Since the heart and brain are constantly communicating, when we soothe our heart through this meditation we will also soothe our brain. You can find the audio guide here.
INTENTION
I connect to my heartbeat and breathe purely for a sense of relaxation. I experience my energy rise, and feel my insides sparkle.
1. Be completely relaxed. You can practice this anywhere, alone or in the presence of others, eyes open or closed, sitting, standing, or walking.
2. Bring the whole of your awareness to your heart. Imagine that your breath is flowing in through the heart and flowing out through the heart. Breathe more slowly, deeply, and expansively than before. Allow a few moments or minutes.
3. Think of an uplifting feeling or emotion that you have for someone or something. For example: love, appreciation, kindness, passion, happiness, joy, or something else that makes you feel really good. As you continue breathing through the heart, bring to mind that emotion and observe how it feels within your heart as you think about it. Spend as long as you wish here.
4. Now imagine sending that feeling out into the world, radiating a beam of love and light energy out to others and also back into your own heart. Use whatever imagery that comes to mind. Feel the energy and the power, and experience the impact this has on your heart.
5. Continue to carry this experience with you into the rest of your day.
Be receptive—Namaste.
This meditation is from Meditations for a Powerful You by Clare Connolly. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Sense Awareness
1. Sight: What is in your line of vision right now? Perhaps notice the colours—how light affects a colour so that it becomes more than just a hue. Notice how it is made up of multiple tones and even includes different colours. How many different shades of white can you see? How many different colours can you see within white? Name them.
When you are ready, let go of Sight and move your attention to Sound.
2. Sound: Imagine that the body is a radar picking up any sound that comes its way. Each sound is made up of a collection of notes; some make pleasing combinations, but others are more strident and unpleasant. Notice whether there is a physical response to a sound. If you find yourself creating a story about a sound, acknowledge it and let it go. We are simply tuning into the music of the universe right now. When you are ready, let go of Sound and move your attention to Smell.
3. Smell: Take a deep breath in through the nose. What do you notice? Continue to breathe in and explore scents and smells —liking, not liking, and indifference. When you are ready, let go of Smell and move your attention to Taste.
4. Taste: Become aware of any lingering taste or flavor in the mouth—is there a hint of something? Maybe not. Simply explore, without any expectation of finding anything. When you are ready, let go of Taste and move your attention to Touch.
5. Touch: Become aware of the different textures in contact with your skin. How do they feel? How many can you name? We may experience the touch of objects or clothing, or perhaps the environment—a cold draft against the skin. Become aware of how they may change or of others that come and go…
6. Finish by taking a moment to become aware of the body as a whole.
Discover more ways to meet the stress and demands of daily life with Unplug and Unwind. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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1. Prioritize taking time out in the day
Make time for small moments of enjoyment to have fika or, if you are in Finland, pullakahvi (coffee and a bun). If we don’t stop, we just keep on going and going. Even something small such as making a hot drink in your favourite mug with some loose-leaf tea and a strainer, rather than just chucking a teabag in a mug with a splash of milk, can make a moment more mindful.
2. Seek out the sun, especially in the morning
If you live in northern Europe, getting enough light in the winter months can be difficult, so prioritizing getting enough natural daylight is essential. When we are outside we get a boost of brain-energizing chemicals, particularly in the morning light.
3. Live seasonally
Allow yourself to “hibernate” during the darker and colder months, and don’t push yourself to be sociable and super active if you don’t want to be. Spend that time intentionally by making your house as comfortable as possible, adding plants to your windowsill, cooking seasonal comfort foods, knitting some socks, clearing out clutter, and hunkering down in front of a good movie for some fredagsmys (cozy Friday nights in).
4. Spend more time outdoors
Make a “date” with the outside world regularly, even schedule it in your diary if that is what it takes. Seek out activities that include an outdoor element, such as joining a walking or running group, hiking, foraging, and Nordic walking (a technique that involves walking with poles to work your upper body as well as your legs).
5. Practice resilience
Everyone has it in them to overcome hard times. Remember that you are stronger than you think. Remind yourself of how far you have come and all the obstacles you had to get through as proof that you have grit and courage within you.
6. Simplify your life and try to avoid consumerism
Surround yourself with nice things but don’t fall into that trap of believing that spending money on stuff makes you happy. We’ve all been there in Ikea, coming out with another Pärkla storage case instead of decluttering. There is a fine line in between taking up a new hobby and buying an excessive amount of gear for it, so aim for the sensible lagom approach here.
Find more in The Book of Nordic Self-Care by Elisabeth Carlsson. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Even the sound of the word “oak” evokes steadfastness and trust, perhaps of the self. A tree associated with that kind of endurance would seem to be a logical choice for a national tree, and the United States, Germany, Serbia, Cyprus, England, Estonia, France, Moldova, Romania, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Wales, Galicia, and Bulgaria concur.
Myths and legends about the oak abound. It was considered sacred to the Greek god Zeus and to gods in ancient Middle Eastern, Slavic, Estonian, Norse, Celtic, Saxon, Greek, and Roman traditions. It’s been associated with King Arthur and Robin Hood. In Welsh myths, the blossoms conjure magical realms. In many cultures, the oak tree is associated with heaven and hell, perhaps because of its roots, which are said to grow as deep as the tree is tall.
The psychologist Carl Jung saw the oak tree as representative of a balanced self; the hidden roots as an apt metaphor for the unconscious. I wonder if the oak’s lobed leaves that evoke the shape of the brain prompted that choice as well?
I was taken with the story of the Jackson Oak in Athens, Georgia, “The Tree that Owns Itself.” A stone tablet near the oak bears a summary of a transaction initiated by Colonel William H. Jackson in the early nineteenth century:
For and in Consideration
Of the Great Love I Bear
This Tree and the Great Desire
I Have for its Protection
For All Time, I Convey Entire
Possession of Itself and
All Land Within Eight Feet
Of the Tree on All Sides
Jackson treasured his memories of playing under the tree as a child, and wanted to protect it and the land where it grew, so he deeded the tree to itself. It was uprooted in a windstorm in 1942, but a replacement, the “Son of the Tree that Owns Itself,” was cultivated from a seedling
The Self and Selflessness
The oak imparts wisdom about the self and selflessness. Take responsibility for our actions, own and know ourselves, and remember that even after we’re gone, the acorns we planted will have grown into oaks.
Find more in Tree Wisdom by Alice Peck. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Dedicate a place
Find a specific location in your home for your meditation space. This can be a dedicated room, corner of a room, or wherever you can carve out a space for yourself. Ideally you will have a meditation cushion there all the time as a visual and spatial cue that reminds you to practice. Be sure to position yourself in the commanding position, or correct your view with a small mirror. This will support your practice tremendously.
I personally love the combination of a zafu (a small round meditation cushion) on top of a zabuton (large square meditation pad). The circle represents heaven and the square earth. It reminds me to connect to both heaven and earth as a human being in all of my life practices. Some people need two or more cushions depending on your body. If you fare better seated in a chair, you can get a thin chair cushion to serve as your meditation seat. The key is to find your meditation spot. You have permission to have your place on this earth and sit with mother earth supporting and holding you.
The colour of the cushions can be chosen based on what you are attracted to, or you can apply Five Element colour theory to assist:
Earth element: yellows, browns, and earthy tones for more stability and nourishment
Metal element: whites and grays for clarity and joy
Water element: blacks and midnight blues for wisdom and intuition
Wood element: blues, teals, and greens for growth and healing
Fire element: reds and fiery oranges for vitality and inspiration
This extract is from Mindful Homes by Anjie Cho. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Cut out pictures of your dream home, your perfect vacation, pet, or car! You may want to include pictures that represent finding love such as hearts and happy couples together. Or perhaps you have family and friends or work colleagues you want to include in your future vision. You can stick anything you want on your manifestation board. Words are just as powerful as pictures to illustrate what you are hoping for.
EXERCISE: How to Make Your Manifestation Vision Board
It is easy to create your own manifestation vision board. You will need some magazines, pictures, and photos, a computer and printer, a pair of scissors, some sticky tack or glue, and a piece of Ainsi-D (A1) white cardstock or a large pinboard.
The new edition of Manifest Your Everything by Nicci Roscoe is out now. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Fab Five
The moment when everyone arrives home after school or after work can be a challenging time, so try implementing the Fab Five:
For the first five minutes when everyone is reunited, the focus is simply on connecting: hugs and kisses, how are yous and I missed yous.
There’s no opening the mail, rushing to make dinner, nagging about homework, checking emails, or tidying the morning mess. There will be time for all that later; for the minutes of the Fab Five, it’s just about reconnecting with the ones you love.
Change It Up
We are creatures of habit—every day we might eat the same breakfast, drive the same way to work, park in the same spot, and walk the same route with the dogs. It’s not that habits are bad (indeed, having some things on auto-pilot frees up space in our head for more complicated activities), but habits can prevent us from engaging with our life with awareness.
Today, see if you can change up a habit—brush your teeth with the opposite hand, sit in a different spot in your meeting, walk a different way to the park. See what you notice when you’re not on auto-pilot.
The new edition of Self-care for Busy Mothers by Sarah Rudell Beach is out now. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Benefits of seshin
An at-home seshin routine
1. Acquire an exfoliating glove or mitt, which you can most likely find in the beauty aisle of most department stores. If you want a genuine Korean exfoliating mitt, a simple internet search will most likely give you options for where to purchase them online. Alternatively, a Korean grocer should also carry them.
2. Sit in a hot bath for at least 30 minutes. Short on time? Practicing seshin at the tail end of a hot shower will do the trick. This will help loosen up dead skin cells.
3. Take your exfoliating mitt or glove and scrub your whole body. Don’t forget your belly button, your ankles, and around your ears!
4. Enjoy how refreshingly invigorated your skin feels!
Note: Seshin is best practiced no more than once a week. Over-exfoliating the skin can be damaging and painful, and disturb the skin’s delicate microbiome and protective barrier.
Find more inside The Book of Korean Self-Care by Isa Kujawski. To get more great blog posts like this one – direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Whether you’re looking for an upbeat read or simply daily inspiration, The Little Book of Empathy by Kirsten Riddle will help you unleash your empathic superpower and let it grow and flow. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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There is a way to combine both exercise and meditation, and you can do it outside in nature, whether that nature is a sylvan glade, a seashore path, or the sidewalk between apartment buildings.
Here is a walking meditation practice based on the zen technique kinhin, which might seem familiar if you have ever intentionally walked a labyrinth. It can be done inside or outdoors, but try for as much fresh air and greenery as possible. It’s best to plan your route in advance. Knowing your destination means you won’t have to make decisions and can pay attention to each step.
1. Stand up straight and take a deep breath
2. Hold your hands in such a way that they don’t swing around but won’t cramp either. I like to fold mine in front of me, the left held in the right.
3. Synchronize your breath with your pace. Inhale and step slowly and deliberately, exhale and take another step.
4. Begin to walk, paying attention to lifting your foot and placing it on the ground, then lifting your other foot and placing it on the ground.
5. Continue to walk in this careful, controlled manner. Don’t force it, but don’t saunter either.
6. As with any mindfulness practice, when thoughts arise, look at them and let them go. Don’t ignore, don’t judge.
This extract is from Mindful Walking by Alice Peck. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Aside from physically cleaning your space, you can take the process one step further and do a simple energy cleanse using either sage or Palo Santo smudge sticks (see opposite), which both cleanse stagnant energy and smell wonderful. Sage and Palo Santo have both been used for centuries to ward off negative people, emotions, situations, and energy. If you have lots of people coming in and out of your bathroom on a daily basis, cleansing the room is a good step to take so you can really heal in your sacred space and avoid picking up anyone else’s energetic baggage.
Simple energy cleanse
1. Carefully light a sage or Palo Santo smudge stick, let it burn until you see smoke, and then blow the flame out.
2. Waft the smoke around the outline of your body (being careful not to touch yourself) and in the areas of your home where you wish to clear energy.
3. Once you’ve cleansed all the desired areas of your home, open a small window and let the negative energy out.
Detox bath
These bath salts help to draw toxins out of the body and soften the skin, creating an invigorating experience.
2 cups (450 g) Epsom salts
1 cup (225 g) baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
10 drops of ginger essential oil
1 large lemon, washed and sliced
(Makes enough for 1 use)
Fill your bathtub with warm water and then add all the ingredients. Soak in the bath for 20 minutes–1 hour.
Moringa mermaid mask
Moringa powder has antiseptic qualities. It fights and heals acne, reduces inflammation, is rich in vitamin A and amino acids that help produce collagen, and balances the skin’s pH.
3 tablespoons water
juice of 1⁄2 lemon
1⁄2 teaspoon pearl powder
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 1⁄2 tablespoons moringa powder
Cleanse and dry your skin. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Apply the mask to your face with your fingertips or a facial-mask brush, lightly massaging it into your skin. Leave the mask on for 15–20 minutes. Rinse off the mask with warm water.
Any leftover mask will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When using the mask for the second time, you may need to add a little extra water to the mixture, one drop at a time, to loosen the mask to a useable consistency.
These rituals are from Everyday Self-Care: Lifestyle Rituals. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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½ ripe avocado (flesh only)
¼ cucumber
2 teaspoons lavender hydrosol
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon matcha powder
1 teaspoon green clay
½ teaspoon CBD oil
1 drop geranium essential oil
1 drop cedarwood essential oil
Equipment
Standard kitchen blender
Glass or stainless-steel bowl
Glass or wooden stirrer
1-oz (30-g) glass jar and lid
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 oz (30 g), enough for two uses
1. Blitz the avocado and cucumber in the blender for 1 minute until the mixture is liquefied.
2. Add the lavender hydrosol, agave nectar, aloe vera gel, matcha powder, green clay, and CBD oil, then blitz for a further 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the geranium and cedarwood essential oils.
4. Transfer the mixture to the glass jar and seal.
STORAGE
Store in the refrigerator for no longer than one week.
TO USE
Apply the green clay mask to your face and let it work for 15 minutes. Wipe off with a damp cloth and rinse with warm water. The clay can be stubborn, so be sure to remove it completely from your face! Pat your skin dry with a soft cotton cloth.
APOTHECARY NOTE
Unlike traditional clay masks, this one will not harden (because of the nectar and hydrosol ingredients).
This recipe is from The CBD Beauty Book by Colleen Quinn. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Green: money, prosperity, growth, luck, jobs, gardening, youth, beauty, fertility
Dark blue: change, flexibility, the unconscious, psychic powers, emotional healing
Pink: love, friendship, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, affection
Brown: home, animal wisdom, grounding, physical healing
Black: banishes, absorbs, expels the negative, heals serious illness
Gold: solar magic, money, attraction, the astral plane
Orange: the law of attraction, success with legal issues, mutability, stimulation, support, encouragement, joy
Light blue: patience, happiness, triumph over depression, calm, deep understanding, compassion
Red: strength, protection, sexuality, vitality, passion, courage, heart, intense feelings of love, good health, power
White: purification, peace, protection from negativity, truth, binding, sincerity, serenity, chastity, gladness, spirit
Purple: female power, stress relief, ambition, healing past wounds, goddess-hood, business success
Gray: neutrality, impasses, cancellation
Yellow: mental power and vision, intelligence, clear thinking, study, self-assurance, prosperity, divination, psychism, abundance, wisdom, the power of persuasion, charisma, a sound sleep
Every candle contains all four elements:
How to Charge a Candle
Charging a candle means instilling it with magical intent. candle that has been charged fills your personal space with intention and expands it into all four elements and into the celestial sphere. Ritual candles are chosen for their colour correspondences and are carved, “dressed,” or anointed with special oils chosen for their particular energy.
Once you clarify your intention, cleanse your candles by passing them through the purifying smoke of sage or incense. Further charge your candle by carving a symbol into the wax. You can warm the tip of your ritual knife using a lit match and carve your full intention into the candle wax. As you engrave the appropriate magical works onto the candle, you are charging it with energy and the hope and purpose of your spell. Some highly successful examples of this that I have used and witnessed in circle gatherings are: “Healing for my friend who is in the hospital; she will recover with renewed and increased health.” get the raise I am asking for, and more!” “New true love enters life in the coming season, blessed be.”
Next, you should “dress” your candle with a specific oil. Every essential oil is imbued with a power that comes from the plants and flowers of which it is made. You can also use oils to anoint yourself at the crown of the head or at the third eye to increase mental clarity. By using the inherent powers of essential oils and anointing both your tool and yourself, you are increasing and doubling the energies, in this case the candle and yourself.
Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts of flowers, herbs, roots, or resin extract, sometimes diluted in neutral-base oil. Try to ensure you are using natural oils instead of manufactured, chemical-filled perfume oil; the synthetics lack real energy. Also, approach oils with caution and don’t get them your eyes. Clean cotton gloves are a good idea to keep in your witch’s kitchen for handling sensitive materials. You can avoid any
mess and protect your magical tools by using oil droppers. Do not use essential oils in the first trimester of pregnancy and consult an aromatherapist if using in the later stages. Find a trusted herbalist at your local metaphysical shop; usually they can offer much in the way of helpful knowledge. I have included as much as I can in the following at-a-glance guide to oils.
You can find more spells, recipes, and rituals for a happy home in The Kitchen Witch’s Spell Book by Cerridwen Greenleaf. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Baby bump meditation
Place your hand on your belly and take a few deep breaths. Notice how this short moment of connection to your baby feels. Throughout your day, you probably instinctively or protectively place your hand on your belly; see if you can bring attention to the times you do this, and make it a mindful moment of connection with your baby, taking deep relaxing breaths.
Belly breathing for two
Place your hands on your belly, allow your eyes to close, and take a few deep breaths. With each in breath, imagine all the nourishing oxygen and nutrients you are bringing into your body and sharing with your baby. With each out breath, allow your body to relax a bit more deeply, and imagine your baby relaxing with you. Visualize the movement of your belly with each breath as a gentle way of rocking and soothing your baby. Continue focusing on your breath, with each in-breath representing a taking in of all that you and your baby need, and each out-breath representing a letting go, a release of any tension or worry that you don’t need.
Visualize the movement of your belly with each breath as a gentle way of rocking and soothing your baby.
Lovingkindness for your baby
Lovingkindness is a powerful mindfulness practice in which we send kind and loving wishes to another person. For this practice, take a moment to think about what you most want for your child. While you likely have lots of dreams and hopes for your baby, consider the things that are most essential—how do you want your child to feel, to love, to be?
You can use the phrases in the practice below if they are helpful, or you can add kind wishes or dreams of your own.
Take a few deep breaths, place your hand on your heart, and, envisioning your baby, say quietly to yourself:
“May you be healthy…”
“May you be happy…”
“May you be safe…”
“May you be loved, and loving…”
“May you be strong…”
“May you know kindness and joy.”
Notice how it feels to send these kind wishes to your baby. You may find it helpful to journal about this practice, or even write a letter to your baby, expressing your heartfelt wishes and dreams for his amazing life ahead.
Involve your partner
As your baby grows in your belly, it’s natural for your partner to feel a bit “left out” of the experience. See if you can involve your partner in the practices in this chapter; for example, having him or her place their hands on your belly, noting how it moves as you breathe, and also noticing the baby’s movements. Toward the end of your pregnancy, your baby can hear sounds and voices from outside your body, so encourage your partner to talk or sing to the baby.
Find more meditations and practices for stress-free, happy, and healthy pregnancy in Your Mindful Pregnancy by Sarah Rudell Beach. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a reminder of how important it is for us all to think – and talk – about our own mental and emotional health all year round. Here are some of our upcoming books written to help you deal with stress, navigate loss and realise your full potential.
Do you feel you are just getting by – surviving rather than thriving? Flourish reveals the secrets of fulfillment with a wealth of advice and practical ways to increase your energy and drive. In the first chapter, Nourish Your Body, learn how to boost your physical health through the pillars of wellbeing: movement, sleep and diet. The second half of the book, Nurture Your Mind, focuses on your mental and emotional health for greater happiness and less stress through self-care, and helps you find out what you really want so you can make the most of your work, discover your life’s purpose, and achieve your goals and dreams.
You'll need:
80 g beeswax
120 ml almond oil
80 g cocoa butter
1 teaspoon essential oil of your choice
Heat the beeswax, almond oil, and cocoa butter slowly a bain-marie or double boiler over a low heat until just melted. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the essential oil. Pour the mix into soap bar molds and let cool for about 2 hours, until hardened. Place in the freezer for a few minutes to make it easier to pop the bars out of the molds. To use, rub the massage bar onto the skin—the warmth of your body will immediately begin to melt the bar.
This excerpt is from Natural Cures and Remedies. To get more free projects like this one - direct to your inbox - sign up to our mailing list here.
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You'll need:
60 ml distilled water
6 drops neroli essential oil
6 drops lemon essential oil
6 drops tangerine essential oil
Fill a 60-ml spray bottle with the distilled water, leaving room at the top for the oils. Add in the essential oils and then seal the lid tightly. Shake vigorously and it’s ready for use.
This excerpt is from Natural Cures and Remedies. To get more free projects like this one - direct to your inbox - sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>As hugging someone else isn’t an option right now, hug yourself with this simple meditation from Everyday Self-Care. The gentle pressure on the heart space and the belly stimulates the release of oxytocin along with its benefits.
This excerpt is from Everyday Self-Care. To get more free projects like this one - direct to your inbox - sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Happiness is as invisible as electricity, and just as powerful. We can feel its effects and see its impact, but everyone's description of what it does will be different. This extract from Lois Blyth's Be Happy outlines ways you can find happiness in your life:
This extract is from Be Happy byLois Blyth. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
YOU WILL NEED
• A jar with a lid (a canning jar works well)
• Water
• Glitter or a glitter alternative (sand, sequins, microbeads)
TRY THIS TOGETHER
Add water to the jar until it is about three-quarters full. Invite your child to add as much glitter, or an alternative, to the jar.
It’s helpful to use something that will sink to the bottom—small beads or buttons work well. Have fun mixing different colors and textures (if you’re using sand, you could add food coloring).
Tightly seal (or even glue) the lid onto the jar. Your child can decorate the top of the jar with permanent markers or other craft supplies as desired.
Explain to your child that the jar represents her mind that is often really busy with thoughts. (Shake the jar to show the swirl of beads, glitter, etc. to represent how our minds can get completely clouded with our thoughts or our strong feelings.)
What does it feel like when this happens?
Then take a few moments to do some mindful breathing with your child. As you take deep breaths, watch how the contents of the jar settle to the bottom. Once they’ve settled, ask your child how she feels. (She may report feeling relaxed or calm, although any response is fine.) Then talk about what the mind jar looks like now (it’s much calmer and the water is clear).
Explain how the same thing can happen with our mind. It might feel frenzied and busy, but if we stop for a moment, and let our body rest while we take a few deep breaths, things settle down and our mind gets a bit clearer.
VARIATION FOR AGES 3–6
The concept of a “busy mind” may be difficult for younger children to grasp. It may be easier for them to understand busy-ness and overactivity in their body. Ask them to stand up and hold their mind jar with both hands as they twist their body side to side, jump up and down, or wiggle as fast as they can. Then set the mind jar down and ask them to notice how their body probably feels like the jar looks—all swirly and active and unsettled. Take a few deep breaths and notice what happens to the jar, their body, and even their thoughts during a few moments of rest.
VARIATION FOR AGES 7–11
Ask your older child if she ever feels like there’s just too much running through her head at school. She might feel overwhelmed trying to balance schoolwork, homework, friendships, and everything else she needs to attend to during the day. Tell her that she can try to visualize her mind jar even when she’s at school. She can take a few deep breaths at her desk so everything can settle and she can see things a bit more clearly.
This extract is from Mindfulness for Children by Sarah Rudell Beach. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Creating a magical home (and by home, I mean anything from your bedroom if you have roommates, to an entire house—whatever space you call your own) is very subjective and will look different for everyone. But to get you started, here are some basics on how to set up a space that feels functional, positive, and supportive to you and your life.
Cleanse and clear
The biggest issue with a lot of our spaces is the stuck, stale feeling that accumulates along with all of our stuff. The quickest way to banish this feeling is to get rid of the clutter. You don’t need a rigorous protocol—go at your own pace, room by room, or category by category—and donate, recycle, or give away anything that you don’t use regularly or simply hate looking at. Designate a place for everything you decide to keep.
Often just finding baskets and boxes to contain objects that are usually kept out can create a sense of calm and order. All objects should have a home within your home.
Do a clean-out each season just before the solstice or equinox, shedding what you don’t need and making space for what’s to come. Not only will this clearing make your home look and feel more serene, but it will energetically open your home up for more of what you’re calling in. You’re showing the universe that you’re ready for change and willing to take action toward your own well-being.
Smoke Cleansing
To clear energetic clutter, try smoke cleansing. You can burn sticks of wood such as Palo Santo, or herbs such as rosemary or sage. Some herbs like white sage and palo santo are overharvested, so many ready-made bundles aren’t the best for the environment or the plant. If you want to buy these, make sure that they are ethically harvested or wildcrafted. Mountain Rose Herbs is a great resource for this.
Cleanse your space as often as you feel is necessary. Energy from bad moods and stress can linger in our spaces—a combination of smoke and fresh air can help us reset.
Sage: For purification, longevity, protection, wisdom, clean slate, neutralizing, and clearing all energy.
Palo Santo: For positivity, spiritual protection, purification, healing, creativity, smoothing and balancing energy.
Rosemary: For clarity, mental fortification, purification, healing, protection.
Juniper: For protection, love, health.
Sweetgrass: For calling in good spirits, healing, peace, spirituality.
Mugwort: For strength, psychic connection, healing, protection.
Thyme: For health, healing, love, courage.
Lavender: For peace, sleep, protection, purification, love, happiness.
How to choose: You can either pick which properties resonate with you or just go on scent alone. The smell will be filling your home, so it’s an important factor. Take whichever scent you’re drawn to as a sign that you’re meant to work with it.
This excerpt is from Magical Self-Care for Everyday Life by Leah Vanderveldt. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Reiki is an amazingly simple but powerful form of spiritual healing practice in which the practitioner channels Reiki—universal life force energy—which is in and around every living being. This means Reiki is for everyone, because everyone has Reiki—it is a completely natural energy. Think of when a child falls and scrapes their knee: their parent places a hand on the knee for a few seconds, and the pain disappears—this is Reiki healing.
When crystal healing is combined with Reiki, it is like hitting the healing overdrive switch! Crystals have an innate energy of their own. They bring everything to balance and speed the body’s natural healing ability. You don’t have to do anything to get a crystal to work other than place it in your vicinity. However, if you do add your intent and your energy, your crystals will work better because they’ll pick up your intention and magnify it manyfold. And if Reiki is the energy that is flowing through you, then your crystals will collect the Reiki, multiply its effect, and focus its objective.
Reiki is channeled using sacred symbols. In the past there has been much discussion about whether these symbols should be secret as well as sacred. However, circumstances have overtaken these discussions and as they are readily visible all over the internet today there is no point in taking this debate further. What remains vitally important is that these symbols are sacred. If you treat them as such, they will help and support your practice, if you treat them otherwise, they won’t. Please give them respect.
Grounding with Raku
The symbol Raku is presented in two ways—here we are using its simplest depiction, the lightning bolt, which helps with grounding. Raku is useful at any time when someone might experience an energy shift which could leave them feeling spaced-out. It can also be helpful for you if you feel any situation is spiraling out of control or people are panicking or hysterical: it shifts the energy, which results in a calming effect.
The following exercise offers a simple way to ground yourself whenever needed. Raku works well with hematite, but you can still harness the symbol’s energy without it.
1. Take two hematite stones, about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) in size, one in each hand. Stand with your feet under your shoulders, keeping your knees soft to take the pressure off them. Close your eyes and imagine there is an anchor in each of your hands. Visualize this falling to the floor and going into the earth, deeper and deeper down into the ground.
2. Now draw two lightning bolts with the hematite stones (or just with your hands if you do not have any hematite) over the ground, drawing each bolt from the top downward. Feel your feet sinking slowly into the floor. Take three slow, deep breaths and open your eyes.
This extract is from Crystal Reiki Healing by Philip Permutt. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Colouring has been proven to relax us and help focus the mind. This is something we all need in this time of uncertainty, so we thought we'd provide you with two pages to colour from our two books Colour Your Spirit Animal Guides and Colour Your Winged Spirit Animal Guides.
Sue Coccia's fascinating images reveal her deep connection to the animal kingdom that surrounds her in Washington State, USA. These books are full of inspired drawings in pen and ink that depict animal images, or totems, from around the world. Animal totems represent a deep spirituality and by beginning to understand animals' qualities and traits, we can learn from them.
Download your FREE colouring pages:
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Camera Roll Meditation
Take a few moments to scroll through the camera roll on your phone. Spend some time appreciating your loved ones, revisiting a happy memory, and marveling at how much of your beautiful life is captured (and how much is not captured) on this little device.
Safe Place
Where are the places in your body where you generally feel good and safe? Where do you not tend to carry a lot of emotion and tension? For most people, these safe places in the body are near the extremities—the hands, the knees, the feet. Our difficult emotions tend to be felt in the gut or the chest, so spend some time savouring the sensations in the parts of the body that feel safe.
A Mindful Jar
Each day, take a small piece of paper and write down one experience you had of being mindful during the day (a time you were fully present, a moment you truly appreciated, a freak-out you managed to soothe with your breath). Put this paper in a Mindful Jar (a simple canning jar will work), and after a few weeks and months you’ll have a lovely collection of savored moments.
Expand Your Worldview
Seek out opportunities to expand your worldview and see things from a new perspective. Read a book, listen to a podcast, or watch a documentary on something that is unfamiliar to you. Savor the experience of learning something new.
Joy
Joy can be found in any moment of your day. Happiness is fleeting, and is often tied to specific circumstances, but joy is enduring. Joy can be about finding the space between wanting and not-wanting, between pushing and pulling. You can find joy in the simple rest between two deep breaths. Joy can be a peaceful acceptance of every moment.
This excerpt is from And Breathe... by Sarah Ruddell Beach. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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She believed she could so she did.
"My woman is to stand alone, and help herself... strong-minded, strong-hearted, strong-souled, and strong-bodied." Louisa May Alcott
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New Moon
0–3 ½ days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon conjunct
Around the time of the New Moon, check in with your feelings, hunches, and goals. Listen to your night-time dreams and daydreaming meanderings for clues about this next cycle. The Sun and Moon are now in the same sign, sending you the same signals and instructions—listen and step forward. Initiate a new path. Start a project. Reach out.
Traditionally, this is a time to do a simple Moon ritual. Think about what you want to accomplish on a practical, emotional, or spiritual level this month. Write or speak that intention clearly and take action in that direction. It can be as magical as lighting a candle and calling on your guides and angels to help manifest, or an informal, sociable ritual, a chance to sit with your circle of friends to share intentions for the month and toast them with wine.
Waxing Crescent Moon
3½–7 days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon semi-square
Here comes a splash of reality. Notice the glitches, problems, and differences of opinion. Kids grow restless. Writers can hit a snag or writer’s block. Boredom or anxiety can arise if we feel overwhelmed by options or realize that what we’ve just begun may take some work. We can become impatient or feel inconvenienced and react as small setbacks irritate our old patterns. But a little sweat equity goes a long way now, so keep circling back to the projects you care about and take them a step further.
Waxing Half-Moon
7–10½ days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon square
People tend to square off as the Sun and Moon move into a right angle. Our head and heart may disagree. Clothes may feel too tight or uncomfortable. The mood can be argumentative, but also productive and realistic. We may have a crisis. The conflicts of desire may be between ourselves and others or between competing needs within ourselves. Our ideas can come in at right angles. Like cars at a crossroads, we need a good system so they don’t collide. Differing viewpoints can give us a more realistic understanding of our situation. Our challenge is to see both sides and find a third alternative that works for all. We can put this difficult, conflict-oriented energy to good use. Be courageous. Tackle a person, problem, or pile in the closet that needs extra bravery. Engage in sports or a physical workout and compete with your personal best.
Waxing Gibbous Moon
10½–14 days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon sesqui-quadrate
The energy swells, momentum builds, but we can be distracted or feel our attention stretched thin by a suddenly busy schedule. Maybe we do need to diversify, to round our life out and not just focus on one thing at a time. Our work will go faster if we take a break and respond to the extraneous needs that seem to interrupt our schedule. Our time with friends or co-workers will go more smoothly if we listen to their perspective, even though it may seem inconsequential or off mark to us. Honour these distracting voices, but stay in there and shepherd important projects through.
Full Moon
14–17½ days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon opposition
The Full Moon brings a culmination of energy and celebrates a high tide. Emotions are running high and our subconscious can run the show. If we’ve been acknowledging and integrating our feelings all month long, we’ll get a swell of harmonious energy but no big surprises. If we’ve been suppressing how we feel or not honouring our inner nature, that awareness can rip through us now. With this extra swell of emotional energy, it’s a powerful time to perform or make a presentation that really grabs our hearts. It can be a dramatic, tricky but successful time to make a statement or go to court because we move into adversarial positions so easily. For the same reason, it’s not a good time for a wedding or to sign a business partnership.
To take care of ourselves under the Full Moon, we should acknowledge inconvenient feelings or ideas. What part of us now needs to be expressed? Do we need to dance the night away or sing in the shower? Go for it. But if we’re really ticked off at work, let’s tell our journal or a friend what we’d really like to say to the boss, but wait a few days to consider and act wisely on this impulse. Acknowledge feelings and they won’t just rip out and create surprises.
Disseminating Gibbous Moon
17½–21 days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon sesqui-quadrate
Tensions soften, but again we’re distracted. Kids, friends, dogs can clamour for attention and remind us to keep our lives whole and balanced. We may notice a let-down in energy, as if we were crashing from too many espressos. Our bodies may feel stressed and appreciate a hot bath or massage. Our crops are ripening, and we begin to see the result of our efforts in this month’s cycle, the product of both our intention and whatever other agenda the universe had waiting for us. We are also reminded of ongoing responsibilities that we may have ignored recently. Consciously follow on the main projects and assume the distractions or irritations have a purpose. They’re here to stretch us, train us, and help us sort irrelevant distractions from important side lessons.
Waning Half-Moon
21–24½ days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon square
Assess. Three-quarters of the way through this lunar cycle we should be able to see pretty much what’s working and what’s not. We can also see clearly what we agree with and what we don’t. We may feel contentious or need to confront a problem, but can do so with more reason and forethought than in the first quarter. Learn from discomfort and become conscious of where to keep up the work. This is a good time to take a test or notice that you are being tested. But, like a martial arts test at a dojo, the teacher thinks you can win this one. Productive discontent can help us finish, polish, reassess, make corrections.
Balsamic Crescent Moon
24½–28 days after the New Moon
Sun and Moon semi-square
As the Moon enters its dark phase, our inner mood quietens down and we clarify our understanding. It’s time to sort the seeds of the last lunar cycle. Our physical energy may be low, but this calm allows us to see deep within. Our memories walk with us. This quiet in-breath encourages introspection, meditation, therapeutic conversation, scrying, and divination, as well as finding and addressing root causes. Take a moment to look back over the last month and assess life. Listen to dreams. Come to stillness, if only for a moment. Prepare for the next cycle.
Learn more about using the Moon's signs and cycles to transform your life with Moon Wisdom by Hather Roan Robbins. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>The Wheel of Life is a simple visual tool that is used to identify areas in our life that perhaps need more or less attention. Here, Anna Black has adapted the concept into a Wheel of Kindness so you can identify the level of kindness and compassion you feel you currently offer to yourself, others, and the environment.
HOW TO DO IT
REMEMBER: When doing any reflection like this, it is important to do it without judging. It is simply a tool for giving yourself feedback.
THE WHEEL OF KINDNESS
This wheel covers the three domains of kindness and compassion to ONESELF, OTHERS, and the ENVIRONMENT. How much care, kindness, and compassion do you think you give to yourself, others, and the environment? Reflect and mark on each spoke what you think.
SELF-KINDNESS
This wheel uses the four of the five pathways to self-compassion identified by Christopher Germer.
PHYSICALLY: How kind are you to your body? Do you take care of it by eating healthily, exercising, and resting regularly? Do you push it beyond its limits? How do you take care of it day in and day out—do you brush your teeth or hair roughly, for example?
THINKING: How self-critical are you? Do you set impossibly high standards? Do you judge yourself for your actions and/or behavior? What tone does your voice have? What kind of words and phrases do you use toward yourself?
EMOTIONALLY: How do you treat yourself emotionally? Do you self-soothe when things are difficult?
SPIRITUALLY: How much do you acknowledge and commit to what you value in life?Reflect and acknowledge where you are at as honestly as you can.
KINDNESS TO OTHERS
This wheel has blank spokes so you can insert specific names or categories according to your own circumstances. You don’t need to fill in all the blanks, but as a minimum I recommend you include your partner (if relevant), family, friends, co-workers (if relevant), and strangers. You can break it down into individuals if you wish. “Family” can of course mean non-blood relatives—someone you consider as family. Look at your scores. Do you treat others as you would wish to be treated?
REFLECTION: What do you notice looking at your wheels? Are there are any surprises? Can you identify areas where you would like to increase your kindness and compassion score? Are there are areas where perhaps you need to pull back a little and perhaps not devote so much attention to?
It is important to acknowledge that our attention will fluctuate between the different domains and up and down depending on what is going on for us. This is okay. Knowing and being aware of this means we can make continual adjustments to live a healthy, balanced, kindful life.
Enrich your life through self-care and kindness to others with Anna Black’s A Year of Living Kindfully. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
]]>Gather together
2 parts lemongrass
3 parts hibiscus
4 parts rose hips
1 part chopped cinnamon sticks
A teapot
Honey
Blend the herbs using your mortar and pestle. Place in a teapot with 4 cups (960ml) of hot water. Steep for 5 minutes in your teapot, then strain and serve sweetened with honey to taste. If you make ahead, you should keep the mixed herbs in an airtight container. Serve regularly as a preventative during cold and flu season.
Quick tip: Black, Geen, and White Tea
Use black tea for an upset tummy and headache. Green tea helps strengthen the immune system, and you can reuse tea bags to stanch cuts or calm insect bites. White tea, green tea, and black tea are all made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. White tea is made from the youngest leaves of the plant; it is a sweet brew and has less caffeine than green or black tea. It is also rich in antioxidants and is sometimes recommended for reducing “bad” cholesterol and improving artery health. White tea is a little costly, but a good choice for health and flavour.
Find more rapid rituals and efficient enchantments in 5-Minute Magic for Modern Wiccans by Cerridwen Greenleaf. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
In The Inner World of Night Dreams, Marc J. Gian will teach you easy techniques to remember your dreams and understand the meaning of numbers, colours and recurring imagery. Whether you’re a first-time dreamworker or experienced practitioner, here are some tools to engage your mind and prepare yourself for dreaming.
A ritual for first-time dreamers
If this is your first time setting up a time to remember your dream or do dreamwork, let’s turn it into an initiation into the world of dreams. If possible, try to start dreamwork on the night before a day off work. This will allow you more time to work with the dream in the morning.
About an hour before bed, find a quiet spot in your home where you can be with yourself and be receptive. Know that you are starting a journey that will allow you to experience a different viewpoint, to see in many directions, and at the same time be perfectly present with what is.
Allow yourself the freedom to relax, to breathe, to be present with yourself. Know that you are more than your daytime roles; you came into this world with many purposes beyond your vocation. Part of the “school of life” is to integrate the aspects of the self, heal relationships, take better care of your health and needs, grow into wisdom, and use that wisdom for your daily life. By reading your dreams you are moving toward being self-authoritative and wise.
Remember, this is the start of something new. In order to become proficient, you need to take it slowly but steadily.
Tea
Drinking a cup of tea in the evening can help to soothe the nerves, calm the mind, and create a sense of peace, allowing receptivity and openness. Teas can be especially beneficial for those who are new to remembering dreams.
Herbal teas that are particularly suited to relaxation and dreamwork include:
Essential oils
Aromatherapy and essential oils can be used to aid in relaxation before retiring to bed. Essential oils that can assist in quieting the mind include lavender, palmarosa, Roman chamomile, geranium, and vetiver. There is a variety of simple and effective ways to use essential oils. They include diffusing the oils, applying them to specific areas of the body (especially acupressure points), and the palm inhalation technique.
A sample blend for diffusion to relax and calm the mind:
Fill the diffuser with water and add the essential oils. Turn on the diffuser or light the candle, then breathe in and relax.
Upon awakening
We are habituated to forget our dreams upon awakening. Often when we begin to awaken we are crossing the bridge between the world of night dreams and our waking world. It is during this time that many of us are most aware of our night dreams. This is a very precious time. Most often, we simply notice the dream for a moment then go on with our day. It is imperative that we are present for this experience and be with the dream before getting out of bed. Otherwise, we focus on getting ready for the day—getting up, going to the bathroom, making coffee, brushing our teeth, etc.—and in so doing we forget our dream.
When you are starting to work with dreams, it is essential to record the dream as soon as possible, writing it in the present tense, and starting to work the dream. As you gain more experience, you will be able to start your day while you keep the dream in mind. I often work with my dreams over my morning coffee…
Discover more tools for dreamwork and begin to understand to meanings of numbers, colours and images with The Inner World of Night Dreams by Marc J. Gian. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.
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Gather together:
2 blue candles
A palo santo stick and fireproof dish
White paper and a blue pen
Any time you feel the need, light the candles and palo santo and speak aloud the following affirmation spell:
Begone from me, worry and woe!I have the strength to break free and the wisdom to know.As I breathe this sacred smoke, my calm will grow.I call upon my inner guide to help me take it slow.My serenity and tranquillity will overflow.With harm to none, blessings to all.
Repeat this spell three times while the candles and palo santo burn. Inhale deeply ten times and then pass the pen and paper through the sweet-smelling smoke of the palo santo. Now, embrace your intuition and trust it with all your heart. Write down what comes into your mind. You may even feel tingling at the top of your head, which is a very good sign. With your soul’s guidance, your inner truth will show you the way through stress-inducing times. Let go of anything that really doesn’t matter to you and your loved ones. Read what you have written down and contemplate it.
Afterward, extinguish the candles and palo santo. Refer to the paper every day for as long as you need. Use the words of wisdom that came through to you as a guide for your life to sustain you through the stress and strain.
This spell is from Spells for Peace of Mind by Cerridwen Greenleaf. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.