tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080987699921563732024-03-06T00:57:46.148+13:00 Soul Purpose BlogA Journey of Self-discovery and Self-empowerment...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-44355444137934147862018-01-03T14:53:00.000+13:002018-01-03T15:12:27.500+13:00Do Animals have Past Lives?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivy0DPnbrFp82c4qus6MIgzWwvBp9EhK7jJnnK1Ljp433PorhmB0z556OjWpLoVYywsGKlRJgMdEj7FGcD1egqqpraOIfJyuHaj0YTzv33lB1Xub-ZIEMorxVg-MRKNltwds9VIYytb-U/s1600/sephira+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1415" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivy0DPnbrFp82c4qus6MIgzWwvBp9EhK7jJnnK1Ljp433PorhmB0z556OjWpLoVYywsGKlRJgMdEj7FGcD1egqqpraOIfJyuHaj0YTzv33lB1Xub-ZIEMorxVg-MRKNltwds9VIYytb-U/s320/sephira+5.jpg" width="282" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sephira - coloured pencil drawing by Jay Linden</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This can be a burning question for those of us who have strong heart bonds with our animal companions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You may be aware that we travel through our lives on earth in soul groups - often incarnating with the same souls, over and over, in different roles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The wonderful news is that animals are part of our soul groups too - and they can also choose to incarnate with us many times. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you have an intense bond with an animal you can take that as a sign that this is not the first time you have been together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A common soul contract with animals is that they come in as support, for company and encouragement, particularly in lives where we are in lonely or painful situations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My current cat, Sephira, was with me in a past life where I had run away from a very unhappy home after my father accidentally killed my mother in a drunken rage. I ended up in a monastery where I felt a deep connection to the figure of Christ, but was abused by the elder apprentice monks - a practice that was common. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lacking any human friendship, my comfort and support came from a wild cat that befriended me. There was an intense bond between us and her love kept me from falling into utter despair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In this incarnation Sephira is the one who has experienced being tormented - she came to me as a rescue cat, so terrified, she spent the first four months under the house. Patience and loving reassurance encouraged her to trust once more and now she is happy and content and fiercely loving of her people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When they are not incarnated with us, our soul group animals will often act as guides - part of our support team and may often appear to us in dreams. This is not limited to domesticated animals - wild animals can be part of our soul group too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b> Can we choose to incarnate as an animal or a human?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some souls only incarnate as animals - other souls incarnate in many forms - human as well as animal. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRUPCAPGTmc4p7yaJF2qOmkM4TqMoWtKkXogeYc5fXOvczJqm17cf1_oKAHbAxsmu6DYg7MecSqkqb9iznXBPCOJyMZVUFcNLkUrlNuPHce_lZdW1Q9fHPnuwj49ziH4bRvz1IiY_u_Y/s1600/Tristan+bright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1465" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRUPCAPGTmc4p7yaJF2qOmkM4TqMoWtKkXogeYc5fXOvczJqm17cf1_oKAHbAxsmu6DYg7MecSqkqb9iznXBPCOJyMZVUFcNLkUrlNuPHce_lZdW1Q9fHPnuwj49ziH4bRvz1IiY_u_Y/s320/Tristan+bright.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tristan - oil painting by Jay Linden</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In past life regression you may find that the soul who is an animal in your current life was actually a human in a past life. A soul may reincarnate as an animal in order to resolve difficult past life experiences with us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Below I tell my story of how a soul who had been both brother and son to me in previous lives came into this life as a cat - in order to to heal some deep wounds between us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tristan came into my life as a two year old rescue cat - I was guided by the spirits of my previous two cats as to where and when to get him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From the beginning there was an intense bond - I adored him - my heart felt like it would burst with joy - and he became the most important being in my life. I had loved my animals before, but never like this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then five months later I found him one morning with his back legs paralysed. Shaking and sobbing, I rushed him to the vet, but he'd had a massive thrombosis and was already cold and going into shock. He died in my arms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The grief was overwhelming - but I knew I had to feel my way through it. I kept his picture as my screen-saver, spent hours feeling every ache of grief. Still the pain did not lessen. I was guided to channel my grief into a creative expression and began to paint pictures of him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But after six months the intensity of grief was still there. I could feel Tristan all around me - loving me, giving me big furry cuddles - but could not move through the pain and despair of losing him in physical form. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two intuitive friends told me they were getting the message he had been a son in a past life - and I felt guided to do a past life regression.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Soul Lesson - Can I protect what I love?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In that past life my family were part of a cave community. I never felt particularly attached to my family though they were kind to me. We herded goats on the top of the red, sandstone cliffs, hunted small animals and gathered fruits and herbs - a simple life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I was 14 the slavers came on their wild horses and took several of the young men and women. They beckoned me and I went gladly. I felt no fear, only excitement. Now I would have an adventure, now my destiny was beginning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Others were struggling, their families crying out, begging the slavers not to take their children. I walked freely over to the man who beckoned me and held up my hand. He pulled me up in front of him and as we left I turned and waved at my family as if I was going on a holiday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When we reached Sparta the man whose horse I rode did not take me to the slave market, but instead took me to a man who had asked him to look out for a suitable wife. His own wife had died in childbirth many years before. This man was in his mid-thirties with dark hair and a dark beard. He seemed okay and when the transaction was complete took me to the home of his parents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was there for many months and his mother taught me the language, how to cook their food, how to shop in the market, the rituals of the temple. We became friends, often laughing together at some funny misunderstanding I’d made with the language. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His sister hated me. She was jealous of my relationship with her mother and she was very angry her brother was marrying again. The family wealth would pass to whoever provided a male heir. I was seen as a threat and she tried to delay the marriage as long as possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I was 16 I became pregnant. This was a huge joy for me. I knew it was going to be a son and already in the womb I felt such a strong connection, so much joy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I gave birth and was totally in love with my son - carrying him around with me all the time, even though that was not the custom. I hardly let him out of my arms. I was very proud of him and showed him off to all. My sister in law was beside herself with jealousy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One day at the temple she accused him of not being a true son of Sparta since he had not been proved by the custom they had of leaving new born sons outside overnight. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sparta was a warrior culture and this was supposed to weed out any weaklings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My husband retaliated that of course he was a true son and we were merely waiting for an auspicious time for the ceremony. He said as a matter of fact the next full moon in two days time would be his proving time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was horrified, struck through with dread. When we got back home it seemed everyone knew and crowded into our house to celebrate the forthcoming ceremony.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My heart was clamouring, I clutched Tristan to me. Only an hour before I had felt such bliss and connection, now I felt as though he was already lost. In my mind the words - don’t do this, don’t do this - kept repeating, but I couldn’t speak, I could barely move.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In this place he was the one thing that was truly mine With him I felt bliss, a deep connection I had never known before. He was everything, without him I was nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had a true friend in that life, someone from Sparta who was well-off and respected. She took me aside and told me I did not have to go through with this. I begged her to stop it for me. But she said she couldn’t - it was something I must do for myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She also said if I did choose to go through with it that I needn’t leave him all night as the guards could be bribed. I could sneak back and spend most of the night with him, keeping him safe and warm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But I didn't go back for him. I was paralysed into inaction - locked in agony and dread as the hours crawled by. In the early dawn one of the guards came with my baby wrapped in the cloak and shook his head. My son was dead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unbeknownst to me, my sister in law had sneaked out and bribed the guards, who thought she was me. She rubbed some cream that contained a poison on his skin and waited till he had stopped breathing, crushing him to her to stop him from crying out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm3uRR0sLNZmBie-TQk2LfdutxCAxRZeJtgMy2qDR-wegtngivB7aiEK2-dQ3Y7tq3jYZmzjO1pzspCO5vXmE3xGdfPXYkLuob2TR6QwWpXI0pgLdSvfyWZPbshs1kZH8wEppM3Jr2H0/s1600/5+cups.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="782" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm3uRR0sLNZmBie-TQk2LfdutxCAxRZeJtgMy2qDR-wegtngivB7aiEK2-dQ3Y7tq3jYZmzjO1pzspCO5vXmE3xGdfPXYkLuob2TR6QwWpXI0pgLdSvfyWZPbshs1kZH8wEppM3Jr2H0/s320/5+cups.jpg" width="179" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The only person who is able to console me in any way is my friend who holds me tight and tells me that he loved me and his soul will find its way back to me. She tells me this over and over again and I have some hope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the regression we skip to the death point - we find I have had two daughters, neither of them Tristan’s soul. When they are older, on the anniversary of Tristan’s death, I kill myself by plunging a knife into my chest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I do not die immediately. My daughters find me and carry me to a bed. They and my husband gather round and beg me not to leave. My husband repeatedly apologises for Tristan’s death. Does he know of his sister’s part in that? Perhaps he suspects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am unaware of their love and desperate to find Tristan - as I die I go into the dark, searching, searching for him. A bitter joy in the knowledge that at last I am where he is and will soon be with him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I go to the underground caverns where we leave our dead, the realm of Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. They are wrapped in cloth with their knees up in the feotal position to await rebirth. I find him on the ledge and clutch him to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His spirit appears as a young boy and we are reunited. Together we re-script that life - looking to see what might have happened had I been able to save him. It is a good life and he is a gentle soul, a poet not a warrior. Exploring what might have been (and perhaps what was in a parallel life) is a deep healing experience. Together we go into the light.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>How soul fragments influence other lives </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qQAxFw5PPsLdIvItCz4gacrO4rVEqhUVYpPkAcLlGS5dw81wE_PkF_tPy8BE6iohlw8sIHeR_Y_Nh0_1DcrJuCCgTM0EmRfAYJa43uEcOKPbrqd6Mfxfd90XmYSdL-1VwwRC-IXiaEM/s1600/eight+swords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qQAxFw5PPsLdIvItCz4gacrO4rVEqhUVYpPkAcLlGS5dw81wE_PkF_tPy8BE6iohlw8sIHeR_Y_Nh0_1DcrJuCCgTM0EmRfAYJa43uEcOKPbrqd6Mfxfd90XmYSdL-1VwwRC-IXiaEM/s320/eight+swords.jpg" width="194" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My soul’s mission for that life was to hold onto that which I loved - to fight for what I loved most in the world and protect it. But I failed to do this - and did not understand what had prevented me from taking action to protect him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It took some detective work - and fierce intention - to get to the root of this strange inability to protect the child I loved so much - but I finally discovered the cause in an earlier life we had together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This was an Egyptian life where Tristan was my younger brother. He was exalted, ruling as a mixture of King and God, whilst I was valued only in how I might serve him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Still only a boy, he was murdered by our aunt. who wanted the throne for her son. According to custom, I had to die so I could be buried with him and go on serving him in the next world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My last hours were spent in a dark enclosed space, a stone tomb, filled with anger that he did not protect me - feeling abandoned and betrayed and worthless. The last thought in my mind was that in death, as in our life together, he was everything and I was nothing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now this was the same belief I had carried through into the life where he was my son. And I flick to to an image of me walking away from putting my baby Tristan on my cloak on the hillside in the full moon ceremony. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally I hear the paralysing thought in my mind, so quiet that perhaps I did not even hear it in that life. But it is the tip of the iceberg that reveals the hidden power of rage and hurt that was able to block all my soul intentions, my deep love and connection to my son and render me powerless. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This wounded fragment of my soul from the Egyptian life has driven me to lie my beloved baby down on the hillside and walk away and now she whispers: “He deserves to die.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b> Healing past lives</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At last I understand what stopped me from saving him. The mystery is solved. Now I can feel how divided I was within and why my guides had cautioned I was not ready for that life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Compassion and understanding flow in as I connect to the deep hurt and bitterness of the Egyptian girl. Healing occurs as that stuck fragment of soul has a witness to the pain and does not die alone. As we work to complete that life I call in the spirit of her brother. We learn he has always loved her and had tried to protect her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Egyptian girl was happy to let go of her dark tomb and go into the light and be with her brother again - Tristan's soul. She realised she had chosen that experience of being in a subservient role and it was part of a much bigger soul exploration.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With this understanding and completion the intensity of grief disappears and becomes a simple sadness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So now, I understood why Tristan came to me in this life for such a short time - and why I chose to lose him again. I needed to connect to those old griefs and clear the energy between us - and reclaim those stuck fragments of my soul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whether we successfully fulfill our soul's intentions or not - we always learn from our experiences and our soul grows. I was not able to protect Tristan as I intended in that life - but I did experience the love and the loss and this has given me compassion and understanding for others who are going through that same experience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From my past life I learned that when I refuse to feel grief my heart shuts down and I am cut off from others and shut out love itself. In this life I learned to embrace and move through grief - to channel it
into a creative celebration of love and to let go of guilt. This is a major soul lesson and one which often takes many lives to master. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6qNvOHNVohLWJNRXYBo0u5IxeKAkfAcmQw3-YsCoJOh1LZBiVEegjoY5ntTCyE5yCRuqkXIb74JdWczFfsMwRdde8WdOJR3oPDy3qsqfggf1dIbBH7N6rlADoN4U4SmpfJqru01vdT0/s1600/tristan+sleeping+girledit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6qNvOHNVohLWJNRXYBo0u5IxeKAkfAcmQw3-YsCoJOh1LZBiVEegjoY5ntTCyE5yCRuqkXIb74JdWczFfsMwRdde8WdOJR3oPDy3qsqfggf1dIbBH7N6rlADoN4U4SmpfJqru01vdT0/s320/tristan+sleeping+girledit.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Night Visitor - oil painting by Jay Linden</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I also learned we do not have to master our soul's intentions in just one life - we can take as many lives as we need.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Those we love are never lost to us - but are with us in the higher vibration of spirit. We can come into physical lives together again and again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Animals, who tend to have shorter lives than humans, can even come into the same life more than once. And that is the beauty of this great adventure we are on - love is always with us.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-82304003988282419042017-09-21T12:09:00.000+12:002017-09-21T12:09:14.637+12:00Take charge of your life and do what you love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VkmGnNgydZKO4K8-j5xY_sam5g95Fbg3y7ZLL0akmq1zxXUEi8spJ7Tu3jvdfNxwKQt4I4AjNUAZdX42tBL9kXHfZRGwQDEK_tkoPOBI-iPCNylgg4KV6H19wpmDf5_0jmW0K_XLmnQ/s1600/Emperor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="565" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VkmGnNgydZKO4K8-j5xY_sam5g95Fbg3y7ZLL0akmq1zxXUEi8spJ7Tu3jvdfNxwKQt4I4AjNUAZdX42tBL9kXHfZRGwQDEK_tkoPOBI-iPCNylgg4KV6H19wpmDf5_0jmW0K_XLmnQ/s320/Emperor.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>
The Emperor is a fiery, determined, decisive energy that propels us into action in pursuit of our goals.<br />
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Detachment may not be the first thing that comes to mind when this card shows up. But detaching from distractions, old habits, stuff that clutters your space, can be essential to fulfilling your goals.<br />
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Let me give you an example. A dear friend of mine is passionate about art, but finds it almost impossible to do any painting because her space is so full of clutter and her diary is full to the brim with appointments.<br />
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Michele is the kindest person I know and spends much of her time and energy helping others and being a major support for her extended family. In other words she has very strong Empress archetype with a major focus on relationships and has challenges around creating boundaries.<br />
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This year Michele is in an Emperor year and she is finally facing the fact that she needs to detach from decades of things hoarded and the many people who are depending on her to help them instead of helping themselves.<br />
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Letting go of things means detaching from the memories they evoke. It means to detach herself from situations and people that are draining her energy. More significantly it means to detach herself from her own self-image or identity as the competent one who helps others.<br />
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So if the Emperor card resonates for you one question to ask is: What do I need to detach from that will free me up to pursue my heart's ambition, my soul's dreams?<br />
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To work out what year you are in simply add the numbers of your birth day and month to the numbers of the current year until you get to a single digit. e.g. 23rd July (2+3+7 = 12) plus 2017(2+0+1+7 =10) 12+10 = 22 = 4 The Emperor is a number 4 card so this person is in an Emperor year.<br />
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When you've got your year number find the major arcana tarot card that matches. The energy, challenges and learning of that card will be a major focus for that year.<br />
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I track this every year and it is amazing how accurate this is - and how helpful. If we know what year we are in rather than resisting or being thrown about by those challenges we can work with the energy and get the most out of it.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-51769745877530909832016-10-20T09:55:00.000+13:002016-10-25T10:17:41.795+13:00The Promise of Freedom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKF77EiNc5fRd4rsx1RleATSzv7fccrECi9UBB7_WGM8nYv3KI699qGL0feTO-1LBA4lcz1Qvwy1oPP4i8NjJUKHC9-XeK0JP1R9fq_qQ9ZqF9R8SY96W6oC1xTY2slBUpFQrmvkP5Pc/s1600/The+Tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKF77EiNc5fRd4rsx1RleATSzv7fccrECi9UBB7_WGM8nYv3KI699qGL0feTO-1LBA4lcz1Qvwy1oPP4i8NjJUKHC9-XeK0JP1R9fq_qQ9ZqF9R8SY96W6oC1xTY2slBUpFQrmvkP5Pc/s320/The+Tower.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And yet..... this is <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a </span>card <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">few of us welcome</span>. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">R<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ather </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">than face the uncertainty of chang<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> we stay small and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">safe<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> W<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e build <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">towers <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to protect ourselves<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> - both <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">prisons and sanctua<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ries.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">W<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">imprison some parts of ourselves</span></span></span> because they are perceived as too dangerous and disruptive to be allowed out into our everyday lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">parts have</span> been <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hidden</span> away for protection, because they are felt to be too vulnerable, too fragile to withstand the outer world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some parts have fled to the tower in fear and overwhelm and grief. They are locked away to protect them from further hurt and to protect us from being overwhelmed by their feelings. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whatever is in the tower has been taken out of the flow of everyday life.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">O<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ften it takes something<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> unexpected</span></span></span> to get through <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ou<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">r</span></span> defen<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s</span>es. The lightning - a symbol of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">dramatic</span> change - electric, dynamic, precise, shocking, instant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is, I think, what we fear most about The Tower - the suddenness of the change<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> -</span> the impossibility of ever going back to that small, defended place<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">-</span></span> the free fall as some part of our lives is turned upside down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitWQ0BBJoWZbUFcGa4KEUnK9psaO8WkwpTwMaeDPyPwoyHi1l1b0hY_CO2nyMdGPlHB9EZjnxqerLf6_s0uDBn51WTETGJ0giXeZeaTQKOXBTtiUusKwXjwH88_7dc9oUVb3fqfh7R9k/s1600/The+Star.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitWQ0BBJoWZbUFcGa4KEUnK9psaO8WkwpTwMaeDPyPwoyHi1l1b0hY_CO2nyMdGPlHB9EZjnxqerLf6_s0uDBn51WTETGJ0giXeZeaTQKOXBTtiUusKwXjwH88_7dc9oUVb3fqfh7R9k/s320/The+Star.jpg" width="181" /></a>We need to tolerate this period of vulnerability until we can turn free<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">-</span>fall into flight. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">speak words of courage to oursel<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ves,</span> to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">be <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">kind and self-compassionate as we move through uncertainty</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These unexpected lightning bolts may come from the external world, but they may also be internal - the sudden flash of lightning intuition, a moment of shame or joy or released rage that forever alters how we see ourselves and our life<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">O</span></span>ur perspective has shifted and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">we are opened</span> to a more <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">expansive</span> way of operating in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The S<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tar follows <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Tower - and this is the promise of the journey. That i<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">f we will see it through we will come to a place of seren<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ity. A place w<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">here we are more <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">truly oursel<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ves, a place where we can pour out healing waters for those who are thirst<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-33257929851589251912016-09-08T13:40:00.000+12:002016-10-29T13:16:08.210+13:00Discover your Soul's Purpose through Tarot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FGzUeGSrutY3YXLw_4epGSyCgK_2O-MYdlDnBHznNK277rfOVJ6g8vCGLGOsoEaf_gqBqk36jXHF8BjzcRI_74tMBsLVs7C8UISOmLQdMcQZM13FIHfgBzaU1U3UUWDAj2-D5Ar3rTA/s1600/Judgement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FGzUeGSrutY3YXLw_4epGSyCgK_2O-MYdlDnBHznNK277rfOVJ6g8vCGLGOsoEaf_gqBqk36jXHF8BjzcRI_74tMBsLVs7C8UISOmLQdMcQZM13FIHfgBzaU1U3UUWDAj2-D5Ar3rTA/s320/Judgement.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Today I'm going to take you through the process of discovering your soul's purpose through choosing 3 tarot cards. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This sounds simple but there are a number of tips I can give you that will help to make this a more enjoyable and meaningful experience. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>You might also find it helpful to read last weeks post: <a href="http://jaystarotblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/09/what-is-my-soul-purpose-for-this-life.html" target="_blank">What is a Soul Purpose?</a> </i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span> Firstly it really helps to be in a calm and peaceful place inside yourself. This is not something to be doing when feeling overwhelmed with life's challenges, or in deep grief or despair or any agitated state. Why? Because in order to connect to your guidance, to your intuition or divine team you need to be in a high vibration state - one that is receptive to the higher vibration of Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a busy mind state or an emotionally activated state, we are far more likely to be connecting to our fears and the defen<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s</span>es or compulsions of our egos.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some easy ways to raise your vibrational state are:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) Ten minutes of slow deep breathing - breathing right down into your belly - put your hand on your belly so you can feel it moving outwards - breathe in slowly and deeply - pause - then purse your lips as if you were breathing out through a straw - and breathe out as slowly as you can. Repeat until you are feeling completely chilled out.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKlixgr88XyzmYyLsJd9sCqFMw0T9lUU25VjbFuQCsQs2xcsK8KbWNyo_vrEp1xwr_pAFuYhGFOvvggjkT-S2V_Yxb4TBEV5hWUTrfjRJs28WC0HGFkTp_KAj2mUgJi9CJ4zHqcRo5bg/s1600/7+pentacles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKlixgr88XyzmYyLsJd9sCqFMw0T9lUU25VjbFuQCsQs2xcsK8KbWNyo_vrEp1xwr_pAFuYhGFOvvggjkT-S2V_Yxb4TBEV5hWUTrfjRJs28WC0HGFkTp_KAj2mUgJi9CJ4zHqcRo5bg/s320/7+pentacles.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) Take a walk in nature, preferably by yourself, or, if with another person then not talking. Instead notice the details of the natural world around you, the colours and textures, the sounds and smells, the movement of small creatures, allow yourself to sink into the vibration of nature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3) Another of my favourites is to use a <a href="http://jaystarotblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/08/binaural-beats-connect-to-your-inner.html" target="_blank">Binaural Beats meditation</a>. I always do this before I read the cards for others in my Tarot for Your Soul readings - I find it quietens any anxiety or doubt or interference from my own life and allows me to clearly hear the guidance coming through for my client. This meditation is an audio download and I've written more about it <a href="http://jaystarotblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/08/binaural-beats-connect-to-your-inner.html">here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4) Do something that you know makes you feel calm and tunes you to your internal world. Perhaps gardening or going for a bike ride or something creative. I've recently begun to create portraits of friends using coloured pencil. It is a slow process of layering and I've found that just 30 minutes of colouring takes me to a very peaceful place - neuroscientists have discovered that doing something creative like this actually dampens down the critical, judgemental, negative self-talk part of the brain. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Create a Ritual and Set your Intention</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1J0ixJ_-NZ61kfXEP8sR288S1pSExsEm03kEcQhyphenhyphenDd-9tViS1Cx9jKHQ64JOIG1-pAVRuZry0aP6sqdecKC_gN9U-iWzwxs7_zcuhgi_p0_ngJXtLeQD0NGV2qxbz1pwrOJm5w_qA7U/s1600/7+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1J0ixJ_-NZ61kfXEP8sR288S1pSExsEm03kEcQhyphenhyphenDd-9tViS1Cx9jKHQ64JOIG1-pAVRuZry0aP6sqdecKC_gN9U-iWzwxs7_zcuhgi_p0_ngJXtLeQD0NGV2qxbz1pwrOJm5w_qA7U/s320/7+cups.jpg" width="179" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You certainly don't have to do this, but it can help to slow everything down, create a sense of inner spaciousness and honour that this is not an everyday event, but a special occasion. It could be as simple as lighting a candle or putting a flower in a vase in front of you or playing soothing background music.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rituals help us to transition from our everyday lives to a sense of sacredness, of awe, of connecting to something bigger than ourselves - a universal divine love - whatever name we may choose to call this by.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some form of request, a statement of our intention or a prayer helps to direct our focus and opens the way for guidance to be given. It could be simply:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>I ask for the Grace of clear guidance and high vibration loving assistance as I choose three tarot cards to help me <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">understand</span> my soul's purpose for this life-time. </i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Shuffle your Cards</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Firstly, make sure you are using a deck that resonates very strongly for you. My own preference is the Universal Waite tarot deck. I like this one for several reasons. It is rich in symbolic detail which is very clearly shown on the cards. There is a clear distinction between the four suits. The images on the cards tend to be neutral and don't express either a positive or negative bias.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Personally I don't use reversed cards - it tends to induce panic and with 78 cards I feel there is enough nuance of meaning available. So my suggestion for this reading at least is to make sure all the cards are upright.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next <a href="http://ystarotblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/06/shuffling-your-tarot-cards-for-big-one.html">shuffle</a> your cards. For a big reading like this I use the seven hand shuffle. Deal the cards out into seven piles in a random fashion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Straighten the cards up and put the piles together using your intuition for the order. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cut the deck into three piles. Take the top card of each pile. These are the three cards that convey something of the essence of your Soul Purpose. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAg-XlGyhJL1t1MMH2N8eJUHlzPI6JHWuKbuuJPv8q1qXHOvh_VmUMzD_CCR0vSWmSrEY8J2HV20URrQJtolVFg_f2Zg8WoIJBLhajnpUF_aSqxNWA0o6YPwXLiVffF0724gQZglk0RUM/s1600/my+soul+purpose+cards.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAg-XlGyhJL1t1MMH2N8eJUHlzPI6JHWuKbuuJPv8q1qXHOvh_VmUMzD_CCR0vSWmSrEY8J2HV20URrQJtolVFg_f2Zg8WoIJBLhajnpUF_aSqxNWA0o6YPwXLiVffF0724gQZglk0RUM/s320/my+soul+purpose+cards.JPG" width="313" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Working with your Soul Purpose cards</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You won't get all the information about your soul's purpose in one sitting. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is something you feel your way into over time with flashes of insight and understanding. </span>Knowing which are your cards helps you to link certain life experiences and choices to your soul purpose. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You might like to work deeply with each card, one at a time, or dip a toe in the water of all three to get the bigger picture and see how they connect, perhaps coming back to work separately on them at a later time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Work with the cards you get - even if they are not the ones you hoped you would be given - even if you previously had negative associations to those cards. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>pend some time just examining your card, notice the details; the attitude and posture of the character; the colours. What stands out most strongly to you? If you let your eyes go soft and slide them over the card where are they drawn to?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What feelings does the card bring up in you? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Write down some words that come into your mind as you contemplate the card.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is there anything in your current life that springs to mind as you look at your card? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is there anything from your past?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Close your eyes and imagine you are the character in the card, find yourself in that landscape or setting. How do you feel? What do you do? Allow this to develop into a little story - a kind of deliberate daydream. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How does that connect to your current life? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Notice the number, the suit or the court role of the card - what information does this give you? If you are new to the tarot you can always research this later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Put your hand on your heart, take a breath, and ask for one phrase or one image or one sensation<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> that sums up the essence of </span>your soul's purpose for each card. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My Soul Purpose cards</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The High Priestess</i>: To be a student and a teacher of the mysteries of the inner world. (This was the easiest card to understand as I had already been doing my own inner work and working with clients for many years. And this is still unfolding - if I get this card when I've had an inspiration about doing something new it gives me the green-light to go ahead.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>King of Wands</i>: To gain mastery over the sphere of action. (This has been the most difficult card for me to grasp - perhaps because action does not come easily. Not surprisingly the Page of Wands is my guiding light - action, courage, confidence, going out into the world - this is all something I am learning - and my soul purpose is to persist in this study until I master this sphere.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Star</i>: To be authentically myself with no disguise or preten<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s</span>e, to find peace in being my true self and shining with my gifts to inspire others. (This is a great card that guides me to live from the inside out, to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">let go of any concerns around what others are thinking or doing <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and instead to trust my own path.</span></span> )</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-15461456132834916792016-09-01T10:58:00.000+12:002016-09-09T13:10:03.568+12:00What is a Soul Purpose?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScfFgP7nJPfZrsQ7Cf0WNMruZVXbZWw8893lJgVFueURBsnkrxp5wqH5bbTEhmgtrgFPMPjQRUx60dEWtdinHNZY0aaNRY8YwGzwVHSGCbrdin12jyY2tbyJvud8z7Lz_pku3Kkids3E/s1600/The+World.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScfFgP7nJPfZrsQ7Cf0WNMruZVXbZWw8893lJgVFueURBsnkrxp5wqH5bbTEhmgtrgFPMPjQRUx60dEWtdinHNZY0aaNRY8YwGzwVHSGCbrdin12jyY2tbyJvud8z7Lz_pku3Kkids3E/s320/The+World.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our spirits are adventurous, courageous and curious - at least this is what I've seen over and over again in my past life regression work with clients.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span> After we've explored the past life and gone through to the other side of death there is a part in the session where the life is being reviewed in Spirit. One of the questions we ask is: <i>What was your soul's purpose for that life? </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The answers are often surprising and it becomes clear that each life is a part of a much bigger picture, like a jigsaw piece. So one life is only a small contribution to a soul's purpose that may take any number of lives to fully complete. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If I look at my regression notes from sessions with clients this year I find the following soul purposes recorded:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To learn to let go of expectations, that you can't plan or control what is going to happen.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To grow in strength and confidence in who I want to be - to learn that if I don't love myself I can't love anyone else.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To experience the feeling of being alone even when surrounded by other people.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Selflessness - to sacrifice oneself to save another without thinking about it.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Responsibility - to take responsibility for one's choices and actions and the effect they have on others.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To experience separation from loved ones, the grief of being unable to protect ones family (this one was a contrast or karmic balance to the many lives spent as a soldier invading other places)</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To learn to reach out for help when in need.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To learn to move through a mother's harsh judgement and not shut down in anger and bitterness, but to connect with the life spark within and find self-worth and self-love. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Forgiveness</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Being a pioneer to explore new land and find routes for others to follow.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To overcome extreme difficulties and fears to free myself from slavery and then go back and free others.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Marrying for wealth and position - the experience of pretending to love and the inner emptiness that results.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To learn death is not an ending and not to be afraid of it, that death is simply a revolving door where we come and go and cannot lose anyone, they are always there.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So we see that <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">soul purposes are
often quite different from ego ambitions which are focused on our culture's definition of success. At the moment, success is often defined as being very rich, very famous, or very powerful. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38Sk8VAXbe706aG_X0OQUjd2763wqmsPTeH08Zoww6N2Va3r2j_CGM1Qa4-6QUEpoBzJs4AcvzfB9GmNqH-S4pXAuJUwql8HKMZNuDBf-2InzRCObw6kY49LPk6MJDW6NRXfj54By5uk/s1600/8+pentacles.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38Sk8VAXbe706aG_X0OQUjd2763wqmsPTeH08Zoww6N2Va3r2j_CGM1Qa4-6QUEpoBzJs4AcvzfB9GmNqH-S4pXAuJUwql8HKMZNuDBf-2InzRCObw6kY49LPk6MJDW6NRXfj54By5uk/s320/8+pentacles.jpg" width="179" /></a>Though I've guided hundreds of past life regressions, not one of those worldly ambitions has shown up as a soul purpose. The character in that life may be - or want to be - rich or beautiful, famous or powerful - but it seems that is just the structure for that life and the soul purpose is something deeper within those outer circumstances.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is often the daily experience of life and our response to those experiences that is at the heart of our soul's purpose. We are growing the character of our soul and though we may be called on occasion to some heroic task, though there may be a time of crisis where we are tested, it is more often the small daily choices and actions that create the life and where we face the opportunities to fulfill our soul's purpose.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If I look at the themes of my own past lives (and I've explored over forty of them now) then I can identify the following soul challenges - all of which come up on a weekly if not daily basis:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To make my own choices and not let others control my decisions or actions.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To develop patience and keep going, to keep taking one step after another - even when I feel like I'm not getting anywhere.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To strengthen inner resolve by dealing with difficulties and obstacles and not give up too soon.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To move through difficult emotions and moods and not allow myself to be derailed by them - especially to channel anger into useful action.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>To trust my intuition and my divine team - to connect more to my heart for guidance than my will.</i></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpMuMr8xJ6bXop4Blw0YvfgHc-OI9nQHjnqvnnWOrkveHo_MNvzPBX_D2j2rdKvpCdHbX3YKycsRIuHNu2cXgJ2fVLMApF56dbabfqfTM20tFR_8gVOrsAxTSIDRSXKTykx1xI7DQ1Q0/s1600/Queen+swords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpMuMr8xJ6bXop4Blw0YvfgHc-OI9nQHjnqvnnWOrkveHo_MNvzPBX_D2j2rdKvpCdHbX3YKycsRIuHNu2cXgJ2fVLMApF56dbabfqfTM20tFR_8gVOrsAxTSIDRSXKTykx1xI7DQ1Q0/s320/Queen+swords.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next week I'll look at how we can use the tarot to explore our Soul Purposes more deeply. For now though, why not take a few moments to consider your daily life and the things that come up over and over. See if you can re-frame these challenges as skills that your soul is immersed in learning.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-57243829248602561422016-08-25T16:02:00.001+12:002017-07-01T14:04:47.684+12:00Binaural Beats - Connect to your Inner Guidance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb7T3GSAGKSKoGQsQIOKUhm8YMtgr9e7_Z6wtWRjdh5OtDRvWW3JdB7n11HgPt7_aJfBYLdFYj-iti-eMtyC-Ek5R6Njq303q1Nn0MMOz9eOl15yeIXqIezsozYpl2dmTfNCNzS7VDvY/s1600/high+priestess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb7T3GSAGKSKoGQsQIOKUhm8YMtgr9e7_Z6wtWRjdh5OtDRvWW3JdB7n11HgPt7_aJfBYLdFYj-iti-eMtyC-Ek5R6Njq303q1Nn0MMOz9eOl15yeIXqIezsozYpl2dmTfNCNzS7VDvY/s320/high+priestess.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My favourite tool that helps me <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">connect to my guidance is <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">an inexpensive audio down<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">load called <a href="http://www.unexplainablestore.com/coupon.php?a=14685">Binaural Beats</a>.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The
benefits of using Binaural Beats regularly is that it awakens your
creativity, stimulates your imagination and releases stress. But what it
also does is raise your vibration and tunes you to your internal world.
So this alpha brain wave state is ideal for connecting to your inner
guidance. I listen to the Binaural Beats audio as I am writing up my
astrology or tarot reports <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">as it gives me a particularly clear connection and channel <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to</span> my guides<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Also if</span>
you want to do a Past Life Regression session, but are anxious that you
won't receive any images or information then practicing with Binaural
Beats to connect to your Higher Self and inner guidance can be a good
way to open that channel of trust</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T</span>houg<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">h</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I've never found it easy to meditate in the classic way of emptying my mind</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, I do love stories and day dream very easily</span>. <a href="http://www.unexplainablestore.com/coupon.php?a=14685" target="_blank">The Binaural Beats</a> sound meditation encourages this natural ability to flow into a lucid dreaming experience - <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">connecting to one's</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">gu<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">idance in the form of</span></span> a visual story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can read about one of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">my experie<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nces</span></span>, <i>The Knight and t</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>he Wise Woman</i>, later in this post. But fi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">rst:<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What are Binaural Beats?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Binaural Beats is simply a rhythm of beats that takes the listener into that peaceful Alpha brainwave state necessary for meditation and for receiving guidance. Normally we are in a Beta brainwave state which is the busy mind<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> -</span> active<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> -</span> and often agitated. Some people use the B<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">inaural Beats <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">audio <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">simply to relax, to re<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">l<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ie</span>ve <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">stress and get to s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">leep more easily. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.unexplainablestore.com/coupon.php?a=14685" target="_blank">Binaural Beats</a> audio I use is high quality and has relaxing water sounds over the top of the beats which are a pleasure to listen to. You do need to listen with working stereo headphones as the beats are different for each ea<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">r - it is this difference that has the effect of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tak<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ing</span> us into the Alpha state.</span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many people find <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">their</span> connection to Spirit occurs naturally when they use the <a href="http://www.unexplainablestore.com/coupon.php?a=14685">Binaural Beats</a> audio. You can also deliberately choose to connect to your guides by setting the intention beforehand, asking your guides to come in and help you with a particular challenge. As you start to listen you can deliberately create a sanctuary, imagining a garden or an island in the sea, or a temple. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTKg7hJJVCu8r5BYEJfuAU73PvQY_0sc1BsSrLiNtxYUmw8oZ9GQeVZwzAlRngsZvtsUlXd2Rgf3wXAeiPebHo_TVip98W6fXcJCjWrXWgIlY5ViUw4-LBjP-lMUJhfJ-V1h7obLN3Ic/s1600/2+Swords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTKg7hJJVCu8r5BYEJfuAU73PvQY_0sc1BsSrLiNtxYUmw8oZ9GQeVZwzAlRngsZvtsUlXd2Rgf3wXAeiPebHo_TVip98W6fXcJCjWrXWgIlY5ViUw4-LBjP-lMUJhfJ-V1h7obLN3Ic/s320/2+Swords.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sometimes I ask my divine team for a high </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">vibration experience for my highest good and allow the images or the messages to rise up and unfold. Other times I ask for help with a challenging situation. Or I simply bring to mind the various parts of my life and get updated guidance on how things are going and any tweaks or changes I need to make.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Where can I find the Binaural Beats Audio?</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to try <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Binauaral Beats</span> for yourself <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">here</a> is the link to th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e</span></span> 30 minute <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">audio</span> meditation that I use. The link will take you to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.unexplainablestore.com/coupon.php?a=14685">The Unexplainable Store</a> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ES<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">P/P<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">sychic page</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. The <a href="http://www.unexplainablestore.com/coupon.php?a=14685">Binaural Beats</a> audio costs $14 for instant download and there is a money back guarantee if you find it doesn't suit you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Below is an example of one of the visual and spoken guidance stories that I experienced<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> J</span>ust as everyone <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">has a different s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">yle of dreaming so we all r<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">eceive guidance differently<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> - your s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tyle may be quite <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">different from mine.</span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">O<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ur imaginations are like a port, with both incoming and outgoing data<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I</span>f <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">you<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">r imagination <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">has been neglected</span>, it may take <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">time</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to get it fully functioning again <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and for you to be able to receive a rich and cl<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ear amount of information. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yjR9qCNPoho0UkcI6acS30SCq56_S1HxKqSXKvHTWPgAZuJVh6PVmzVfMrsAHpyJrpb9PW5rZM07naFBZ9cJVm-N5tdKHl-RDL5WgZokaVuRl-rlgY9FLEgRehT4eFk8S9-k0ISw-IE/s1600/Empress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yjR9qCNPoho0UkcI6acS30SCq56_S1HxKqSXKvHTWPgAZuJVh6PVmzVfMrsAHpyJrpb9PW5rZM07naFBZ9cJVm-N5tdKHl-RDL5WgZokaVuRl-rlgY9FLEgRehT4eFk8S9-k0ISw-IE/s320/Empress.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Knight and the Wise Woman</span></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />As the music and the sound of waves wash over me from the audio<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> an image comes into my mind.</span> I see my inner female on a small boat standing up. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She</span> is dressed in a flowing dark blue cloak and there is a soft energy about her.<br /><br />She turns to look behind her and in the boat there is a small red and blue imp type figure. His face is twisted and angry and he is wielding a small fork. He jumps up and down and sometimes he stabs her in the back with the fork and twists it.<br /><br />The inner female turns to look in front of her and sees a beautiful small boy, he is perfect<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> -</span> innocent and gentle - he is however a golden statue.<br /><br />I realise these two aspects are two extremes within me and need to come together to create something in the middle. At this thought the golden boy moves around to the back. The demon manages in his anger to stab himself in the foot and the fork is stuck there. He howls in pain. The Golden Boy puts his arms around the demon and begins to comfort him. He tries to pull out the fork, but the demon howls louder.<br /><br />At this a woman appears, she is dressed a bit like a medieval nun with only her face showing - but her face is full of kindness and wisdom - there is something of the Mother Mary energy about her. She explains to the dwarf that if the fork is left where it is things will just get worse and worse and more painful. But if he will consent to letting it be pulled out - it might hurt worse for a bit - but then it will get better and he will be much happier. Between the three of them they pull the fork out. The Golden Boy holds the demon lovingly and they merge.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fySRU6C0-7b9bzEUjvBUH8qNqaasGDLzCRoDmIATSlgwYijwHcSD0Xl6vcRPLa6lWP77W5-JEERUJPn_5lXdj4Nenq6d-JKKiiYluxsOsrgLY4irWxr1Ewpdy0raemQVFhUlm0M1rdI/s1600/page+wands.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fySRU6C0-7b9bzEUjvBUH8qNqaasGDLzCRoDmIATSlgwYijwHcSD0Xl6vcRPLa6lWP77W5-JEERUJPn_5lXdj4Nenq6d-JKKiiYluxsOsrgLY4irWxr1Ewpdy0raemQVFhUlm0M1rdI/s320/page+wands.jpg" width="175" /></a></span></span></span></span> What they turn into as they merge is a young man who stands on the opposite side of the boat to the inner female. He has the pointed chin and tiny beard reminiscent of the dwarf, but the dark golden hair and smooth skin of the golden boy. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As they merge the demon's fork is tossed into the air. The wise mother woman catches it and runs her fingers down it turning it into a silver sword which she gives to the young man.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She then begins to talk to the young man about his role and his path - this goes on for some time and keeps repeating as if he is not very good at taking her words to heart.<br /><br />In this part we move to a landscape of rolling hills where we can see a path going off into the distance. The young man asks where is his horse - surely he should have one if he is to be a knight for his lady?<br /><br />The woman replies that there is one waiting for him up ahead and it is a very good horse. She shows us a large white horse that has a golden heart that shines from it's breast. She also shows us a couple of scenes of the horse guiding the knight away from a bad decision - one of which was where he wanted to go and bang on a castle door and confront someone - and the horse shows him it is better to go round the back quietly and get in that way and change things from within surreptitiously.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The young man asks why he could not have the horse now, he feels silly walking along the path on foot. The woman replies he can only have the horse when he has learn<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ed</span> not to rush. That if he had the horse now he would go charging off like the Knight of Swords or the Knight of Wands in the Tarot instead of being like the Knight of Cups which he is meant to be.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidariw3psQ1SlVii2c-P72CNPSTkrdeyiACWrwKpAQIIousJ5AtohWzvceSI0LLh_M1z5CPg2ebBvvVDwK_SWtlspTJLUHVhXPAXTR_RGFCRCgWFTfT81ptphxHJ8RajUDC82LXMJ-NLs/s1600/knight+swords.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidariw3psQ1SlVii2c-P72CNPSTkrdeyiACWrwKpAQIIousJ5AtohWzvceSI0LLh_M1z5CPg2ebBvvVDwK_SWtlspTJLUHVhXPAXTR_RGFCRCgWFTfT81ptphxHJ8RajUDC82LXMJ-NLs/s320/knight+swords.jpg" width="183" /></a><br />If he had the horse now he would not be able to resist trying to go at speed to get to the goal and he would miss all the important things along the way - things he needs to learn. These are:<br /><br />Patience<br />Self-Belief - not needing to prove himself all the time <br />Kindness <br />Trusting the inner rhythms</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Valuing the inner female <br />Learning how to be in service to her creative visions<br />Learning to check in on how he is doing - to reaffirm his direction.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Learning not to give up when things don't work out, but to persist and find another route.<br /><br />The wise mother figure keeps showing him how he has this anxious impulse to rush off to the goal and when he does this all he is aware of along the way is empty fields - but she shows him that when he slows down and lets go of the need to get ahead - then suddenly all around him fills up with a deep richness of experience.<br /><br />She shows him that though his role is to assist the inner female to bring her creative children into the world, his own personal quest is to be found in all the experiences, adventures, obstacles and challenges he will meet along the path to doing this and the learning and maturing that results.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDX1wrNXXDnXSW3BkIbpA6biu6fJq8RCMm1nBdW3zxWjnzIAyHomqijP4hAqA9GgiI_WXiq9s24Y5XYZbZZl0CwiSKH3cnHYQASZ7GAygjw2di_NequCS2kIRo8XDyuxtJlw6VxfO95I/s1600/knight+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="770" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDX1wrNXXDnXSW3BkIbpA6biu6fJq8RCMm1nBdW3zxWjnzIAyHomqijP4hAqA9GgiI_WXiq9s24Y5XYZbZZl0CwiSKH3cnHYQASZ7GAygjw2di_NequCS2kIRo8XDyuxtJlw6VxfO95I/s320/knight+cups.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She tells him to look at the writing on his sword. When he does he sees the writing is in the form of a question: What am I learning right now?<br /><br />The wise mother figure repeats he needs to slow down and learn patience and only when he feels no need to rush will the horse appear - and then he can go at speed according to the inner rhythms and not because of inner weakness or wounds. She says that asking the question on the sword will help him to slow down and open to th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e</span> richness and depth that is always there in any moment.<br /><br />The young man repeats the question over and over until he can feel how this works and until he feels he will be able to remember it.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I awoke f<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">rom the meditation I wrote <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the st<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ory down</span></span> in my jou<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">rn<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">al and added:</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span> This must be important guidance because the same message is coming to me repeatedly, though this was the most detailed version - and I <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">often complain that I am moving at s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nails pace <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and my goals seem to get no closer</span></span></span>.<br /><br />I think I had better write down <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the</span> question: What am I learning right now? and stick it around the house, because it took a lot of repetition for him to get hold of it and it would be very easy to forget to use it. </i></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-91429302947214802392016-08-18T09:10:00.000+12:002016-09-09T13:52:19.145+12:00Rest and Renewal - Balancing your Brain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIA60O9s7IxBi-Fd-etF1DD96IzGGMtgUJoQ4ZoIHuW3WtHmKTU1YRSKGGcEvvCRSxoA27fTq91ywH8Oi6u72zOx-WSgI8xqkHfAEGQ_IOliaOoPZNfpHg5vsdn8hQF5vkT6kZQdb7Bw/s1600/4++Swords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIA60O9s7IxBi-Fd-etF1DD96IzGGMtgUJoQ4ZoIHuW3WtHmKTU1YRSKGGcEvvCRSxoA27fTq91ywH8Oi6u72zOx-WSgI8xqkHfAEGQ_IOliaOoPZNfpHg5vsdn8hQF5vkT6kZQdb7Bw/s320/4++Swords.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">F</span>our of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>words as a four is part of the Emperor family. Yet in the picture we see something mysterious going on. The swords are <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">divided</span> into three hanging on the wall and one beneath the knight. The three swords along with the female figure and child in the stained glass window clearly bring in the energy of The Empress.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So why is this card, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">which</span> is essentially an expression of Emperor energy, so closely connected to the Empress?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weirdly enough the answer lies in the structure of our brains - and in particular the difference between the right and left brain and the way they perceive the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Emperor is concerned with civilisation - the structure and organisation of life - he creates rules, justice, punishments and hierarchies - the city state which must be protected and expanded. This is in contrast to The Empress who brings new life into the world encouraging it to unfold naturally and organically. Symbolically the Emperor is connected to the city and the Empress to the Forest and natural world.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5EacBVHv33-WGAguNKWYHxbJ0eIzQ7nq_FB4xxW808nKfK9_0gVmdwTEfRH6F2QgpkTrtMIdjL6_K9R9QyUarkzjV5OdcgJaaI1FWxvURZzPD3PthxKHIgFoW76gZ2Ci7ARuatfbPUM/s1600/Emperor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5EacBVHv33-WGAguNKWYHxbJ0eIzQ7nq_FB4xxW808nKfK9_0gVmdwTEfRH6F2QgpkTrtMIdjL6_K9R9QyUarkzjV5OdcgJaaI1FWxvURZzPD3PthxKHIgFoW76gZ2Ci7ARuatfbPUM/s320/Emperor.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what has this got to do with our brains? Well the Emperor does not know when to stop expanding his empire - there is no rest here - there is never enough power or territory. Even if you are at the top of a hierarchy, if you are the best, the highest paid, the most famous, the one in control, there is always the fear that someone coming up behind you will be better and will tip you off your pinnacle of success. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is why we see him suited up in sharp, shiny armour in his rigid stone chair looking defensively to see who might be sneaking up on him. The Emperor is immersed in his material world - see how much red surrounds him - and does not realise that without the Empress and her <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">desire to be in relationship</span>, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">her connection to</span> the unconscious springs of creative and spiritual renewal, his world becomes increasingly sterile and barren until<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">,</span> eventually, it crumbles away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">N</span>euroscientist <a href="http://www.iainmcgilchrist.com/" target="_blank">Iain Gilchrist</a> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">explains that the</span> left side of our brain is also concerned with manipulating the world to our use, with controlling resources<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I</span>t is very logical and line<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ar and tends to r<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">igidity and narrow focus</span></span></span>. The left brain is concerned with quantity - getting more and more - and has no ability to appreciate quality. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When it dominates</span> the left brain tries to run our lives as if we were a machine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is our right brain that has an appreciation for the particular experiences of life, for art, beauty, relationship, community, the unique, the individual, the spiritual. It is the right brain that is concerned with the meaning of life, with feelings and dreams and it is this part that can empathize with another and feel compassion. (The left side of our brain is also connected to feeling, but the feeling it is mostly connected to is anger.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Civilisations in history where right brain values have led the way have flourished and quality of life has been full and rich. Civilisations where the left brain has been in control have dwindled or fallen apart and the quality of life for most of its citizens ha<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ve</span> been impoverished and miserable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now according to Iain Gilchrist the interesting thing about the two sides of our brain is that although the right brain knows it needs the left brain and values those left brain skills - the left brain thinks it can go it alone. The left brain does not understand or value the right brain and believes it is unnecessary - a bit like <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the</span> Daleks <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">on</span> Doctor Who,<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> living machines </span>who, when faced with heart connected responses to the world, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">can only say</span>: <i>Does not compute - Does not compute!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So when the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">F</span>our of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>words appears in a spread what it is saying is that we have become lost in fighting the battles of the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">E</span>mperor. Remembering that swords is all about the mind, our thoughts, our communications - we could say that our thoughts have become too dominated with Emperor values, and we are in danger of pouring all of our precious life force into attaining <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">or</span> defending something that has no heart connection for us - <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">something</span> which brings us no joy. We are treating ourselves as if we were a machine with attention only on the material world of things and power games and contests of will.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">F</span>our of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>words <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tells us<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> it</span></span></span> is time to retreat, time to find a sanctuary - a place of peace where we can lay down our weapons and reconnect to what brings joy into our lives - it is time for renewal, to find a new purpose, a new attitude, a new guiding light for our lives. Both the child in the window and the single sword under the knight speak of new beginnings. The<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span>child is the symbol of the new born, of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hope</span>, of play and light-heartedness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To get
to that new life we have to go through the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T</span>hree of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>words that are
pointing down at the knight - piercing through our defences to find what
is truly in our hearts - to feel both the grief at what we have done<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> and</span>
what we have lost, to get to the heart of who we truly are and what we
truly care for. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So wh<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ere do the sea turtles come i<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">n<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to this? Well this was my rest and re<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">newal, my</span> Empr<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ess<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> experience<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. For a short time I lived like a wild child <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">in a wooden hut called a Fale on the coast <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">on <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pacific island <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">called</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sava<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">i</span>i. I swam in turquoise sea, snorkelled with fishe<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">s, went about bare foot in the sunshine and had no contact with my ordi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nary world. No internet, no respon<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">sibili<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ties, no c<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hores or duties, no goals. My mind refused even to think of such things. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wild sea turtles came over the reef on the incoming tide and if you were luck<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">one of them would allow you to snorkel <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">along<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">side as it peacefully grazed on sea grass and came up now and then for air. I s<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">aw several <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">on this holiday, beautif<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ul, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">peaceful giants. On<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> the last morning I <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">swam wit<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">h o<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ne for fi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">fteen minutes, close enough to see the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">wrinkles on its neck and to see the depths of that wonderful large dark eye as it turned to look up at me. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">he joy of that e<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">xperience, t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">h<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e wonder and inner spaciousness it created <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">are still with me even though</span> I have returned to my ever<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">yda<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">y life. My values have been re-sorted a<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nd</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> some of those <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Emperor <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">compulsions</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">released.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I</span> am allowing myself to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">slow down, to be spacious and to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">spend much more time doing</span> what I love.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(I<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">f you <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">are interested in finding out more of Iain <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gilchrist's work I recommend watchi<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ng on<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e of his talks on You<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">T</span>ube or reading the very accessible 30 page <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">essay: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Divided-Brain-Search-Meaning-ebook/dp/B008JE7I2M/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471561171&sr=1-2" target="_blank">The Divided Brain and the Search f<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">or Meaning</span></a> availa<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ble from amazon <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">on</span> kindle.)</span></span> </span></span> </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-64998845641827073512016-07-14T08:24:00.000+12:002016-07-17T08:44:16.439+12:00Nine of Swords - Awakening<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_w_fCb7YOx-JwmwiTSSpHpdEynS9rLp0uVK7QUIa8aRvXFu1gJ_UVxev7RgIcYv2owJO_ndzM5sW-qCSLSrYCEVdiWSrgc2ZcaXh4duBUw97QLRxdnyqCONDHaNQfYwOiStD_34mJ1E/s1600/9+swords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_w_fCb7YOx-JwmwiTSSpHpdEynS9rLp0uVK7QUIa8aRvXFu1gJ_UVxev7RgIcYv2owJO_ndzM5sW-qCSLSrYCEVdiWSrgc2ZcaXh4duBUw97QLRxdnyqCONDHaNQfYwOiStD_34mJ1E/s320/9+swords.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nine of Swords</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many of us have a favourite card in the tarot deck, one we greet like a friend when it shows up. I wonder how many would see the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">N</span>ine of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Swords</span> as a friendly card? And yet .... and yet ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've been musing upon this card and going beneath the seemingly doom laden image. When it turned up in a spread I found myself contemplating the image, making space for what it was trying to tell me<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My eyes were drawn to </span>the quilt and suddenly the beauty of the colours popped out at me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I found myself wanting to say to the character - just take your hands away from your face, look at what is right in front of you. See the beauty of your life. And I remembered that the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">N</span>ine of <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>words is, by number and family, connected to The Hermit - the one who shines the light - the one who has climbed the mountain and can see the bigger picture.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmISE200_t9b1mzF3hfyTWAiAzw63fU_esaUUWP83AnRvLbbI_l19PP9KsE9Rg5G2drSQcB7kvcH_-yulRKeu8D-yaDP13iJDO3OIusleBBQaDTwxJL_thL7WURiP3866SPMrmMM083PY/s1600/The+Hermit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmISE200_t9b1mzF3hfyTWAiAzw63fU_esaUUWP83AnRvLbbI_l19PP9KsE9Rg5G2drSQcB7kvcH_-yulRKeu8D-yaDP13iJDO3OIusleBBQaDTwxJL_thL7WURiP3866SPMrmMM083PY/s320/The+Hermit.jpg" width="184" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So we can focus on all those swords stacked over our heads - we can struggle with difficult thoughts, creating a prison for ourselves - or - we can take our hands away from our face and look at our lives from an entirely different perspective. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We can choos<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e to </span>remember that we are S</span>pirit having a human adventure - <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and our life is</span> a rich quilt of experiences.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Think of a book or a film. Would you be interested in a story where everything goes smoothly for the hero/ine, where there is only sunshine and easy achievement? Sounds boring doesn't it! Our favourite heroes and heroines <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">find themselves facing</span> both inner and outer challenges<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">S</span>ometimes their quest is to find a way to win through difficult odds, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to turn around</span> seemingly impossible<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> situations</span>. Think about yo<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ur favourite <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">books or films - what are you most drawn to about <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">those stories</span>?</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZJ1g4WfivDRu3PVvpMb2n6QpLYJ7f4CbB4HxXbnlC9jiP91pjHZRhVGObL__nCB7CCoc7qX696DsAbc6V8is2vdKzJh4gfDBr4UA7QTZGAtx1xeJWdJVVBq6cT23zBLIvsXv7cvX3Ao/s1600/Wheel+of+Fortune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZJ1g4WfivDRu3PVvpMb2n6QpLYJ7f4CbB4HxXbnlC9jiP91pjHZRhVGObL__nCB7CCoc7qX696DsAbc6V8is2vdKzJh4gfDBr4UA7QTZGAtx1xeJWdJVVBq6cT23zBLIvsXv7cvX3Ao/s320/Wheel+of+Fortune.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If we can see our own li<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">fe</span> as a story we are both living and creating it can help to give us that bigger perspective. From there we can appreciate the richness of our story. Something in us is freed up. We realise our story, our l<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ife,</span> can go in many different directions. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The choice is ours.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what kind of story are you creating? And what genre have you chosen? Are you living a comedy, a sitcom or soap opera? Or are you creating a drama, a heroic epic, a thriller or an action story? Do you want to change your story - or change the genre? The possibilities are infinite. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-73888396312087352852016-07-07T10:14:00.002+12:002016-07-07T10:25:45.915+12:00How to Manage Stress by Wasting Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZpQF88OwWOWk4_r2oKwUF140yCIcpZ_ALeuBj1DYXeB4OhpfT58Kuvb_NFGO6gh1Z0_DwCH4QCterL8YWGO8HC4DP9sB-IEGiq0TSSAAtVuoUl9FhafVVv8CuGh436oLhrtDmleQND8/s1600/CCI05072016_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZpQF88OwWOWk4_r2oKwUF140yCIcpZ_ALeuBj1DYXeB4OhpfT58Kuvb_NFGO6gh1Z0_DwCH4QCterL8YWGO8HC4DP9sB-IEGiq0TSSAAtVuoUl9FhafVVv8CuGh436oLhrtDmleQND8/s320/CCI05072016_2.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sounds crazy right? You're stressed out, overwhelmed with all the things on your to-do list, never mind the things that never got on the list and the other distractions, crises and demands that come out of nowhere. And lets not even mention those things that still haven't been done from to-do lists that are several years old.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was having one of those weeks where even the things I was getting to were blowing up in my face - either taking way longer and being far more fiddly than I anticipated or being derailed by technology <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">refusing <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to work with me</span></span>. I found myself in such an internal state of disarray that I couldn't make simple decisions - my inner judgement and ability to move forward had just jammed - like a computer freezing up and crashing when asked to do too many different things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So yesterday as I was doing my morning tarot shuffle, I asked for the best way to meet and move through the day - the most loving way to flow through the day. Hoping or expecting a card that would give me that nudge into efficiency and productivity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Instead I found myself staring at the 4 of Swords. Now the 4 belongs to the Emperor's realm of action, of taking charge and organising. But the 4 of swords with its knight lying down in repose is clearly saying time to take a break from the battle, time for rest and renewal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The stained glass window indicates that the battle weary knight is needing to get his renewal from a connection to the female nurturing aspect and the child, to bring joy and colour back into his life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The swords divided into 1 and 3 suggest that he needs to take time out with the Empress to process that 3 of swords heart-wound and then begin again from a new perspective.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The idea of stopping - of not doing - as a way to deal with having too much to do and feeling frustrated at my slow progress was not easy to get my head around. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Luckily I have built into my routine a daily walk where I do my morning meditation and connect into my divine team. This calmed me enough to acknowledge that this was very clear guidance and it might be worth giving it a go. It was still somewhat in that spirit of frustration that I said, dammit, right then, enough of trying to get things done, I'm going to deliberately waste time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So I did and it was wonderful. I made myself a hot chocolate and spent time looking at <a href="http://www.deborahdewit.com/" target="_blank">Deborah Dewit Marchant</a>'s beautiful, spacious, richly coloured paintings from her Painting Cats book. I lit a fire in the woodburner making the house cosy and warm and sat with my own cat reading a kindle essay I'd wanted to read for ages - I had a relaxed Skype with my partner, who is overseas teaching at the moment, and then I played with my new coloured pencils making a chart of colours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I felt peaceful, I felt calm, I had reconnected with some of the joys in my life. From that place I could let go of things or time schedules that didn't work for me - and from that place several mountains shrank back into molehills. Decisions I had jammed over seemed to make themselves. And today I am much less tense and far more optimistic about the tasks ahead - and far more accepting that I might not achieve all I intend to and that is okay - because the joy, the heart, the nourishment of my life is not to be found in achieving tasks, but in that slow, easeful connection with the things I love.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-30982244679049299892016-06-30T10:08:00.000+12:002016-07-02T10:48:15.829+12:00Seven of Wands - Learning from our Challenges<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKL1eQj6bT7AbykElK0jrbJQ0qcPjPnq6nkcjQNTQdi_JIqx9bTMkcW_-PCy2PMdsMNhDaQ42_1ddD2B1Ux1HI5BjJPwJbdX_ZoZEBc4yRzIZI60rykS8yDrUxXHMtlDJTWoNEREFRos/s1600/Seven+of+Wands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKL1eQj6bT7AbykElK0jrbJQ0qcPjPnq6nkcjQNTQdi_JIqx9bTMkcW_-PCy2PMdsMNhDaQ42_1ddD2B1Ux1HI5BjJPwJbdX_ZoZEBc4yRzIZI60rykS8yDrUxXHMtlDJTWoNEREFRos/s320/Seven+of+Wands.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 of Wands</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For the second time this week I pulled the 7 of Wands in a positive position. I need to keep battling on despite the opposition - most of which is internal, I admit. Saturn is square my natal and progressed moon at present. So there is considerable friction between the inner aspects of child and parent, of emotional wounds calling for attention and outer practicalities demanding time and action.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 7 of Wands is the perfect card to illuminate the squares found in astrology. It shows not only the friction involved, but also the need to maintain a balance - a foot in both camps. This is shown not only by the feet across the stream - the river of life - but also by the character wearing different footwear - each camp having a different value system. It is definitely a stretch - not easy to maintain a balance with feet this wide apart. But if we can get above the opposition - get to higher ground - a higher vibration place within ourselves - then we can win through.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One way to do this is to ask what am I learning from this opposition, these battles inner and outer, these problems?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had the inspiration to take each of these opposing wands and to write down a current challenge and ask what could I be learning from this. The entire list is too long for this blog post - but here is a sample :-)</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First Wand: Time runs through my fingers and out the door.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning to prioritise; to be present and not get lost in emotional swamplands; to take the next step instead of giving in to the fear of getting it wrong and procrastinating.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Second Wand: Everything I do goes so slowly.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span>to slow down; to be patient; to relax and sink into a project enjoying the journey and not always have my eye on the goal.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Third Wand: Nothing I do works how I want it to.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning to let go of control and expectations; to be more curious and spontaneous, more playful - open to leaps of invention.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fourth Wand: I don't like myself.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning to do more of the things I love because then I do like myself, then I am happy and good company.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fifth Wand: Everyone else is more successful than me.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning that everyone's journey is unique; to let go of comparing and simply focus on nurturing, cultivating, loving my projects and letting them have their own rhythms of growth and maturity.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sixth Wand: Doubt - I don't know that what I'm doing is any good.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">heal</span> my core wound; to breathe it in and embrace that fearful self; to <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">accept</span> being perfectly imperfect, a work in progress.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seventh Wand: The Wand held by the Character</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I could be learning to keep going despite inner opposition, despite outer obstacles and the unexpected. I could be learning to maintain my balance, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to h<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">old the creative tension between opposites and include bot</span></span>h.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last night I pulled The World card - so despite, or perhaps because, of all these challenges perhaps I am at the heart of my soul's mission for this life - these learnings being an essential part of what my soul intended for this life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what challenges or oppositions are you facing in your life - and what could you be learning? </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-85791785124097913802016-06-23T09:04:00.000+12:002016-06-28T20:45:43.112+12:00Shuffling your Tarot Cards for the Big One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHqgO3NbhXF-MLNtSAjObYDrDCj_boUR4H7AW1FF_jyufX1A_tmZR0PSvlcdR7PC9x6nuK1Cy7K20IgLsBEghyphenhyphenMpELiQpuuGW1T0uH9WE_580TphqaarPFqZ4DwUm8X0v0dikzXld2vQ/s1600/high+priestess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHqgO3NbhXF-MLNtSAjObYDrDCj_boUR4H7AW1FF_jyufX1A_tmZR0PSvlcdR7PC9x6nuK1Cy7K20IgLsBEghyphenhyphenMpELiQpuuGW1T0uH9WE_580TphqaarPFqZ4DwUm8X0v0dikzXld2vQ/s320/high+priestess.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of my students once emailed me in panic after she had chosen <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the</span> cards for her Soul Purpose/Soul Gifts reading. <i>"I don't think these are the right cards. I'm sure I didn't shuffle them properly. What do I do?"</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have you ever had the experience of shuffling your tarot cards for a 'big reading' and then going into an anxious tither about when to stop shuffling? The mind chatter goes something like: <i>did I shuffle one time too many after my inner voice said ready, should I stop now or do another long shuffle so that those cards come up again? I really want to get the right cards. Th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">e</span> card that flipped out then, is that important? Is it a sign from the universe?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First the shuffle - this simple method works beautifully to clear the cards from previous readings, give them a thorough mix and allow them to fall into those intuitive guidance positions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On a flat surface deal the cards out in seven piles as if you were dealing for a card game. You can deal them in a random order. Then pick up each pile in turn in an intuitive order. I let my eyes go soft and pick them up as my eyes go to each of them in turn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I came across this tip from <a href="http://www.hallowquest.org.uk/" target="_blank"><i>Caitlin Matthews</i></a> in her <i>Da Vinci Enigma Tarot</i> book - a set I was lucky enough to win at my local <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tarotnz/" target="_blank">Auckland tarot guild</a> meeting. Thank you Caitlin - th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is</span> method of shuffling is a lovely calming ritual and the cards have always been spot on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I use this seven hand shuffle before I read for clients and for what feels like an important reading for myself. If I am reading for a client I design the spread to fall into three lines and cut the cards so I have three piles and then deal off the top of each pile for each line. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For daily guidance I ask the question "<i>How can I best meet and move through this day</i>?" That way the cards are guidance cards, not predictive, and can be looked at in the most positive light. I shuffle normally, with an inner ear alert as to when to stop, and then take the first three cards off the top. If a card pings out I do take note<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> - s</span>ometimes I take it as my first card.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In answer to my student's email, I suggested she make a note of what she got the first time round. Then do the seven hand shuffle to select her new cards and look closely at the cards that fell into the same positions to see if there were any connections between them. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaFD8FkEpwsCUq8_bSq2j-e6_XVPbuZ-_w_WflTEcGH6pSZ0UlDpU7LGBAPAlqa2772B-8OCiK3yc83UrQRYUiSFrq0gINqHifcxjZ3o6y4S3KwHrXWBV0FMK5bC-5jWTfU154w7kGc8/s1600/CCI26062016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaFD8FkEpwsCUq8_bSq2j-e6_XVPbuZ-_w_WflTEcGH6pSZ0UlDpU7LGBAPAlqa2772B-8OCiK3yc83UrQRYUiSFrq0gINqHifcxjZ3o6y4S3KwHrXWBV0FMK5bC-5jWTfU154w7kGc8/s320/CCI26062016.jpg" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transformational Tarot by Arnell Ando</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is important to remember that the cards are not some mystical force outside of ourselves - but simply a tool to access our own intuitive guidance - the inside answers that were there all along. If done with care and sincere intent then any card that comes up for us can lead us to that high vibration insight or next step. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If we refuse to work with the cards that come up, but keep pulling cards to the same question in either a low vibration melt down state (and we've all done this at some time or other :-) or a defensive rejection of cards that don't fit what we want to see - then we have blocked the channel and nothing will make sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In those cases my practice<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span>is to calm down through focusing on taking deep, slow breaths - to go for a walk and come back to the cards later - and then just to pull one card and sit with it in quiet meditation - asking for high vibration assistance to help <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">me to be</span> open to what the card and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">my</span> intuition <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and</span> guides are trying to tell <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">me</span>. </span> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-45653746535015905132016-06-16T11:16:00.000+12:002016-06-16T11:17:22.120+12:00Saturn - The Art of Holding On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is somewhat ironic that the planet that teaches us to let go of what is not working in our lives is also the planet that teaches us to hold on, to persist, to endure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The reason for this is that Saturn is connected to the bones of the matter, to the underlying structures. Saturn will test an area of our lives - our identity, our choice of job, our relationships, our commitment to a project - by taking it all the way down to see if that foundation is solid and has deep roots. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is the proverbial house built upon shifting sands versus the house built upon rock. Or the tree that is shallow rooted, versus the tree that has grown deep roots and can withstand drought, strong winds, harsh winters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The purpose of Saturn is to build the skills of resourcefulness, resilience, patience, persistence, the ability to endure, to survive, to keep going regardless of how difficult things get, to rely upon oneself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Saturn can be seen as a Threshold Guardian - if we pass the test, if we hold on instead of giving up then we will be allowed through to the next level of power, of skill, of success. This is why, in all areas of life, periods of frustration and challenge, of seeming failure, are often followed by sudden breakthroughs - if we will keep going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Saturn forces us to face our fears and to dig deeper. We may be taken to breaking point - all the comfort and outside approval taken away, all the gloss removed, our own belief in our abilities shaken - and that is when we get to decide - is this relationship, job, project, whatever, worth it? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGpiOlw5OZumUrJ1dRkI5ho7XJQ-TPVVwikp35E27q2YkG4hUXbCtunDu9hEYkTZBcPWGdfN7DOxZ4Lvf2nbVxUskxLyAvyGcNaDJuDbKes4gf6FcHn6wWlBYspJHmpEi8bg3PorBPpI/s1600/CCI16062016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGpiOlw5OZumUrJ1dRkI5ho7XJQ-TPVVwikp35E27q2YkG4hUXbCtunDu9hEYkTZBcPWGdfN7DOxZ4Lvf2nbVxUskxLyAvyGcNaDJuDbKes4gf6FcHn6wWlBYspJHmpEi8bg3PorBPpI/s320/CCI16062016.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Nine of Wands is a brilliant depiction of this moment of testing. Battered and bruised, still he defends his position - but is what he is defending worth the price he is paying? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If it is not then his efforts are wasted - he has built his house on shifting sand and would do better to let go and build elsewhere. But if what he defends represents some inner truth, a deep rooted - yes, this is mine - then he would do well to hang on in there, to keep going, to see it through. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The ultimate Saturn prize is a hand-made, authentic life, filled with people, projects and places we are deeply committed to, that are a reflection of who we truly are and a growing confidence in our ability to withstand the difficult times and keep going and not let go of that which we truly love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-50651364580500187892016-06-09T11:15:00.000+12:002016-06-28T20:56:35.970+12:00Saturn Return - the Art of Letting Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUf_10UhbvKovYryd8TqVXYrFMxwb1EF19LmjwV2ARjuT4viNr-Gh6nk_YeF_LbQtdnSKm98MeXbQBt6kXT8sgCU9jHhgK7_w54TlIRbbttyqL7NUQDf0gk8fQKwAhkQOtlSpkJw79rDk/s1600/The+Hermit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUf_10UhbvKovYryd8TqVXYrFMxwb1EF19LmjwV2ARjuT4viNr-Gh6nk_YeF_LbQtdnSKm98MeXbQBt6kXT8sgCU9jHhgK7_w54TlIRbbttyqL7NUQDf0gk8fQKwAhkQOtlSpkJw79rDk/s320/The+Hermit.jpg" width="184" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">O</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ne of the major challenges of the Saturn Return is to identify what isn't working in your life and then acting upon that to make real changes.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps the biggest challenge is admitting that something isn't working. It is odd that this is a challenge because most likely what isn't working is causing us pain, frustration and taking up the space that could be filled with something that gives us pleasure and satisfaction.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Enlight<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">enment came as</span></span> I listened to an interview with <a href="http://self-compassion.org/" target="_blank">Kristin Neff</a> who teaches about <i>Self-Compassion.</i> She explained that if we have been using self-criticism as a motivator then we become afraid of failure because we know we will beat ourselves up. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is a very short step from admitting something isn't working.... to blaming ourselves for what went wrong, for taking that path in the first place, for not trying hard enough, for mistakes made along the way. And if our inner coach is a slave-driving, drill sergeant, then we know we are about to get internally blasted.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The effect of this is that we can tense up, hunker into ourselves and resist taking anything that looks like a risk - anything where failure might be lurking. The other effect is that we hold onto things for far too long - long after it is clear that it is not working for us - trying to stave off that label of failure, to delay those harsh, punitive words, the endless, internal put-down.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSui4WRMOsUhzjil306OY8IfjUYRJKftaZnHFVxyNLXp9pxn-L8tg0bYf7-8GzQqDzpQfvVlgUrZmhswHFfJ8waUk-EXz4Oo3-aS1j5af1OfyK1cslwFs2MOewi_rqG8VTrBkVUDnqWj0/s1600/5+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSui4WRMOsUhzjil306OY8IfjUYRJKftaZnHFVxyNLXp9pxn-L8tg0bYf7-8GzQqDzpQfvVlgUrZmhswHFfJ8waUk-EXz4Oo3-aS1j5af1OfyK1cslwFs2MOewi_rqG8VTrBkVUDnqWj0/s320/5+cups.jpg" width="179" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saturn does not need to be such a hard task master. It is not Saturn who is judging us. Saturn as teacher points out that much of our learning is through trial and error - we learn from our experiences. We need to try things out and see how they fit - whether they work for us or not. When something isn't working Saturn encourages us to cut our losses. To take the learning of what didn't work and try something different. Saturn teaches us that knowing what doesn't work is an essential part of the journey to knowing what does work.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the tarot there are many cards that touch on Saturn matters - but it occurred to me that if we are afraid to admit something is not working, we can get stuck in the 5 of Cups. We can become fixated on those fallen cups, trying to force them to stand up again. The tough love of Saturn encourages us to let go and rejoice at what is working - move on with the cups still standing. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-47797297050862936332016-06-02T10:37:00.000+12:002016-06-16T11:31:06.756+12:00Spilled Milk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs02CjbY_ybI8YVQqereLqDDk_bgfdIWqTfXQdNoaG9zSSK7JeQs70pA1fGGIlhLGojwxrpnbBFtRu4lnG9suyromKQNwa2gi8DaIXjw_YxTdB7Vi3RHle7Kz3QYSgAC8R0wEmZRSVl-4/s1600/page+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs02CjbY_ybI8YVQqereLqDDk_bgfdIWqTfXQdNoaG9zSSK7JeQs70pA1fGGIlhLGojwxrpnbBFtRu4lnG9suyromKQNwa2gi8DaIXjw_YxTdB7Vi3RHle7Kz3QYSgAC8R0wEmZRSVl-4/s320/page+cups.jpg" width="194" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Have you noticed that when you start to look within yourself, your dreams suddenly become more meaningful? It is as if your Psyche, your Spirit or your Unconscious has been sending you letters for years and finally you've started to open them and read the messages inside. And so your wise dreamer thinks, ah ha, now she is paying attention I can start sending dreams worth paying attention to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In this dream I was carrying a tray of water and I spilled some of it. I was upset, but the person who was with me did not appear to notice. I became more upset at this lack of sympathy and cross with myself for spilling the water. My upset spiraled into a temper tantrum as I deliberately threw the rest of the water on the floor and suddenly we were sloshing around in water which was over our ankles. Realising this was not good I opened the back door and began to sweep the water out, though it took a long time to get the floor dry again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When I woke I was struck by how accurate the dream was in terms of how I can get carried away with my emotions. In my daily life, if I make a mistake or something has fallen short of what I hoped, my response is often to feel angry or disappointed with myself - and my pattern is to become stuck on that emotional response and amplify it, making it bigger and more dramatic - until I am flooded with emotion, have a melt down and then, recognizing I have gone too far, start the process of recovery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-BZ7Mj6phVq3MUspRc8_C5CJdCCGiALMpfgGaW5W4OSS2_HdJ3NqzZiSi_qJBoXNBrVCSOWVg2KJqU3WaTH7pjH0YphsDP9mvv5l8uHEr0pSCCpChUZemSU4Ftn0lMH8aBIrL7eHENo/s1600/5+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-BZ7Mj6phVq3MUspRc8_C5CJdCCGiALMpfgGaW5W4OSS2_HdJ3NqzZiSi_qJBoXNBrVCSOWVg2KJqU3WaTH7pjH0YphsDP9mvv5l8uHEr0pSCCpChUZemSU4Ftn0lMH8aBIrL7eHENo/s320/5+cups.jpg" width="179" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This dream is speaking to the card I pulled last week, the 5 of cups which showed where I was getting stuck - fixated on those fallen cups, the failures, instead of paying attention to the cups that were still standing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The wisdom of the dream gave me a great visual to my pattern of over-reacting emotionally - and pointed out how much more effort and time were involved in clearing up the flood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">More deeply it got to the heart of the matter - it was to get attention, to get sympathy for the small spill, for not having achieved what I had hoped, for the disappointment of making a mistake of some sort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The words 'Spilled Milk' then come into my head. I remember the saying: <i>no point in crying over spilled milk</i>. I imagine how I would treat a child who has spilled some milk and is upset - I realise I need to give myself sympathy when the first upset arises, reassure myself this happens to everyone and point out what we have achieved - the milk still in the glass, or the cups still standing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Spontaneously, what now happens when I experience a situation of upset, is that a voice in my head says, kindly, but firmly: <i>spilled milk, mop it up, move on</i> - and instead of getting caught in an escalating emotion I am able to smile, give myself an imaginary hug and let go of the emotion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-73164821084609124902016-05-26T10:04:00.000+12:002016-06-16T11:25:37.386+12:00Morning Blues turned to Gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssA59Ri-Gg_q5GE55dvRGOpH6EU0XukdtB77YgPrHbPrRxPMtKk4-QmAmEn_RWs1TIVQvNG_-mCj4JXhFvko9kqwZ1ts373zZGiy6fLmvWULeOHrigLsPg9KI-i4vytc-StC-Ig9a0Y8/s1600/CCI18072015_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssA59Ri-Gg_q5GE55dvRGOpH6EU0XukdtB77YgPrHbPrRxPMtKk4-QmAmEn_RWs1TIVQvNG_-mCj4JXhFvko9kqwZ1ts373zZGiy6fLmvWULeOHrigLsPg9KI-i4vytc-StC-Ig9a0Y8/s320/CCI18072015_4.jpg" width="187" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning I woke early, but chose instead, since it was still dark and cold, to go back to bed. There was a moment of choice even in my sleepiness when I remembered my intention to get up early and for once have a productive day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I then fell into a lucid dream in the warmth of the bed - a dream of dubious importance - and got up an hour later - cross and grumpy with myself for getting the day off to a bad start. I've been struggling with this state for some time - feeling frustrated that time seems to slip through my fingers like water - that even days that start well often meander off into a myriad of distractions and day-dreams.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aware that this day could easily go down the slippery slope into a meltdown of anger and frustration at myself I repeated the mantra - just an experience - just a vibration - and asked the question: Why do I do this to myself? Why do I self-sabotage? And a little voice popped in and said: To prove I am not good enough.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whenever a voice pops in like that I always pay great attention - this is another part of me speaking - one that is not happy and operating like a loner outside of the main tribe of who I am. It is a part that has been disenfranchised and these lone aspects are often the cause of much internal ambushing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I replied: Why would I want to prove I am not good enough? And the answer came, so I can go home. So here I have a soul fragment that really doesn't like being in human form and doesn't want to be here any longer. A problem since the rest of me said emphatically, we're doing good work here, we want to stay. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It could be a fragment from a past life, or from early in this life, at least now it is conscious and willing to be in conversation with the rest of me - I am always amazed at how much internal transformation can happen simply by the various parts having a dialogue with each other.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sat in my study shuffling my tarot cards, still feeling grumpy about the morning slipping away and thought, I'll pull one card to see what is keeping things in this difficult place and one card to show me what will help me to move through it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just shuffling the cards was calming and then I had my epiphany - my moment of ah-ha, of revelation, that totally changed how I was seeing this experience. I have been saying to friends and students recently, when you encounter obstacles or difficulties say to yourself: If this were a lesson, what would I be learning?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My epiphany was: What if this was the lesson? - not the lesson of doing everything right and having the self-discipline to get up early and stay focused - but the lesson of turning a difficult state of mind around. I began to get excited as it framed my life completely differently. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In past lives I have often given up, lost courage and been defeated by difficult inner or outer experiences. What if for part of my soul purpose in this life I had decided that I really needed to get to grips with overcoming these obstacles because my inability to do so was derailing me and leaving the potential of the lives I was creating completely untapped. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thing about learning to turn around a difficult state of mind, to move through an overwhelming flood of emotion, to find my way round an obstacle in the outer world, is that I need to have a steady stream of these challenges to practice on - to learn a variety of different methods, to get to grips with what is going on in me when either I fail and get defeated or I somehow succeed and find my way through. If this is what my soul intends, then I don't need to take the difficulties themselves as defeats - simply as necessary practice material. I can get excited, curious and cunning in my approach to mastering an essential skill. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-Hq0k5h2zokxI_XiFpHG9rFMgEZ5fpUpwbYkOUK6NORx0DzS9MANIjFt5P2tqK1UuqFINpYwBdkOiHfjeSNSDVcXdDRbm2P2R0E4PnJLcT6PObVxesaYvSDazhh8PwTIKB5ZdvP92Y4/s1600/CCI18072015_16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-Hq0k5h2zokxI_XiFpHG9rFMgEZ5fpUpwbYkOUK6NORx0DzS9MANIjFt5P2tqK1UuqFINpYwBdkOiHfjeSNSDVcXdDRbm2P2R0E4PnJLcT6PObVxesaYvSDazhh8PwTIKB5ZdvP92Y4/s320/CCI18072015_16.jpg" width="179" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4sxNDwm8UEPRMlw_WcYd6_KKJFOll5mg27p9QPWnL6feCSboBQR-yvzXI5ApugGfT7GYzsQF9mG7dQGvZT8OGysld6o01wuWp8cQZTHFQOa5S2oX_Je5-sBEKrsyqZQLuXHVJ2enN0M/s1600/CCI18072015_22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4sxNDwm8UEPRMlw_WcYd6_KKJFOll5mg27p9QPWnL6feCSboBQR-yvzXI5ApugGfT7GYzsQF9mG7dQGvZT8OGysld6o01wuWp8cQZTHFQOa5S2oX_Je5-sBEKrsyqZQLuXHVJ2enN0M/s320/CCI18072015_22.jpg" width="186" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did pull my two cards. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What was keeping me stuck? The 5 of Cups - focusing on my failures, on what isn't working and not seeing the things that are flowing and bearing fruit. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What will help me move forwards? The 6 of Pentacles - coming out of self-absorption and sharing my abundance with others. Understanding that what I learn through my own soul tests and lessons are riches that can nourish others. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And this is so true for many of us, we teach that which we most need to learn - and - if we didn't have anything to learn, we wouldn't have anything to teach. </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-82549813148218919202016-05-19T18:02:00.000+12:002016-08-19T11:16:24.792+12:00Persephone - recovering lost selves<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Dark night of the Soul </b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When I was thirty four I got hit by a bad bout of depression. As far as I could see it came from nowhere. There was nothing in the outer world that seemed to be the cause. Yet I was stricken, I lay on the couch and could hardly make a cup of tea, let alone cook a meal or clean my teeth or other daily tasks. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the evening, when the light was almost gone, I’d be compelled to walk by the sea, alone on a darkening beach and felt such pain inside that I could hardly bear it. The pain felt physical, but there was no physical cause. It was a pain of the psyche, of the heart, of my innermost being. The experience of being in this bleak, hopeless inner space felt so unbearable that I even promised myself I would put myself out of this misery if it had not gone in a month or so.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I did not intend to kill myself, simply to reassure myself that I would not allow this suffering to go on forever. As I wandered in desperation along the beach, feelings and thoughts rose up in me. I felt like an alien who had come to the wrong planet. Seriously, I actually had the compelling feeling that I had been sent here by mistake. Someone who looked like me and could have done and been all the things I was supposed to do and be, should have been sent - but there was a mix up. There I was, adrift in a life that was not mine, on a planet I was never supposed to have been on and because I was the wrong person I was not connected, there was no meaning or purpose for me here.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Hearing the Call</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many heroines and heroes have found themselves in this dark place - lost in the forest, eaten whole by a wolf or put to sleep and surrounded by a thicket of thorns. The daylight world has disappeared and they are alone, in a strange country without a map, not knowing the language.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Myths and fairytales can be useful guides on this inner journey. A favourite of mine concerns a girl called Persephone. In the version best known today she is playing innocently when Hades, the dark god of the underworld, comes up through a crack in the earth and abducts her - takes her down into the dark to make her his queen. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In an earlier version of the myth, however, Persephone is not abducted. Instead she hears cries of despair coming from a crack in the earth. Despite her mother telling her to ignore them she feels so moved by the cries that she slips into the crack and voluntarily goes into the underworld. When she returns she tells her mother she has been doing her work - leading the souls of the dead, who have lost their way, into the light.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This version has a much lighter feel to it - and shows what happens when we hear the distress signals in their early stages and have the chance to voluntarily go inwards to do the work needed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Descent </b></span></h3>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At the time I did not understand what was happening to me, but the depression that abducted me, as surely as Hades abducted Persephone, did much essential inner work. First of all I was disconnected from my ordinary life. Nothing in the external world had any attraction - it felt as dry as dust. There was no person and no desire that could rouse me out of my apathetic state. Any semblance of normality was only achieved with extreme effort. There was no desire even to talk about what was going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Energy was being withdrawn from my outer life in order to connect me to my inner world - to what was going on - and had obviously been going on for some time - below the surface of my conscious life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The compulsion to move from the cosy lit lounge where my flatmates were and to go out into the dark and roam along the beach was also very important. I was alone - but in a safe space, in nature, quiet with little sensory input - particularly visual. This seems to be important. In meditation we are taught to focus on one thing or close our eyes. In tarot the need to go inwards is often indicated by the image of a character blindfolded. We close our eyes to the external world in order to go inwards.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was here on the beach with no distractions that I felt the inner pain most acutely - I could not get away from it. It was here roaming along with no purpose or goal in mind that the thoughts and despair about not belonging, having no purpose, being the wrong person, were finally allowed into my conscious mind. The despair and loneliness that came with these thoughts were given space to be fully felt. Although the feelings were intense it was also quite dreamlike. I had no fight left in me so I simply allowed them to be there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One other thing was helpful to me at this time. I wrote a series of short poems, each striving to express with precision how I was feeling. This creative recording of the process was invaluable - it not only assisted the internal connection, but also channelled that experience into creative form in a way that honoured and validated what I was going through. I noticed that when I wrote these poems, even though I was in touch with the essence of my despair, I did not feel so bad. In winter, though the land may seem bare and lifeless, seeds are germinating below ground - the process of renewal has already begun. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sometimes she feels like this</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the elephant’s graveyard</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">even the air is dead.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Her body steals between pillars of bone</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">though she is not in it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To be neither dead nor alive and no end to it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Beyond, a glimpse of red, too far to reach.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An eagle flies down and plucks out her eyes,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she’ll see better that way.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Naked and Hanging Upside Down on a Tree</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the Persephone myth - the one where she goes down voluntarily - she is met by a wise woman and a kindly king who are there to help her. Even so, part of the process is for her to hang on a tree, naked, for three nights - a theme that is repeated across many myths and religions and always in connection to gaining wisdom, to redeeming the suffering, to the great cycle of death, rebirth and renewal. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To be naked is to be your authentic self. This is the stripping of the roles, masks and identities of the external world. In another myth of descent to the underworld, the queen Inanna is obliged to give up something at each level of her descent - her crown, her jewellery, her clothes - everything that symbolises her power and status in the outer world. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the tarot this process is linked to the Hanged Man. We might ask, what does it mean to hang upside down? Here the guidance is to observe and trust the process. Feel without acting on your feelings - simply allow them to be, observing what thoughts and images accompany them. Upside down you are called to look at your life from a different perspective than you normally do - from the perspective of your soul. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In this potent symbol of hanging on a tree we see that inner work is most decidedly not like work in the outer world. Inner work is much like dreaming - in a deep dream you are simply in it, not deciding or choosing or controlling, simply carried along by the energy of the dream itself. To do inner work you need to be receptive, not active - to listen and wait, not decide and do. You are in the realms of the unknown. The dynamic, decisive, logical self has no place in this shadowy realm. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To those who are very at home in the external world, who are practical and good at creating homes, building businesses, relating to others and fulfilling ambitions, this way of being may feel alien, even scary. It may take time to learn the skills of letting go and being receptive, learning to see your life from a spiritual point of view. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Helpful Allies</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now, at the age of fifty-two, I can look back on my depression with gratitude and a great deal of compassion and love for the person I was then. I see now this was a major turning point for me and that after this everything changed. There were still many challenges to face and times of despair and healing to go through, but something important had shifted that allowed my life to develop in a meaningful direction that did have both purpose and connection.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You might ask - how does this process work? What does all this hanging about, symbolically naked and upside down, actually achieve? At the time it happened I couldn’t have told you. There was no conscious piece of enlightenment, no insight or moment of ah-ha. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I came out of the depression as if someone had snapped their fingers. Desperate to do something other than lie on the couch I went to stay with a friend in the South Island. For two days I depressed her with my depression, till we went to a backpackers at Banks Peninsula. There I met a fellow backpacker who enjoyed english literature and ended up having a lively conversation about books and, hey presto, I was back. I felt happy and interested in life again. It wasn’t the guy I talked to - I felt no attraction to him and never saw him again. It wasn’t anything we said. It seems I had done my inner work and it was now simply time to return to the outer world. Just so does sleeping beauty awake. When the hundred years is up, the thorns retreat allowing the prince - symbolising action in the outer world - to connect with now deepened feminine aspect.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It helps to have people around you who care about you when going through this process - especially if they have gone through such initiations themselves. Persephone has the kindly king and the wise crone to tend and assist her rebirth. Inanna says to her friends if I have not returned in sixty days come and get me. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What helped me was to have caring flatmates, a kind friend - even the friendly stranger at the backpackers played his part. Of equal importance were people from my past who saw value in me and cared as I went through difficult times in my childhood. Even though these people were very much on the periphery - a teacher, a friend of my parents, an older girl I met only once - nevertheless they helped me to believe in myself - perhaps they saw my soul, who I truly was, or could be. </span></span></div>
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<b>Return to the Sunlit Lands</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Around this time in my life I had several dreams all variations on a theme. I would be in deep water and see a dead body on the bottom. I swam down and pulled the body to the shore. As I stared at it, bedraggled and muddy, I saw, with a shock, it wasn’t dead. Then, with another shock, realised it was me. The body would come fully to life and there was a joyful reunion. At the time I had no clear idea what this meant - I just felt it was a good sign. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Most of us have an internal graveyard or dungeon where we keep those parts of ourselves we have silenced and suppressed. This separation happens when we feel a part of us is not acceptable to those around us - we may fear loss of approval, being ridiculed, rejected, punished - even, in extreme cases, killed. These fears may be linked to past lives if, for example, you were exiled, tortured or put to death because of your healing gifts, for speaking out, for being disobedient to those in power.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Extreme sensitivity to the expectations of others can cause us not even to be aware of when we are being authentic and when we are not. We may live for years not questioning our lives - until something within, some part of our hidden authentic self, makes it’s move and decides to get our attention. It may do so subtly, as a feeling of stagnation, a restlessness, things just not working out as we had planned or hoped. Or it may do so in dramatic fashion - a relationship breaks down, we have an accident or serious illness, lose a job - something that forces us to dig deep, to go down to our bones and reconnect to resources and aspects of ourselves we never knew we had? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Looking back on my experience of depression I’d say the shift happened because I truly connected with my buried selves. I felt their pain, their grief, their frustration and longing. In this way they became a part of me once more. I reclaimed them and the buried treasure that came with them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Upon Persephone’s return to the upper world winter becomes spring and flowers bloom upon her touch. So we see that doing this inner work yields results in the outer world - not only a sense of happiness and joy, that alive and engaged feeling, but also productivity - we are creative, useful and contribute.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In my own life I was more and more able to connect to my joy and had the inner strength to follow my true heart yearnings. I wrote and published a book of poetry and did live readings. On a whim I learn to tango and salsa dance and loved it. I left teaching and began the journey to become an artist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Persephone returned regularly to the underworld to continue her work, and so might we follow this inner rhythm, if we are wise. Some of our descents may last for a while, or they might only take the length of a meditation, a five minute drifting away internally, a walk along the beach. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(All of the above cards are from a wonderful deck called The Golden T<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">arot created by artist and tar<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ot<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> designer</span> <a href="http://goldentarot.com/" target="_blank">K</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://goldentarot.com/" target="_blank">at B</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://goldentarot.com/" target="_blank">lack</a>)</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-66910784161030908272016-05-12T09:53:00.000+12:002016-06-03T14:03:32.743+12:00Dreaming from the Inside Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was inspired today by the poet Ben Okri and his book <i>A Time for New Dreams.</i> He writes:<br />
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<i>"Nations that imprison, torture, assassinate, or drive their writers into exile fall into the deadlands of their own darkness. No one loves such nations. Such nations do not love themselves."</i><br />
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It occurred to me that this also could be said of individuals. How are we treating the artists, the truth tellers, the dreamers inside of us? It is so very easy to imprison and bury those parts of ourselves we are afraid of - but the price we pay is high. <br />
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Our inner dreamer moves freely between the seen and unseen worlds This dreamer can dive to the depths of our inner ocean and bring to the surface stories and images of the mysterious life within us.<br />
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When we act upon our truest dreams, we create a life worth living - a life full of juice, of inner joy. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-90506046387933104022015-04-16T08:30:00.000+12:002015-04-16T08:30:08.609+12:00Embracing our Uncertain Selves<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of Wands<br />shall I - shan't I? </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">So often we wait to take action on our projects. And what are we waiting for? Well, </span></span><span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">often we are waiting till we feel confident, certain of the worth of what we are doing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">Or perhaps we are waiting to become the person we think we need to be in order to pull a project like that off.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">We may be waiting for a guarantee of success.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">The funny thing about courage is that it often doesn't come until we take that first step, until we commit - and we don't get the courage for the whole journey in one hit - only for the step we are taking right now.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">And we may never feel confident about what we are doing. Choosing to do something because this is what we are passionate about and what our heart yearns for is not the same as feeling confident about it. It means having faith that this is a journey or a project that is meant for us and we will be supported through the challenges, which may be many. It means taking that first step and the next and the next - and keeping on taking the next first step - regardless of how we feel about ourselves or the project.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;">It means to honour our reality that we are feeling inadequate and uncertain - but not to let that stop us - rather to embrace that uncertain self with love and gentle encouragement and to keep taking those steps that our heart calls us towards.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Open Sans, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.099998474121094px;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-13086571551386537682015-04-09T08:51:00.000+12:002015-10-28T12:49:52.390+13:00Honour Your Reality<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning to listen</td></tr>
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What is the most healing thing you can do for yourself? The answer is simple. So simple we can easily overlook it. And it is the key to not only creating deep, satisfying relationships with others, but also the inner peace that many of us are yearning for.<br />
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So what is this miracle? Simply this:<br />
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<b style="background-color: white;">Listen to and honour your own reality.</b></div>
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When you are tired, feeling sick or upset, don't try and change that by denying it, trying to fix it, getting busy. Simply listen and honour your reality - yes, this is how things are for you, in this moment. Even when it doesn't make sense to you - <i>especially</i> when it doesn't make sense to you.<br />
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When we listen to ourselves and honour our reality - a beautiful thing happens. Something that was tense and held in the stomach region relaxes. We feel safe. We can be ourselves. We don't have to explain, defend or justify the experience we are having. We give ourselves space to have the experience. We begin to stop bullying and judging ourselves and start to appreciate and care for the special person that we are. And this is how we grow in love and trust of ourselves.<br />
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And the most wonderful thing is - once we can do this for ourselves - we can do this for the other people in our lives - and our relationships take a quantum leap forward in terms of closeness, willingness to share and joy at being in this life together. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-608098769992156373.post-44227309357752608612014-08-28T11:31:00.001+12:002014-08-28T11:40:50.204+12:00Letting GoHave you ever got to a point where the weight of the world and all the expectations you have of yourself are just too much and you find yourself saying: "I give up"?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nine of Swords</td></tr>
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Sometimes, even if nothing particularly challenging is going on in my life, I just find myself in a state of overwhelm. Worrying about all those who are starving and suffering, worrying about the fragility of the environment, and then all the little personal worries about friends and things I must do or ought to do - never mind those I want to do!<br />
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Looked at from this perspective it is not surprising I want to give up and feel this world is just too hard a place to be and care about. But yesterday I did a Binaural Beats meditation and realised I simply did not need to carry all of this. <br />
<a name='more'></a>I could let it go, surrender it, hand it over to the countless angelic and divine beings who throng this world pouring down love and healing and just waiting to be asked to help.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q-wEi3DFfUzr_aLcNZOfpVo2QB0oVC99-bkYvA-K07L5S0Z4SYbiLIaGzVAYPygUdQYVtsIHhyphenhyphenJiXp9gAXO8zJYLHhyphenhyphen8LesiEUpZRjmmqefK3gZJGNR63bfufStx5oEdPhk8jphbWfw/s1600/page+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q-wEi3DFfUzr_aLcNZOfpVo2QB0oVC99-bkYvA-K07L5S0Z4SYbiLIaGzVAYPygUdQYVtsIHhyphenhyphenJiXp9gAXO8zJYLHhyphenhyphen8LesiEUpZRjmmqefK3gZJGNR63bfufStx5oEdPhk8jphbWfw/s1600/page+cups.jpg" height="200" width="120" /></a>I realised that all I had to do was to follow my own path through the forest - I didn't have to hold the whole forest or everyone else's paths. I could let that go - let the forest go - that weight I had been taking on without clearly realising it. Let others take care of their own journeys, let the immensely wise and compassionate beings take care of the whole and just follow on my little path threading its way through the trees - just following my guidance - all I needed to focus on was my Higher Self's answer to the question: What do I need to do now?<br />
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During the meditation I visualised handing over all the baggage and worry I had been holding onto - huge great leather bags of it. And when I reached the end of the day, feeling somewhat weary, and heard myself saying the usual 'I give up' - I had a realisation. Might it not be better to say instead: I let go!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQ7UO12YfH0h3MJBaDB_MIA94yNqSCQG6d61IahpsYJNMhvkDkHJu_zR7vOFHXgjb9IHYM4arSl4AXPL4RZWGpkuvKhmz2zPrmyJVCkXYVxP4q9__o5YfqgjUjDRy1IJJlirQLSmcJdU/s1600/ten+wands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQ7UO12YfH0h3MJBaDB_MIA94yNqSCQG6d61IahpsYJNMhvkDkHJu_zR7vOFHXgjb9IHYM4arSl4AXPL4RZWGpkuvKhmz2zPrmyJVCkXYVxP4q9__o5YfqgjUjDRy1IJJlirQLSmcJdU/s1600/ten+wands.jpg" height="200" width="117" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ten Wands</td></tr>
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Giving up is a habit of mine running through many past lives - one I am acutely aware of and keen not to repeat in this life - so I do encourage myself often by saying:" Keep going, you're doing really well, just keep going." But keeping going whilst carrying the weight of the world is a little like this fellow from the 10 Wands - he is so burdened and bent over he no longer can see the castle of dreams - the divine purpose for his life or connect to its joy.<br />
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So my new mantra is: I let go - I let go - I let go. Of course some discernment is needed here. Some things are mine to carry, to struggle with, to take responsibility for - but that will be clear if I follow my path. I also need to be aware when the desire to let go is actually the desire to avoid dealing with a challenge or connecting to my feelings. For example instead of letting go of someone's unacceptable behaviour I might need to create a boundary. Instead of avoiding painful emotions, I might need to let go of my fear of feeling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMK70GQfaw8kNVDO7F9lAzxf9WogVqQTrHHGm3P0LxMerWd-snxoxMEZFKTsxOPmXsIBi0ZakNc4dl_CgKcnPm97tBpxxl3xstQls7KBkoqxTueQfhKweEtSTLc1HWmoGhWkeMsdXP-E/s1600/Sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMK70GQfaw8kNVDO7F9lAzxf9WogVqQTrHHGm3P0LxMerWd-snxoxMEZFKTsxOPmXsIBi0ZakNc4dl_CgKcnPm97tBpxxl3xstQls7KBkoqxTueQfhKweEtSTLc1HWmoGhWkeMsdXP-E/s1600/Sun.jpg" height="200" width="116" /></a>As I have gone through my day using this new mantra - I let go - I've also been aware of old memories surfacing that carry with them anger I am still holding, old blame and resentment, grudges held onto, guilt that is a form of self-punishment - and saying letting go to these feels fantastic, like I am freeing myself and in their place a feeling of joy is growing. How much have I held onto that I am no longer aware of? Grudges that go back to early school days and before that? What unnecessary weight.<br />
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Perhaps you might also try out this mantra - letting go - instead of giving up - and see what old long forgotten energies and memories start queueing up so you can let them go into the light - drawn by your new mantra - just as earthbound spirits are often drawn to those who are aware of them and know how to show them to the light.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0