eating to fill a void or to comfort yourself in times of stress only adds more stress to your body.
• Eat healthy food. Junk food and high caffeine drinks add to stress and do not properly feed or nourish your body. While they may give you a small sense of instant gratification, think about how you will feel hours later. Eating a balanced, healthy diet will reduce the stress on your body, will sustain your energy for longer periods of time and help you get a good night's sleep.
• Laugh. Rent a comedy and enjoy yourself before going to bed. It will release the tension built up in your muscles throughout the day and will prepare you for a solid night's sleep. Laughter is also a way to reduce stress when you are with others. It can relieve tension in a group and put everyone at ease.
• Create a routine that works for you each day. Having a specific focus and a routine to follow can be very soothing and meditative for most people.
• Meditate or pray in the morning and again before bed. This can be a simple exercise of clearing your mind of all thoughts and focusing on your breath for 5 minutes. You'll feel much calmer throughout the day and notice the effect it has on reducing your stress. You will respond to situations in a lighter, more balanced way.
• Keep a journal. Writing thoughts and events that happened during the day in a journal before you go to bed can be very freeing for your mind. Going to sleep while ruminating about the events of the day only makes you relieve them in your sleep. This is stressful on your mind as well as your body.
• Write a ‘to-do’ list each night before going to bed. This will ease your mind and you will not spend the night worrying about the next day and whether or not you will remember to do something. Keep the list small and written for the next day only. Make a separate list that includes big, long term things to do. Post it on your fridge so it has a place of importance, but it is not next to your bed. Remember to check off things as you have accomplished them.
• Clean the house. Clutter adds stress to your mind and body by accumulating stagnant energy which adds pressure to your life. Sort and organize your space so that you feel calmer in your environment.
• Give away all the clutter that no longer serves you. If you haven't used and item or worn a piece of clothing for one year, it’s a good sign that it is time to release it. Cleaning your closet can be calming and can give you a sense of accomplishment. Your heart will also be lighter from having gifted those items to someone who may need them, i.e. Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc.
• Receive. Allow yourself to receive care and concern from others around you. Resisting their affection or help only adds more burden to your already long to-do list. Their love and attention is also very healing for your heart and mind. You deserve to receive just as you give. It is a two way street. By only giving and resisting receiving, you delete your energies without replenishing. This adds stress to your body, mind and spirit. Receive. You deserve it!
  

Above all, remember that you are doing your best each day. You are only one person and you can only do so much each day. Know your limits and stick to them. Learn how to say, "No." It may just be the best stress reducer of all!


© 2006 Jodie Foster

stress, Anxiety, depression, Mental Health

When the cravings take over...

Someone asked me today about food cravings...

"Why do I feel out of control sometimes? It's like this little voice inside takes over and all I want is food that I know is not good for me."

Well, there can be a variety of reasons physically such as hormones, candida, etc. But, one of the most predominant reasons, or should I say instigators is emotion. Usually when there are feelings churning within, but you aren't in touch with what they are, they will kick avoidance mechanisms into gear. Once such avoidance mechanism is food cravings.

Ever have one of those days or a night watching tv when suddenly you want chocolate or anything sweet and you will go out of your way to find it? Have you ever driven an extra 5 or 10 miles just to get the type of food you're craving- the one thing you can't seem to get out of your mind?

What feelings are you trying to squash down by getting your body drunk on sugar or fattening foods?

When we have surges of unknown feelings like fear, anger, guilt or sadness, we don't really want to acknowledge them or feel them, so we eat to cover it up. It would be helpful to sit down with a pad of paper when you notice these types of cravings taking place and simply start writing. It doesn't really matter where you start. Just write your stream of consciousness; write about what is going through your mind in the moment and just see where it leads.

Usually this sort of writing will lead you to what the feelings are inside- what is really going on with you. By taking the time to slow down, give your feelings a voice and a safe place to express, they will surface into your conscious awareness. Feel the feelings. You will feel lighter and less inclined to eat emotionally or mindlessly.

If you find that you have anger bottled up inside and it comes out in your writing, give it permission to really come out. Allow yourself to write the anger, scribbling and tearing the paper if it helps. When you feel empty as if all the anger is spent- take the pages outside and burn them in a safe manner, such as a BBQ grill, fireplace, chiminea or a old coffee can. Watching the pages burn you'll see the anger transmuting, going up in smoke. It is a relieving feeling.

You may notice that you are very tired after a writing and burning session. Releasing heavy emotion can be more tiring and draining than an entire day of hard physical labor. Get some rest and drink lots of water. The water will help flush the emotional residue out of your physical body and rehydrate you.

Regardless of what the feelings are about, just know that it's safe to feel the feelings and release them. Holding onto them only makes you uncomfortable, overwhelmed, upset and hurt. The cravings are a good indicator. Find an outlet for your feelings rather than burying them with food, alcohol, etc. Even work can be used to avoid feeling your feelings...

food addictions, food cravings, addiction, emotional health, self help

Joy...

All over the world.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNF_P281Uu4

Music makes us Smarter & Healthier

Music Thought To Enhance Intelligence, Mental Health And Immune System
Source: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Posted: June 22, 2006

A recent volume of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences takes a closer look at how music evolved and how we respond to it. Contributors to the volume believe that animals such as birds, dolphins and whales make sounds analogous to music out of a desire to imitate each other. This ability to learn and imitate sounds is a trait necessary to acquire language and scientists feel that many of the sounds animals make may be precursors to human music.

Another study in the volume looks at whether music training can make individuals smarter. Scientists found more grey matter in the auditory cortex of the right hemisphere in musicians compared to nonmusicians. They feel these differences are probably not genetic, but instead due to use and practice.

Listening to classical music, particularly Mozart, has recently been thought to enhance performance on cognitive tests. Contributors to this volume take a closer look at this assertion and their findings indicate that listening to any music that is personally enjoyable has positive effects on cognition. In addition, the use of music to enhance memory is explored and research suggests that musical recitation enhances the coding of information by activating neural networks in a more united and thus more optimal fashion.

Other studies in this volume look at music's positive effects on health and immunity, how music is processed in the brain, the interplay between language and music, and the relationship between our emotions and music.

The Neurosciences and Music II is volume 1060 of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences .

music, healing, health

Update for Subscribers

Just a quick note to everyone who subscribes to Intuitive Innovations blog...

I know you haven't been receiving regular email updates from the Bloglet provider. I have finally corrected this by shifting to Feedblitz.

What does this mean? It means you will start receiving email updates once again- yeah! I apologize for the confusion and the interruption of service... I finally looked into the problem this afternoon and turns out Bloglet is no longer providing service and has recommended everyone transfer to Feedblitz.

Thanks so much for subscribing to my blog. I hope the updates will be a welcome addition to your email inbox!

Blessings,
Jodie

Solstice Flashpoint: Enter the Revolution

June Solstice 2006

The Solstice this week is a profound expression of the times we live in, the path we have chosen.

Solstice occurs when the Sun enters Cancer, this year at 8:26 AM EDT, 12:26 PM GMT on June 21. There are layers upon layers of significance in this moment. Our level of consciousness as we pass through the Solstice gateway will be imprinted into future generations. The implications are limitless.

Energetically, the Solstice chart for June 21, 2006, resembles the Grand Fixed Cross Solar Eclipse of August 11, 1999, and the Harmonic Concordance of November 8-9, 2003, two pivotal moments in the transformation of consciousness leading to and through 2012. Both accompanied mass spiritual awakenings.

And now we have the June Solstice 2006. This Grand Cross initiation portal is a unique event of infinite potential amplified by the Solstice gateway and Pluto's conjunction with the Galactic Heart.

The Solstice

Solstices and equinoxes are cardinal points of the solar year, marking special alignments of Sun, Earth and Moon as the Sun makes his annual journey through the zodiac. On the Solstices, we have the longest and shortest days of the year; at equinoxes, day and night are of equal length.
These, along with the cross-quarter Sabbats, are highly charged energetic portals when the veils between worlds thin and our intent radiates throughout the galaxy.

In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re approaching Midsummer, the apex of the Solar Year. In the pagan calendar, Litha is a time to pause and celebrate between the agricultural seasons of planting and harvesting. In the Southern Hemisphere, we honor the Return of Light, the promise of new life during the longest night of the year.

While the Equinoxes are a point of balance, the Solstices are a point of extremes. We're certainly seeing extremes played out in our world today, as well as in our personal lives.

The Cross

Much of the power behind this Solstice erupts from a Grand Cross in fixed signs. Mars and Saturn in Leo oppose Chiron in Aquarius; Jupiter in Scorpio opposes the Moon in Taurus. The zodiacal symbols of these signs (the bull, the lion, the eagle and man) synch up with the imagery of the "four beasts of the apocalypse" described in Bible prophecy. The arrival of these energetic messengers tells us the end of the world (as we know it) is here.
A new consciousness is being born.

Divine consciousness is encoded in the symbol formed by the planets in the Grand Cross. The equal-armed cross is the symbol of the Cosmic Christ, Quetzalcoatl, Melchizedek, Padmasambhava and other enlightened masters. The cross symbolizes the union of opposites, the resolution of duality...unity consciousness.

A Grand Fixed Cross, formed by different planets, was in place at the Total Solar Eclipse on August 11, 1999, a moment of inflooding divine cosmic intelligence, a mass spiritual awakening.
This cross reminds us the old is passing away. A new paradigm is being born. The cross represents a turning point, a new beginning.

Through the Grand Cross/Solstice portal, we have a special opportunity to:
- Redirect the focus of the self in relation to the collective- Reach beyond our individual lives, beyond our communities and nations to connect with the Cosmos- Heal personal wounds so we may walk fully in our power and serve at a higher level- Merge the spiritual and material planes
Within the tense squares and oppositions of this cross, there's tremendous energy for change. In an instant, we could release the past and emerge as bold, courageous, creative, empowered individuals expressing a specific destiny and purpose.

Or we could lock ourselves down in old, comfortable, outdated patterns, allowing the emotions of past hurts to control us or diminish our highest expression. Is this your cross to bear, or a cross of purification and initiation? It's your choice.

The Fire

Energies are running high as the Solstice alignment heats up. The Sun, Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus are all in emotional-water signs, while Mars, Saturn and Pluto transit creative-fire signs. Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius fan the flames. The lunar node at 0 degrees of Aries sets off this astro-pressure cooker.

The Sun's entry into Cancer, the sign of nurturing and home, is a heart-warming event celebrated with dance, song and feasting in the northern latitudes. This year's Solstice is complicated by hard aspects to the Sun from the Moon's nodes and transiting Pluto out there in the fringes of our solar system, aligned with the Galactic Center.

Pluto opposes the Sun, purging the Self of emotional and karmic debris to prepare our hearts for the infusion of Divine Love coming our way when he crosses the exact degree of the Galactic Center later this year. The north node at 0 Aries emphasizes the initiation aspect of the Solstice gateway. The first degree of the first sign of the zodiac represents a new beginning at a higher level of consciousness. The Aries Point could bring integration, balance and wholeness upon completion of a cycle. Aries is also the headstrong, impetuous warrior, eager to set free the energies of initiation.

The efficiency of this chart is astounding. This is a flashpoint, a moment of cosmic potential.


Quantum Opportunity

The June Solstice alignment creates an extraordinary opportunity for higher, expanded awareness to infuse a new reality on planet Earth. Your participation is requested.
What you are holding in your consciousness at this special alignment will be magnified throughout the cosmos and all dimensions. How will you focus the energies in this moment?
To find the time of the Solstice alignment in your area, check the World Time Clock:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

Whether you're at work, in school, at home, in temple or at an ancient stone circle, you could hold an intention of peace and empowerment in the moment when the planets align in their sacred dance.

As you focus, you are simultaneously receiving the initiatory frequencies and transmitting them with your personal energy signature into the Earth grid and throughout the Cosmos. Bring this energy, especially, to the hot spots on our planet - Indonesia, the Middle East, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, and others you know about.

Critical mass is forming now, today, to facilitate a shift of consciousness unprecedented on planet Earth. How will you spend this moment of extreme opportunity?

It's your choice.


Solstice Soul Attunement

If you've been sleeping or weeping a lot the past week, you're not alone. Emotional clearing is intensified as we make our way through the Solstice alignment. We're recalibrating to a higher frequency.

The Grand Cross formed by two pairs of opposing planets all square to each other is a symbol rich in metaphysical meaning. This equal-armed cross represents the union of seeming opposites. Darkness and light. Masculine and feminine. Heaven and Earth. Spirit and matter.
To help bring our experience of masculine energies into balance, we have the two male powerhouses in this cross - Mars and Saturn - together in Leo both opposing the tiny planetoid Chiron. The conjunction of Mars and Saturn was exact on June 17. Their opposition to Chiron continues through the Solstice.

Personal and social change is on the horizon.

Saturn-Chiron

Saturn represents father, karma, control, responsibility, law, structure, the status quo. Chiron, his son, chose a different path. He is the holistic practitioner, the metaphysician, the visionary, artist and wounded healer. They have been locked in opposition for the past 19 years, and we've been dealing with issues of authority, conditioning, limitation, personal and cultural wounding throughout this time. We're facing up to our choices, paying off karmic debt, healing the wounds of childhood.

That pattern is about to change.

This is the final direct opposition in this cycle. After the Solstice, Saturn and Chiron will go their separate ways. If we're willing to take responsibility for our choices, freedom from the past is imminent in this release.

On the collective level, the Saturn-Chiron cycle helps raise human consciousness from the level of personal, self-interest to a state of broader, social action infused by an awareness of the indwelling spirit of all creation.

The current cycle began in 1966 and lasts until 2028. Think of the changes in social awareness that happened throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and you'll get a picture of the potential in this passage. Saturn-Chiron deals with important changes in the mentality of the individual in relation to the collective. Social movements arise. Often these shifts are not easy, and occur only after a series of dramatic changes.

Mars-Chiron

The Mars-Chiron opposition is the mid-point of a two-year cycle that began in March 2005. Mars-Chiron offers the opportunity to heal the martyr complex, the clinging to woundedness so common among holistic, metaphysical students and practitioners.

In healing deep wounds today, we need to move beyond embracing the pain and forgiving others. Forgiveness implies someone has wronged us. From the perspective of the soul, there is no right or wrong, only experiences that contribute to our evolution.

We've felt our pain, experienced the illusion of separation. Now it's time to move on.

Together, Saturn, Mars and Chiron encourage us to walk the edge between authority and autonomy, to stand in our wholeness and reclaim our power as defined by Self, not by Other.
With this Solstice passage, everything you've ever dreamed of is yours, in an instant, if you'll let go of the past, the beliefs and wounding, the illusion of limitation that have held you back. Allow the Solstice fires to purify your being. Come home to your soul.

In letting go of the past, the promise of an enlightened, empowered life is fulfilled. We are free to create joyfully, to live from the heart, to see through the eyes of a child. This is a gift of higher consciousness.

Enjoy the journey!

Allison Rae
http://www.StarPriestess.com

solstice, solstice june 2006, astrology, earth changes

Furry Friends- More than Just Friends

The Pet Prescription
See Spot run. Then see Spot lower your blood pressure and boost your immunity. Really.

By Josh Fischman
USNews.com
12/12/05

FALLS CHURCH, VA. --"Can I pet your dog?" asks Suzi Zarkin, leaning over a rangy yellow Labrador, who picks up his square head at the sound of her voice. "Sure. His name is Miles," says Leslie Horton. A typical street-corner conversation, but this is no street. It's the oncology floor at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia.

Zarkin, 26, of the nearby city of Alexandria, confers quietly with Horton and then the trio sets off on a journey down the hall toward a window, Zarkin gripping the stiff handle of Miles's harness. "OK, Miles, we're almost there, almost there," Zarkin says. It's her third day in the hospital; she's battling cancer in her spine. "My right leg is pretty much paralyzed from the knee down. Miles was helping me keep steady. If I have a dog to walk, and my cane, too, I can go forever. I love the dogs that come up here. It just makes me feel better."

That means more than just an emotional boost. The unconditional support shown by a pet inspires physical benefits, too, says Horton, who directs the hospital's animal-assisted therapy program, one of the largest in the country. "We have patients who have trouble walking down one hallway, but when we put them next to a dog, they do two hallways or four." More exercise leads to more strength, shorter hospital stays, and faster recoveries. And not just at Inova Fairfax. A few weeks ago, researchers at University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center reported that heart-failure patients had better heart function after a bedside visit from a dog. Pet owners are also more likely to survive a heart attack than non-pet owners, regardless of the severity of disease. And caring for animals reduces antisocial behavior in troubled teens and children. Discoveries such as these have inspired a boom in animal-assisted therapy, in which animals, under the supervision of a physical therapist, nurse, or other professional, work to help patients achieve specific rehabilitation goals.

Pet chemistry. But before people start to gush about pets as cure-alls--and there are plenty of willing gushers--experts caution that animal therapy has limits. "Look, a visit from a dog is not a panacea," says Erika Friedmann, a biologist at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore who studies human-animal interactions. Research hasn't shown miracles, and some studies haven't shown any advantage at all.

And to clear up one point quickly for the owners of America's 90-odd million cats: Most animal-assisted therapy uses dogs. It's not that cats can't help, but more people are allergic to them. And every time they work in hospitals, therapy animals have to get a bath and have their teeth brushed. It's hard to find a cat that will put up with that.

Pet benefits may begin with changes in body chemistry... Read the Full Article

dogs, Puppies, Pets, Pets and healingpet therapy

Are you worthy?

Do you have difficulty owning your true self worth?

Is it difficult for you to stand up tall within yourself and really feel good about yourself?

Do you have an undercurrent that runs within you that tells you you're not good enough? or that you don't meet the standard? or that something is wrong with you?

Many people carry this inner belief that permeates through their entire being and tainting every thing they do, see, touch, or create. It is like a corrupted computer software program that eats away at your computer as a virus. Low self worth, or believing that you have no worth can be as debilitating to your system as a computer virus on your hard drive. It is a false program that you believed as true.

When you give power to a false idea or belief, it is similar to the power that propaganda has. False beliefs feed on your true sense of power within, corrupting your energy and mindset, until you surrender to its message- the message that you aren't good enough to be worthy.

Usually when you think back and really take a good look at yourself, you can't find anything that you did that was so bad to cause you to be unworthy. And whose invisible standard are you measuring yourself against to say that you aren't good enough?

When we compare ourselves to others, or to implied standards, we are creating the harshes judge within ourselves and choosing to give him all might power over us. Does this sound like the best thing to you? Not to me.

Working to build your self worth means uncovering your true spirit within and to stop comparing yourself to others. Owning your true self worth means owning your power. It means claiming that you not only have a right to exist, but that you are worthy of it!

Marianne Williamson's book- A Woman's Worth is an excellent read for owning your true worth.

self worth, self esteem, Self Confidence

Very Intense week beginning...

Astrologick Weekly Forecast Report
June 16-22, 2006
By Gary Paul Glynn

Turbulent Waters Ahead

"Fasten your seatbelts, this week looks like a bumpy ride as a cluster of some of the more volatile alignments gather in the heavens. Most of the action appears centered around this coming weekend with Sun opposing Pluto; Mars conjunct Saturn, Mars square Jupiter and Uranus stationary retrograde. This last item sets a strong undertone of collective uncertainty and instability, providing a setup that can make the other alignments more problematic than might normally be the case. Uranus' reputation for unexpected developments is well known - particularly when it appears to stand still (station) ahead of a directional change. In this case, we're looking at Uranus turning retrograde on Monday, in the middle of Pisces (15 Pisces) which could manifest as sudden revelations involving previous deceptions or something far more explosive when fused with Mars-Saturn.

Prometheus Unbound

Individuals with planets or sensitive points located in mid-Pisces where Uranus is currently stationing are highly susceptible to the uncertainty factor. For instance, people born on or close to March 5 have their Sun located at 14-15 Pisces which suggests sudden changes, abrupt departures or intense revelations involving themselves or people they are closely related to (particularly men, fathers or bosses). This can also manifest in the way of rebellious freedom and doing one's own thing - rules be damned! Yet with Saturn (rules) in the headlines this weekend, the possibility is strong that there will be repercussions for flip-off behaviors. The same more-or-less holds true for individuals with their Sun or planets located in the middle degrees of Virgo, Sagittarius or Gemini.

Burning one's bridges is a favorite Uranus-Sun pastime, as is breaking the chains that bind one to the known, familiar and oftentimes dull (Saturn). Considering that Uranus is one of the three outer planets, it tends to work through the unconscious mind - often bringing change in a form that appears to originate outside of ourselves (fate). This can occur with a job or a relationship in which a person feels stifled or profoundly unhappy, yet clings to it out of a feeling of security.

Uranus can often show up by way of the partner doing something (like having an affair) that ends the repressive relationship; or perhaps by getting oneself fired from a dead end job - without ever consciously doing anything to provoke these responses.Uranus is about breaking new ground by way of invention, innovation, excitement, revolution, rebellion, breakdowns, accidents and radical extremes in behavior. If you find yourself getting smacked-down by the unexpected, get up, brush yourself off and go with the flow - Uranus represents the universe granting your unspoken request.

The Big Picture

Chances are good that this coming week will see more than one major shake-up on the world stage as the primary thrust of the current cluster of alignments involving the traditional "malifics" is pointing toward the need for accountability; something we seem to be collectively lacking in a profound way.

This weekend's Mars-Saturn conjunction is a case in point, placing a greater emphasis on taking responsibility for actions or facing the consequence. With the Moon's North Node* crossing the Aries Point** - reaching the most intense location this week - we might see something new emerge with regard to the use of force. Whether this involves a resistance to violence, frustration or explosive release is hard to say, but considering the symbolism of Saturn is restriction and containment while Mars is about outwardly directed energy and fire, you can see where the notion of explosive force comes from. In addition, Mars-Saturn will move opposite Chiron even as Jupiter moves into a square alignment to Mars-Saturn later in the week, placing even more stress on this volatile combination via a tense, T-Square configuration.

Speaking of Jupiter square Saturn, this alignment becomes exact on June 22, marking the second of three such alignments between these planets due to retrograde. Of all the alignments, the 20-year Jupiter-Saturn cycle is the one most closely associated with social, political, religious and financial changes. The current cycle opened in Spring/Summer 2000 when Jupiter and Saturn were conjunct one another (what the ancients called "The Great Conjunction"). This was back when George W. Bush became a major player in the run-up to the 2000 election as well as the dot.com market crash that wiped-out trillions of dollars in tech stocks, just to name two of the more memorable events.

The current square alignment between Jupiter and Saturn is what astrologers call a "separating square" in that Jupiter (the faster moving of the two) forms a 90-degree aspect away from Saturn, testing the structures that came into being in 2000. Such tests tend to point to the strength of existing boundaries in the face of expansive growth as well as hard reality vs. unfounded optimism. The first of the current series of Jupiter-Saturn squares occurred back in December, at the same time that the Bush administration first denied, then defended the secret NSA wiretaps on Americans. Between now and the final Jupiter-Saturn square in October, we'll see where all of this is going. Hopefully, corrections will be made now as the next major phase of this cycle will take place when Jupiter moves opposite Saturn in 2010-2011 - a time when any unfinished business we're faced with now reaches culmination.

Summer Solstice

Amid all of this troubling news, we see the temperatures rising steadily as we head toward Midsummer. The Sun reaches its furthest point north of the celestial equator (Tropic of Cancer) even as it enters the tropical zodiac sign of Cancer on Wednesday, June 21 at 8:26 a.m. Although the Summer Solstice is seen as the beginning of Summer, it is actually the midpoint; and from here, the days will begin to gradually grow shorter in length. The blaze of Midsummer gives birth to a tiny seed of Winter's darkness which will grow over the course of the next six months. And so the wheel of light and darkness turns . . ."


Gary Paul Glynn is a professional astrologer with over 25 years experience in personal birthchart interpretation and is available for consultations by appointment. His bimonthly astrology forecast can be found in the May-June edition of Branches Magazine or at http://www.branches.com. You can reach Gary at 812-333-1346, or mailto:gpg@bluemarble.net


astrology, Horoscope

Full Moon Overdrive

April Elliot at Big Sky Astrology writes in her blog:

Eclipse Midpoints: Kickin' up dust

Just when the dust had finally settled from last March's eclipses, along come this month's lunations to kick it up again.

On June 11, the Full Moon at 20.41 Sagittarius formed a feisty square to last March 14's lunar eclipse point (at 24 Virgo). And on June 25, the New Moon at 3.58 Cancer squares the solar eclipse point at (8 Aries) last March 29.

Eclipses tend to briefly grab our attention twice each year, at six month intervals, when the eclipses actually happen. But like all astrological events, eclipses are part of larger cycles and represent not just solitary moments in our lives, but ongoing processes. Eclipses themselves are ground zero of a pivotal turning point in your life; but the midpoints in the cycle, when the New and Full Moons reach the 90 degree mark between the year's eclipse points, are turning points within turning points... Read the Full Post

astrology, full moon

Something I found roaming...

Thanks to Living A Full Life blog:

What I wish people knew....

• An apple core left under the van seat begins to stink in hot weather.
• Spiders, toads and bugs come into the house when you open the back door 250 times in a 5 minute span.
• Dogs do not like the trampoline.
• The air conditioner can not do the job if you open every window and door in the house.
• Peacocks scream loudly. They also charge small childen holding pretzels.
• Under the couch is not an appropriate place to store books, socks and shoes.
• The ice cream needs to go in the freezer, not the pantry.
• Toothpaste will not go back into the tube. Stop trying.
• There is no magic fairy to turn off lights.
• Play-doh is not a subsitute for glue, breakfast or floor covering.

What would be on your list of things you wish people knew??

I had to think a few minutes, then came up with this list of my own:

• Other people are trying to shop in the same grocery aisle.
• Red lights do mean STOP.
• Blinkers are meant to be used.
• Relationships work better when both people are participating.
• Grunting is not a replacement for actual conversation.
• Not everyone is a morning person.

I'm sure I could come up with a few more if I spent some time on it.

What's on your list? Leave some comments and share your thoughts.

Full Moon Sunday

This month's full moon forecast by astrologer Stephanie Austin has been posted at Intuitive Living.

" The next full moon peaks on Sunday, June 11th at 11:03 AM PDT at 21º Gemini-Sagittarius. This extra potent Full Moon heightens our awareness of the power of the mind and the power of our beliefs. The Gemini Twins gather and share information; The Sagittarian Archer aims for the truth. What do we think, and what do we know? What have we learned, and what were we born to teach?....." Read the full post

full moon, astrology

Are you a Perfectionist?

The Goddess of Happiness on Perfection:
Why It's Really Overrated
by Debbie Gisonni for iVillage


When I was a girl, I wanted the perfect nose - one of those small, indistinctive noses that blends into the background of the model's face on a magazine cover. My Italian genetics, however, gave me another type of nose: a little long, a little bumpy, not terribly unpleasant, but definitely ethnic. I've thought about fixing it many times, particularly when I started appearing on TV. (We all know the camera adds five pounds, and noses are no exception.) So far I've resisted the temptation partly because my nose is an integral part of who I am that I don't want to lose, and partly because there's a rebel inside of me who hates to conform to what society says is perfect.

I once read that when Sofia Loren was trying to get into the movies, she was told that everything about her was too big (nose, eyes, lips, body), but she didn't give up. She believed in her unique features, which has made her an undeniable goddess throughout her life. Even today, she continues to exude inner and outer beauty.

Women in particular seem to be conditioned to spend their entire lives chasing someone else's definition of perfection. The perfect face without wrinkles or prominent features, and a body without one dimple of cellulite! Have you ever met anyone like this? The perfect entertaining skills, where you gather the twigs and leaves you'll be gluing together for the table centerpiece prior to preparing a dinner from scratch for 12. Do you even own a glue gun? The perfect man who treats you like a queen, loves your mother and never leaves his dirty socks on the floor. Are you sure he's straight? C'mon, women - what 1950s sitcom are you living in? None of these scenarios resemble real life.

Think of perfection as the carrot on the end of a stick mounted to your head. You keep thinking you can grab it if you run hard enough, and sometimes you can get a little taste of it, but it's never enough. You want the whole thing, and even if you get that, right around the corner is another carrot waiting to be chased. You'll grow old and angry chasing perfection. So why bother? Wouldn't you rather spend time playing with your kids instead of mopping the kitchen floor? Wouldn't you rather look unique instead of like a mannequin? Wouldn't you rather be happy instead of perfect? I know I would, because when you're happy, everything is perfect.
Here, then, are three ways to stop chasing perfection:

• Redefine reality from what you see in the media to what you see around you in real life.
• Love your unique traits; they make you interesting to others.
• Be perfectly happy by enjoying everything you are and everything you have... every day.

perfection, life

Do you 'show up' ?

With the energies of our planet changing so rapidly, not only because of intense solar activity, but also the Pluto/Galactic Center conjunction that takes place through 2007, I am noticing more and more people 'out of body'. Why?

When things start shifting energetically so quickly, and emotional changes are happening, it can be challenging to stay grounded.

Being fully grounded means being fully present in the moment, or 'showing up'.

What are some tools for staying grounded?

• Hug a tree- trees are deeply rooted and have such a strong grounding energy running through them that just a few moments of hugging the tree will help you ground into your own body
• Carry a piece of Hematite stone in your pockets. These are shiny, charcoal-looking stones that are polished. You can usually find them at a metaphysical shop, or order them online. For people that have extreme difficulty being grounded, I suggest wearing hematite as ankle bracelets.
• Working with your root chakra energies is also helpful. In meditation, bring your focus to your root chakra and feel its energies radiating down your legs and running deep into the ground.
• Drink 1 drop of ingestible peppermint oil in a large glass of water. The oil is quite strong, so only use one drop. The peppermint oil bring you back into your body quickly. If you are traveling, carry a tin of original peppermint flavored Altoids. They have peppermint oil in them and will do in a time of need. ( ** It's importnant that the peppermint oil is ingestible- this is not aromatherapy oil!)
• Spend time in the garden planting, getting your hands in the earth. This helps you reconnect to your roots and to Mother Earth.

If you notice that you are out of body often, take time to check-in inside yourself. Ask some important questions:

• Am I avoiding feeling my feelings?
• Am I responding to outer energies, such as planetary activity, solar flares, etc?
• Am I feeling overwhelmed by someone else's energy or emotional drama?
• Am I avoiding my body?
• Do I want to be in my body?

These are just examples, you may have other questions you need to ask depending on your personal circumstances.

Are others counting on you to show up and be fully present? You may want to ask people close to you if they notice you being out of body often. If they do, maybe they can help you sort out when you are more apt to be out of body. Is there a particular time or theme that is predominant? Think about what might be causing you to vacate your body. Determining the possible 'why' behind your difficulty may pinpoint an issue that you need to address within yourself.

If you have difficulty with this and would like some assistance, consider scheduling an Intuitive Counseling session with me. You'll be surprised just how much information you'll receive along with other tools and support. You'll be much more grounded and ready to 'show up' for yourself and for the other important people in your life.

grounding, intuitive counseling, intuitive readings

Portrait of a Psychic Intuitive

Intuitive Energy Insights

Many people ask me how I started doing this work.

As a child, my earliest memory is being 3 years old and telling my mother things that I could not have possibly known. I would tell her stories about ladies she socialized with and various relatives. At first she thought I’d ‘overheard’ this information, but then realized that the stories were ones that were shared when I wasn’t there. I told her how the people felt, and about other people connected to them that I had never met. Eventually she became ‘used to’ my stories and knew I had something that was special.

Knowing things about people unfortunately brought sorrow to me early on in life when I ‘knew’ that my father was going to die. I was 7 years old. The day he died, my mother came to pick up my brother and me from elementary school. I already knew what had happened.

All though school, I knew what other people were feeling. Mostly I felt flooded by emotion, often reacting to feelings I’d ‘picked up’ from others. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I thought I was a basket case.

After these and many other experiences, I knew that I had to learn about what was happening to me. So, at the age of 17, through a series of highly synchronistic happenings, I began an internship with an Intuition specialist to learn about and hone my abilities.

During my training I began to understand some of what I went through as a child. I analyzed myself as I learned. To this day, I still work to sort myself from others’ feelings. I am more conscious of it now and it is relatively easy to sort.

My training was ‘hands-on’ in that I worked along side my mentor as he consulted with clients. I watched, studied, learned and joined the consultation. I explored their energy field, their issues and complaints (with their permission of course). This was my best form of training. Eventually I began to take over the consultation sessions, slowly building my own clientele as I trained.

My abilities fall under several categories, clairvoyant, clairaudient and clairsentient. Clairvoyant, meaning ‘clear seeing,’ is the ability to have visions or ‘see’ a psychic impression. Clairaudient, meaning ‘clear hearing,’ is the ability to ‘hear’ psychic information from another’s energy field or from higher guidance. Clairsentient, meaning ‘clear feeling,’ is the ability to ‘feel’ or sense the energy field of another and experience psychic impressions in an emotional or physical way.

My brother has a similar gift. We like to say he has ‘radar’ or his ‘antennas are on’ because he just ‘knows’ things. My abilities are similar, but are enhanced in the realm of sensing what is taking place in a person’s electromagnetic energy field. I am an Energy Intuitive, ‘seeing’, ‘knowing’ and ‘feeling’ others. Intuitives are not mind-readers. We are highly sensitive beings that have learned how to synthesize the information that we sense around us.

My training taught me to hone into the core of what is taking place in someone’s energy field. This ability allows me to get right to the center of an issue. The source may be karmic memory (past life related), childhood patterns, emotional overwhelm, mental confusion, etc. It may even be emotion that source’s from another person (like a child feeling a parent’s feelings).

I actively read anything I could get my hands on about intuition, counseling techniques, self-help books, meditation, etc. I took training courses, earned a degree in psychology, went on retreats, participated in workshops, learned breathwork, I even hosted my own meditation group. I gathered tools, tips, techniques and methods to develop my own intuition and I began to teach others. My internship lasted 5 years and by the time I completed my training, I had a full client list.

People of every walk of life are interested in learning about their intuition. Mostly, they are looking for answers. They have questions within themselves, feel conflicted and confused---- without answers! Ultimately they want to feel better. They are looking for a way to feel better about themselves, get past their fears and begin moving forward in their lives. They want more and don’t know how to get it.

During the coaching / intuitive counseling process, we begin sorting through the emotions, mental chatter and confusions. Collectively we analyze their current situation, the echoes of the past that are influencing them, and then develop an active approach to move forward and transform their lives.

My own intuitive energies come forth, guiding them and directing their inner quest. As intuitive messages come forward, I deliver them and help the client to surface the emotional / mental / physical / spiritual pieces involved to catalyze a transformation. The working plan of action may include various assignments and tasks for them to complete along with goals to work towards.
In this work, I promote active participation in clearing inner chatter and identifying old patterns. Intuition is an inherent trait within us all. Learning to listen to it, work with it and create life changes out it is a powerful experience that brings many rewards.

© 2005

Jodie Foster
Intuitive Readings ~ Intuitive Counseling
www.IlluminationsNetwork.com


psychic, Psychics, intuitive, intuitive counseling, intuitive readings, psychic readings