You don't have to be Wonder Woman...

... or Superman for that matter.

I was just reading a post on the Attainable Sustainable Facebook page asking women whether they use power tools or if they ask the men in their lives to do things for them.  As usual there is the stream of women posting saying that they are fully capable of using a power drill and love it.

It's great to see women doing these things but, as someone with fragile self esteem, it is easy to make comparisons and think that somehow I am letting down the feminists of the past by not being able to do this.

Of course the first thing that gets rolled out is that I shouldn't compare.  Of course I shouldn't but that is not really enough.  In the back of my mind it's still there, whispering to me "you're rubbish, you should be able to do anything you want to, what did the feminists fight for?"

This is where we have to think about these things a little deeper about what is going on.

With the increase in the number of "ordinary" people being able to showcase their abilities we are flooded with messages from A-type achievers and we think this is normal.  People all around us are being creative and successful in so many ways and it is easy to think that somehow we are "less than" them because we're not shouting from the rooftops (or at least through our 10,000 likes Facebook page) that we have just finished our latest book on fitness and cake baking whilst travelling through Nepal on the back of a camel.

But, how does this relate to power drills?

Some time ago I was talking to a friend about the very same subject and I realised that it was ok for me to not like power tools, just like it is ok for me to not want to fix my own motorbike, because, you know what?  I have no desire to be Wonder Woman, I want to be me!

Why should I grovel around on a cold garage floor with a spanner, skinning my knuckles and getting frustrated trying to fix my motorbike when my husband is a perfectly good mechanic?  Just so I can prove that I take Girl Power seriously?

I'm ALL for feminism and for anybody doing whatever they like (so long as the aren't hurting anyone of course) but that is completely different to actually doing EVERYTHING.  There are men out there that are not good with their hands, but are amazing chefs, just like there are women wielding welding torches and eating junk food because what they cook is inedible.

Equality isn't about being able to do everything, it's about having the chance to try.  I've had a go at welding, I was ok with the gas torch but terrified of the arc welder, and you know what, that's fine.

Each and every one of us is made up of things we are great at, things we are ok at and things we are rubbish at, and all of that is perfect.  The sooner those of us with fragile self esteem embrace that the sooner we can stop beating ourselves up about what we are rubbish at and start telling the world about what we are good at.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

 

On being the light

These few simple words speak volumes to me.

There was a time, early along my path, when I ran to those who I saw as holding the light, I thought that was what you did. Somehow I believed that being in the presence of a guru, either in person or through consuming their work in the form of books or recordings, would be enough to solve all my problems.

I also looked to objects and rituals in the idea that they would be what I needed to be "spiritual". If I had the right incense burner, the right words for the ritual, the right routine all my problems would dissolve away to nothing and all would be wonderful.

As time went on I learnt that this wasn't the goal; the goal is to BE the light. I still love being around light filled people but now it is because I can learn from them how I can become the light rather than just to bask in theirs. I still love pretty things, but I see them for what they are now.

I am a long way off, there is so much more work still to do, but at least now I know I am using MY light to guide my way rather than being blinded by that of others.

Learning to walk with Spirit by your side.

I love being in spiritual groups, questions are asked that challenge you to define your beliefs further; to make you understand something that you took on board without questioning.  When this happens it allows you to either deepen that belief or discard it.

Today I was on a Kryon group and someone asked why life is about learning and growing?  When Kryon talks about Spirit being like a parent why do we have lessons to learn like poverty, sorrow and loss.  Why can't Spirit simply make our lives easier when It has the ability?

I had heard Kryon talk about the Parent/Spirit analogy a number of times and it made sense but not in a way I could articulate, so I took the opportunity to put what I understood into words and allow it to become a belief. 

 ~*~

The very fact that we have free will creates life lessons. If we were fully evolved we would be able to manifest all we need and would be happy. But, through free will we have lost that ability, so we have to learn again.
 

When a child has to learn to walk the parent does not do it for him; the child has to learn to control his limbs, to balance and to step forward. The parent will be there to pick him up when he falls, but he still has to experience the fall and then try again.  Eventually the child goes on to learn to pick himself up when he falls so he no longer needs his parents.  The parents cannot do this for him.

A parent feeds us when we are babies but as we grow we have to learn to feed ourselves when we are hungry.  We have to learn what is good for us and what makes us ill, we have to learn to prepare the food to make it taste nice. If someone always does this for us we are forever dependent on that person.

When we step out into the world we have to learn to make safe choices.  Our parents can't be there every step of the way to tell us what to do, and sometimes we get hurt. The parent helps us recover, gives us love and support, but we have to learn from our mistakes to ensure we don't do it again.  Again, we have to go on to learn to do this for ourselves so that we are not dependent on our parents for the rest of our lives.

Spirit is the same. It is like a loving parent watching us take our first steps. Sometimes we fall but if we ask for help Spirit will lift us up and help us make the necessary changes to move forward.  But, we still have to "fall". That "fall" could mean losing a job or relationship. We made the choices that led us to that moment just like the baby is choosing the fine movements in that first step. When we make less than optimum choices we fall.  We have to be able to pick ourselves up and learn the necessary lessons so that we can make better choices next time

Spirit is not here to do everything for us, like our parents aren't here to do everything for us. Spirit is here to guide us so we can do it for ourselves.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

The power of the words we use.

I am in a support group for my SAD and at the moment there is are often people coming online saying how terrible the winter is and how they dread the darker days.  Reading these messages I am reminded of a time when I was struggling and the lesson I learnt from it.

I loved my nan dearly and the day she had her stroke my world changed forever.  She survived the stroke but along with weakness down one side she was left with no speech.  Watching the woman I used to have such deep conversations with struggling to find the most basic words broke my heart and I began grieving for the loss of the bright, intelligent woman who had made such an impact on who I am now.  The problem was, she hadn't died, she was still here and every time I visited I saw her struggling and my heart was broken again each time.  Watching her retreat into herself because she could not communicate was heart wrenching.

One day I was heading home from a visit to the hospital and I became aware that I was repeating to myself "I can't handle this" as I once again spiraled into panic and deep sorrow.  In that moment it was like a light bulb came on.  Every time I told myself I couldn't cope I began the downward fall into a pit of darkness.  I realised in that moment that the words I was using were creating the emotions I was feeling and I desperately needed to do something about it.

After that journey I made a point of listening to the words I used about things I was experiencing.  If I felt myself saying "I can't cope" I would instantly stop myself, even saying "stop!" out loud if necessary, and rephrase my words to "I am coping, all will be well"

From that day I started to cope with the situation with my nan much better.  Yes, my heart was still broken and it didn't heal until she passed and was free of the limitations the stroke imposed on her, but I was more able to visit her and not end up in such a state of distress.

This taught me that the words we use change our perception of the world around us and our ability to cope with situations.  When we affirm that we cannot cope, we do not cope.  When we state that our lives are terrible that is what we experience.

When you find you are not coping with whatever life has thrown at you take a moment to listen to the words you are using.  Are you convincing yourself things are worse than they are?  Try turning your words around; if you say you are not coping tell yourself you are.  If you are saying you are scared or that something is terrible

tell yourself you are strong and that all will be well.  It takes self awareness, constant vigilance but you don't actually have to believe what you are saying, oddly in reassuring yourself that all is well you will begin to believe it and feel much better.

In the end, what do you have to lose?

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

What is a healing crisis and why does it happen?

Sometimes when we receive healing it can seem to make us feel worse and this can lead us to believe it hasn't helped.  At times like these it is possible you are going through what is known as a healing crisis and, as crazy as it sounds, it is important to understand that it's a good thing.

There are times when the problem we are dealing with is caused by much deeper issues. For this explanation I am going to use the term "wounds" but I mean it in an emotional sense.  These wounds have been caused by an incident, or number of incidents, that have hurt us deeply.  Sometimes when we have these experiences we put the emotional trauma into a metaphorical box and bury it away.  We may not remember the incident but the damage is there, like a shrapnel wound that has healed over.

When people have this kind of physical wound it is necessary to dig deep into the surrounding area.  It may be that the body has formed a protective bubble around it, filled with poison that must be cleaned out before the shrapnel can be removed.  This process can be very unpleasant and quite painful.  It can also take some time to heal with the cleaning process being repeated, further infections treated and more steps needing to be taken before it starts to heal.

Now take this metaphor and apply it to the emotional damage of a traumatic experience.  It might be that on the surface we aren't aware of how deep the trauma goes and the "shrapnel" may be tiny, but the resulting wound can be quite large.  Before it can be healed completely it has to be exposed and the toxic feelings, beliefs and emotions removed.  This can be a painful but necessary process that leads to breakthroughs that can be life changing. Just like someone who has recovered from an injury, after the work is done, we find we are no longer susceptible to the same problems and we look at life in a completely different way.

These experiences are rare and I am often reluctant to talk about them because worrying about them can cause them to manifest.  I have never known them to happen as a result of my crystal healing work and when the Bach Remedies have triggered them it is possible that the remedies in the treatment bottles are exactly the ones needed to support the client through the process.

If a healing crisis happens try to understand that it is a good thing.  Keep going and know that great shifts are happening and you will be stronger and healthier once you come out the other side. 

The religions of Science and Atheism

Yes, I know, that title is going to annoy quite a few people.  I also understand that there are quite a few differences between science, atheism and say Christianity. However, I do think there is are similarities that need pointing out.

Firstly, what do I mean by "religion"?

Religion to me is different to spirituality in that the believer looks to a hierarchy for guidance.  Their relationship with their higher power is through a priest or other "real person" and what they believe is often taught to them.  In my opinion religion alone is based on blind belief. 

Conversely, spirituality is a direct connection between the believer and the higher power and faith is based on personal experience.  Don't get me wrong, a Christian can be spiritual and have a personal relationship with their God but there are others that believe what they are told without question.
 
"So how is science a religion?"

When you look to the general populous and their relationship with science its similarity to religion becomes very clear.  They look to people in white coats and believe what they are told.  There is no questioning, no debate, simply blind belief.  You could say the scientists are "spiritual" they have a personal relationship with their tests and results, but the people outside of that can only believe what the scientist tells them.

The scientists themselves are able to replicate their experiments, they have their proof of their "higher power", but for most people there are few experiments that we can do at home to prove what the scientists say.  I can't proved that there is electricity in my wires, I can't see the electrons getting excited to that transfers the energy down the wire, all I can prove is that when I flick a switch the light comes on.  This means my understanding of electricity is based on blind faith; I have been told there is electricity in the wires and that gets turned into light when it reaches the bulb. It's only because I have been brought up to believe scientists that I don't question it.

"But what about atheism, surely that can't possibly be a religion?"

Are you sure?  Can you prove that "God" does not exist?  As far as I know there are no actual tests that have proven "his" non-existence.  This means the belief that he does not exist, again, is blind.  Where is the difference, both groups of people believe something that cannot be proven to be true.


Many atheists rely on science to hold up their beliefs in the lack of a higher power but we have to accept that we simply don't know that this is true.   We don't know what we don't know and we never will.

Scientists don't know everything and never will.

If Louis Pasteur hadn't been utterly convinced of his discovery of germs we would still be treating illness in completely the wrong way, and yet what he was saying was radically different to what was currently believed.  His discovery changed great tracts of science in one sweep.

Galileo was tried for heresy for stating that the earth revolved around the sun. Scientists said it could not be true based on their understanding of what they knew at the time.

I realise we are much further on in our understanding of physics but there is still so much we don't know.  Is it not arrogance to consider any possibility as untrue simply because our current science can't prove it at this moment in time?

I am not asking atheists or science followers to change their beliefs and "get god"; they have found a religion that makes sense to them and I respect that.  Instead I would like them to accept that what many of them have is blind faith in something that a "wise person" taught them and allow those of us with spirituality to get on with our lives without judgement. 

Bach remedies for going back to school

The summer holidays are over and you have bought all the new uniforms for the kids, now you're back to getting the kids out of bed and back into the routine of the school week.  Here are some remedies that might help this go smoother.

The Monday morning feeling - Hornbeam might be one of the most important remedies at this time as it focuses on that feeling of tiredness you get from just thinking about doing something but when you get moving you realise you have all the energy you need.  Both for you and your kids just the thought of that first alarm going off is enough to drag you down.  Taking Hornbeam can help you get the motivation and energy you need to get those kids off to school.

First day nerves - For sensitive children or those that are bullied fear may be a big factor in going back to school.  If the fear isn't too strong Mimulus might help your little one have the courage to go back after weeks of happily playing in a safe environment.  If they are very scared it might be worth looking at Rock Rose.

Bullying - On top of the remedies mentioned in the previous section adding Centaury and Walnut can help protect a sensitive child from bullies and help them stand up for themselves in a non-violent way.

Worrying about your little one - It's quite understandable for you to be sad and a bit worried when your child goes back to school, particularly if it is the first year in a new school.  In this instance Red Chestnut might help you let go and trust that all will be well.  If you are frightened that something bad might happen then Mimulus could be helpful.

A little help through the day - If your child finds school difficult it can be helpful to put a few drops of each remedy in a bottle of drink that they take with them.  This is a great way to give them support while you are not with them.  4 drops of Rescue Remedy can help if they get upset easily or 2 drops of a specific remedy if they are dealing with a particular challenge. There are also Rescue Remedy gummy stars available that your child can chew when he or she is feeling stressed or nervous.

No child wants to go back to school but with Bach Flowers it can be made easier for both parent and child.  If there are any other challenges you face feel free to contact me for further advice.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

Falling in love with the 9-5 again

Over the last 10 months I have been working to build up my healing practice again after taking some time out.  It has been quite a journey that has recently paid off with some wonderful clients.  In a moment of peace this morning I had quite an unexpected revelation.

Due to mortgages that need paying and all the other expenses that come with being in my 40s I have had to continue to work full time, slotting in building up my healing practice where I can.  So many people have suggested that I should be ditching the job to follow my dreams and I have felt dissatisfied in not being able to do that blaming my circumstances, that are quite normal, for not being able to "follow my dream".  Well, the past 2 weeks have led me to realise that being a full time healer is not my dream.  Not for now anyway.

Over the last few weeks I have had quite a few clients and it has been wonderful to tune into the crystals, flowers and Spirit to work with these people.  I look forward to working with them again but it has made me realise I couldn't do it full time.  As an introvert it would simply be too much interaction, as an HSP it would be too many different energies.  I am pretty sure I would burn out quite quickly even though I am working with universal energies and not my own.

This realisation has let me to see that I have been beautifully given what I can handle.  Rather than being in a situation where I need to charge high prices and churn people through like a conveyor line to be able to make enough money I am able to offer low prices and reduce the amount of interaction I am exposed to.  At the same time I am able to give my whole attention to the person in front of me rather than having the worry in the back of my mind about whether the next pay cheque, I mean, client will turn up.   The focus shifts from making money to helping people, and that is what it is ALL about for me!

I also realise that I was being sucked into following a dream that I thought was mine but proved to be someone else's; something that is expected, quite innocently, from anyone that takes the path of a healer.  Now pressure is taken off me to advertise more, work out how to increase word of mouth and all the things that go with trying to work towards relying on my healing practice for a living.

This is all quite wonderful because it frees me up to appreciate my job and appreciate the one client a week I have been getting up until the last 2 weeks where I have seen 4.  I have loved every minute of it and I don't begrudge any of those clients for one second; they have allowed me to help them whilst at the same time given me the opportunity to see a little more of where my path truly leads.  I am more at peace with the 9-5 because of this.  Win Win!!!

The next step is to decide whether I am in the right 9-5.  Maybe in accepting that it is something I am choosing rather than resenting it I will either find myself happier in the job I have or find a way to a better job that inspires me more.  I am also once again happy with the plan that I will do more healing when the mortgage is paid off and I won't need to earn so much.  Yeah, that might be 30 years away, but I'm cool with that.

For now I am happy to be an "evenings only" healer where I can offer my services at a low price at a time that can suit other 9-5ers.  It means spaces are limited and I need to set boundaries, but that's all part of the wonderful learning that comes with the path.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

The magnificence that is you - Your Higher Self

In many modern spiritual texts you will find reference to the Higher Self and this is a belief I personally subscribe to, but what is it?

There is a belief that we are all connected to an aspect of ourselves that is part of our direct connection to Spirit.  The image on the right depicts this connection in the form of a metaphor. 

We have our 3D physical body here on earth with its relating energy system.  "Above" us is our higher self, connected to us through our crown chakra and "above" that is Spirit.  The term "above" actually refers to the frequency of the vibration being higher as opposed to them being geographically above us.

The higher self aspect of our selves is not hampered by the negative beliefs we carry down here in 3D and has a much stronger connection to Spirit.  Some call it their intuition as it knows all our thoughts and all our history and it loves us deeply despite what beliefs we hold about ourselves.  Its connection to Spirit means that it can advise us on our problems and guide us to situations that help us learn grow.  Our higher self literally has all the answers we need.  Those who work with forms of divination such as tarot are making contact with their higher selves to obtain the information they give in their readings.


The problem many of us face is actually making contact to our higher selves.  It's all very well can good having this wise being so close but if we can't access them what is the point?  This is where guided visualisation come in.  In quieting the mind and using any number of meditation techniques we can start to make regular contact.  Once we do this we can work towards having constant contact so that when we are in a difficult situation we can tune into our "intuition" and know what is right for us.  When we are sad, scared or confused we can tune into the wise being and receive the love and support that is always there.  If you ever want to experience unconditional love your higher self is the person to go to.

This aspect of yourself can come in many forms, some see people just like them, others have animals, angels or just beautiful bright lights, anything is possible.  The important thing when meeting your higher self is to not judge or question what you see.  It is likely a metaphor that is meaningful to you and should be comforting; not scary or disconcerting at all.

If you are unsure that what you are experiencing is your higher self you can always tell because of the level of love they show for you.  They may be stern or direct with you at times but there should always be an undeniable sense of love.


For my part my higher self changes his form to suit the situation.  He came to me first in the form of the classic "boy next door" so that I was not threatened by him or in awe.  It was very important that I understood that I was to see him as part of me rather than something to be worshipped. In time he showed me his magnificence through a painting by Catherine Andrews.  The love that comes from him when I meet him takes my breath away.  He has been with me through some very difficult times and always supported me.



Meeting and working with your higher self is a truly enlightening and uplifting experience, one I would advise to anyone.  If you are interested in meeting yours I have written a meditation here to help.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

Meditation - Meeting your higher self

For information on your higher self please see my blog titled The magnificence that is you - Your Higher Self

Find yourself a place where you will not be disturbed for at least 30 minutes.  Tell anyone in your house you are going for some quiet time and ask not to be disturbed.  Turn your phone off and leave it in another room.

Sit in a chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor.  Rest your hands in your lap in any way that is comfortable for you.  Make sure you will be warm enough and if necessary use and eye mask to block out any annoying light.  If you find there is noise in the house you can block it out with some calming music through headphones.  You need to be as relaxed and free from distractions as possible.

When you are settled close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.

Place all of your attention on your feet to help ground and centre you in this moment.  Feel your socks or shoes or the carpet under your feet.  Feel the strength of gravity pulling your feet onto the floor holding you in the here and now.

Now relax your feet and slowly work your way up your body relaxing every muscle as you go, starting with your legs and moving through your torso, shoulders, neck, face, and all the way up to the top of your head.

Scan your body for any signs of tension and breath relaxation into them.

Now see yourself walking along a path towards a pyramid and as you walk you see there is an entrance with a door.  Open the door and walk into the pyramid.

Inside you are surprised to see it is lit beautifully and the décor is calming and welcoming.  You see a pair of chairs, that look comfortable to sit on.  Walk over to one of the chairs and settle in.  Looking on the floor you see a glowing figure 8 surrounding the chairs, one chair in each loop.

As you sit there you become aware that the walls of the pyramid have become translucent and through them you can see above you another pyramid, this time made of a golden white light.  As you watch it lowers down and merges with your own pyramid.  As it does a door opens in the side opposite where you entered.

Looking across to the door you see a being enter the room.  This is your higher self.  It can come in the form of a person, an animal or any number of other forms.  Try not to analyse its form at this point but you should not feel scared or uneasy in any way.  If you are unsure whether it is your higher self see the figure 8 on the floor burning with a violet flame, this will not harm your higher self but will banish anything that could be harmful.

When you are happy that you are in the presence of your higher self ask if it has any messages for you.  Anything it says should be infused with love for you. Spend some time talking with your higher self asking any questions you may have or asking for healing.

When you are ready to return thank your higher self for meeting you and ask if it could make itself more accessible to you so that you can make contact more often.

Get up from your seat and leave the pyramid through the door you came in by and walk back up the path knowing that you can visit any time you like.

And now bring yourself back to the room you are in, here in the mundane world.  Start to use your senses to bring your awareness back to your body, particularly focussing on your feet and the effect gravity has on them, pulling them onto the floor.

When you are ready open your eyes and have a good stretch.  It might be helpful for you to have a drink and something small to eat to ground you.  You may want to write down your experiences for reference later.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

Psychic Protection - what is it and why should I use it?

When you start learning metaphysical concepts you may hear about the idea of psychic protection but wonder what it is and why you need it.  In this blog I hope to explain my philosophy regarding it and help you learn how to use some simple tools to set up your own protection.

But first of all, let's talk about what psychic protection is and when it is helpful.

Highly sensitive people and empaths
There are an increasing number of people learning that they are empathic or highly sensitive and they are starting to realise that they are often deeply affected by other people's emotions.  In this instance psychic protection can be used to protect you from their energies.  These techniques are also useful if you work as a healer as they protect you from the energies of the client.

Psychics and when meditating
These tools are also useful if you are interested in enhancing your psychic abilities or using guided visualisation to meet guides and obtain messages.  The reason we do this in this situation is that we are purposely opening ourselves up to energies that are not our own.  When we are new to this it can be hard to tell whether those energies are benevolent or not.  Using psychic protection ensures that you are not adversely affected by your journeys.

Now we can look at the basics of psychic protection.

Grounding, connecting and centring
The most fundamental and simplest way to protect yourself is to ensure that you are grounded.  In my blog The importance of grounding I explain that having a strong connection to the earth is the first step in ensuring that you are not swayed by other people's emotions.

Imagine a pole stuck in the ground.  If the base is only in the ground a few inches it can easily be pushed over and even pulled out.  If that pole reaches deep down into the earth, no matter how hard it is pushed, it will always come straight back to it's centre.  Our column of chakras is just like that pole as it has a column of light that runs through from above our head to deep below our feet.  If we are strongly connected to the earth we cannot be moved.  In the blog mentioned above I give some quick and simple directions on how to ground quickly if you feel you are being swayed.

Once we have connected to the earth we can go on to connect to our higher power if we wish.  This is most easily done by imagining that same cord of light reaching up out of the top of our heads to our higher power.  In doing this we are not only supported by our pole being buried in the earth but the top of it is also supported.  Now we may be pushed and although we may bend, we cannot be moved.

To finish the process, simply put your concentration to the centre of your sternum where your heart chakra resides.  By doing this you are connected to the energies of love and cannot be affected by negativity.

This method is something that can be incorporated into your daily routine and can be very beneficial in its own right.  Once we are confident with these connections it can also be called upon at any time when we are feeling that we are being swayed by other people's energies.

Working with our aura
Along with our chakras we also have a second part to our energy system and this is know as the aura.  This is an energy field that surrounds us and is connected to our body through the chakras.  When our aura is not neatly tucked below our feet and at arm's distance from us all round we can find ourselves vulnerable to other people's energies.

Next time you are going to be going into a stressful situation sit quietly for a moment and imagine drawing your aura in so that it creates a safe egg around you in all directions, including below your feet.  Then see it coated with a coloured shell.  Silver is a good pure colour, violet can transmute negative energy and pink is very loving.  Pick a colour that makes sense to you.  Now you are ready to go.

You will find a visualisation here that can be used to create a safe and sacred space around you using the breath.  This can be good for meditation and spiritual work or as a good general practice to do every day.

The infinity of light
If we are going into a situation where we will be making contact with a person that we know will be difficult we can use a quick and simple visualisation tool to keep their energies where they belong an away from us.

Once you have done the simple grounding and connecting you can simply imagine an infinity symbol that looks like a 8 made of white light.  Put this symbol around you and the person you are talking to so that each of you is in one of the loops.  Visualise the white light energy flowing vibrantly between you keeping your energies neatly within the loops.  Once this is set up you can forget about it.  If you feel yourself being affected, connect back to the 8 and run the energy through it again.

This can be used both when you are physically with a person or if you are meeting a guide or spirit in meditation.  In doing this you can make contact and communicate without being affected by them.

Mirrors and walls
If you are in a situation where you know you are likely to be attacked energetically you can employ mirrors or walls.  These can be both imaginary and real.  As with the aura visualisation above you can include adding metaphorical mirrors into your aura.  These reflect back any harmful energy that is sent to you.

If you wish to use more physical representation of a mirror hematite roses can be worn to help reflect back negative energy.

Walls can be used in static situations.  If you work with someone that you find difficult you can imagine a wall of violet flame between your desks or work areas.  This will effectively create a barrier between you that can transmute any negative energy.

The paradox that is psychic protection
When you get used to working with energies and psychic protection you will come to understand that it is a paradox.  When we fear negative energy we attract it through the Law of Attraction that states that what we put our attention to we attract.  In fearing harmful energies we draw them to us and this is when we need psychic protection.

As we learn to not fear the energies of others we find we are no longer at their mercy.  If we work on raising our vibration and filling our energy system with light darkness cannot harm us.  This means that we are less likely to need to use psychic protection unless we are going into a particularly stressful situation.  However, if you do find you are overwhelmed you may want to check out my blog To shield or not to shield?

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

Chicory - it's all about love

The remedy chicory is all about love and how we go about showing it and getting it from others.

Chicory people are very loving and caring when they are in the positive state.  However, this can turn into over care for other people, wanting to help them with their problems when it is not needed.  When their help is rejected they become upset believing that the person does not love them.

Often chicory people hold onto the people they love very tightly and become hurt when they feel their love is not returned.  This, in the end pushes people away.

Chicory helps us to give love unconditionally; without expectation.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

Meditation - Psychic protection using the bubble of light.

In this meditation you will create a safe and sacred space using the breath to direct spiritual energy.

Find yourself a place where you will not be disturbed for half an hour at least.  Turn your phone off and leave it in another room.

Make yourself comfortable in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight.  Imagine you have a string of pearls running from the top of your head to the base of your spine.  Sit so that these pearls are straight, one above the other.

Take a few deep breaths in and out and bring your awareness away from the day and focus only on the sensation of the breath moving in and out of your lungs.  Don't take breaths that are deeper than you are comfortable with and don't hold the breath for any longer than you feel is right.  This is not a test, you should be relaxed.

With the next breath out imagine you are pushing a cord of energy down, out of the base of your spine and reaching down into the centre of the earth.  Take as many breaths as you need until you feel it has reached that point.

When you are ready, using the in breath pull the energy from the centre of the earth up through the same cord up into your heart and feel it filling up the area of your body behind your sternum.

When you are happy with this, again with the out breath, push that energy out of your heart area and imagine it is creating a shield like "half bubble" in front of you.  Spend some time working with this, breathing in and drawing the energy up from the centre of the earth and then pushing it out in front of you as you breath out.

Next we are going to repeat the process but reach up to the central sun in the middle of the galaxy.  So, when you are ready take a deep breath and as you breath out send another cord up out of the top of your head and reach right up into space. Take as many slow and gentle breaths as you need to get there but imagine it connecting to an infinite source of golden white light energy.

As with the earth energy, using the in breath, draw the energy from the sun down into your heart and again see it filling the area behind your sternum.  Spend some time focusing on this and connecting to the energy.

With the out breath, push this energy out of the area between your shoulder blades again imagining it forming a "half bubble".  Take as many breaths as you need to do this and imagine it meeting the half bubble you created in front of you so that now you are sitting in a complete bubble of light.

With the in breath draw the energy up from the centre of the earth and down from the sun and as you breath out direct it out of the front and back of your body filling the bubble.  Spend time sending your awareness around the bubble.  Make sure it reaches below your feet and at least 12" above your head.  It should be evenly spaced all around you with no areas nearer or further away from you.  Pay close attention to it behind you as it is easy for it to be very close to you. 

Now you have created a safe and sacred space you can take anywhere with you.  Imagine it is flexible so that when you stand up it becomes like a capsule that travels with you wherever you go.

If you want to add a layer of protection to this imagine a pot of colour being poured over it so it leaves a glistening shell of colour with no gaps, just like a smartie.  Violet is a nice gentle transmuting colour, pink is for love and silver white is for purity.

When you have practiced this a few time you should be able to do it wherever you are, just spending a few moments to tune in and draw the energy to you.

Visit my website to learn about my healing practice  

http://www.crystaloak.moonfruit.co.uk/

Bach remedies and sleep

Quite often I am asked if Bach Remedies can help with poor sleep. Unfortunately it isn't a simple question but there is hope.

The problem we face is that sleep is disturbed for so many different reasons but because the outcome is the same it is believed that there should be one answer.  With this in mind when looking at Bach Remedies we have to ask the first all important question: what is stopping you sleep?

Here in this blog I am going to cover a number of reasons and the possible remedies that might help.  This isn't a complete list and a remedy would have to be chosen based on an understanding of the situation in hand.


When your brain won't stop

This is often the simplest cause of sleeplessness; you lay there in bed and you have shopping lists, to do lists, ideas and pure random stuff going through your mind keeping you awake or waking you up through the night.  While these thoughts are annoying they are generally not deep fears or worries.  When this happens White Chestnut is the first remedy to reach for, and one I keep beside the bed at all times.  This remedy helps calm a busy mind and often you will find yourself asleep in moments.


Worrying 

Worrying is often the next most common reason for not sleeping.  These thoughts are stronger than those that White Chestnut combats, these are often worries about money, people we love, or situations we are faced with.  Some of remedies that might help in these situations are Mimulus, Clematis or Red Chestnut.
Mimulus combats fear of known things; fear of losing our job, fear of not having enough money, nerves about a situation we may face in coming days.
Clematis is good for thoughts of the future; when we find ourselves thinking about things that are going to happen tomorrow.  In taking Clematis we are brought back into this moment where we are supposed to be sleeping.
Red Chestnut concerns fears we have about other people, when we are not able to care for ourselves because we are worried about others this remedy allows us to let go of those worries and meet our own needs first.

Over tired

Sometimes we have simply got too tired, we're exhausted but we lay there waiting for sleep to come.  When this happens Olive can be helpful, allowing us to give in to the tiredness.

Just can't sleep!

Sometimes we don't know why we can't sleep, we just lay there and it doesn't happen.  In this situation the first remedy I would suggest would be Oak. This remedy is for people who continue to work even when they are too tired.  In this instance it is possible that there is part of the brain that believes it needs to keep awake and working even though we are exhausted.  Taking this remedy might not solve the problem but it is possible it will reveal the true cause of the insomnia.

These are just a few of the remedies that might help you when you can't sleep.  If you want to talk more about sleep problems feel free to get in touch.

For information on how to take the remedies please visit my website

www.crystaloak.moonfruit.com