posted April 28, 2003 06:07 PM         

Crystal Healing
Julia Jablonski, 1998

This article presents a couple of ways crystals can be used to augment energy healing, also known as therapeutic touch or healing touch. In all energy healing work, the healing can be instantaneous if the healer is connected to truth and the recipient is receptive. It's important to remember that the healer is simply a channel for pure positive energy. The patient is the one who is responsible for accepting the healing. As a healer, it's wise to remember that when we spiritually ask for aid in helping another in any way, we immediately summon great help from Spirit.

When we forget who we are and begin to focus on the negative or that which is unwanted, we create imbalances in our energy fields that can lead to dis-ease. The key to rebalancing the energy field is to focus not at all on what is not wanted (the ailment), but to visualize only what is wanted (perfect health) with positive expectancy. Finally, there are no hard rules for energy healing. It's an intuitive and inspired process. Trust that if you set a high intention, all you have to do is allow magic to happen!

A simple crystal healing is to place crystals of the appropriate color and energy at corresponding chakra points. This will cleanse and energize the chakras. Here is a list of the chakras with stones that may prove beneficial:

Root chakra: Jasper (bloodstone), garnet, onyx, rubies

Second chakra(womb): hematite, moonstone

Third chakra (solar plexus): citrine, amber, topaz

Fourth chakra (heart): rose quartz, Chinese Fluorite

Fifth chakra (throat): aquamarine, turquoise

Sixth chakra (third eye): sapphire, turquoise, amethyst

Seventh chakra (crown): clear quartz or amethyst

It's a good idea to "stroke down" and cleanse the aura energetically before applying the energies of the stones, one by one, to the chakras. Begin with the root chakra, and imagine energy rising from the base of the spine up through the crown of the head as you move upward. Visualize each chakra being energized and expanding in turn.

Clear quartz can be used to simply magnify all healing efforts. Try holding a point in your hand as you scan the aura (point facing out), and then face the point in as you send healing and harmonizing energy.

Another powerful healing technique involves the use of two clear quarts points. Sit at the feet of the patient with the point of the crystal in your right hand facing in at the bottom of the patient's left foot, and the point of the crystal in your left hand pointing out at the bottom of the patient's right foot. Send energy up through your right hand (patient's left foot) and visualize it channeling all through the body, all up the left side, and through and down the right side and out the right foot. Imagine a continue circle of energy going in and flowing out. The key is to visualize ease of flow and balance. Visualize all stagnant energies breaking up and melting down, and new clarity and flow being established. All unwanted energies will be washed through, and new vitality and well-being will fill the energy field.

Remember that this is an intuitive art; remain open to inspiration!
http://members.aol.com/Psyeditor/crysheal.html

posted May 18, 2003 08:08 AM         

Fear: The Ultimate Roadblock

In some ways fear is a more basic emotion than anxiety and worry, and it is one which is designed to help us survive. We see how this principle works with animals. Deer have learned to associate gunfire with danger, and when they hear this sound they run away. Mice connect cats to danger, and usually do their best to not become feline meals.

The difficulty we have as humans is that, unlike deer, mice, and other animals, we don't always correctly interpret what is dangerous and what is not. Fear is very helpful, for example, if one feels ill and doesn't think it would be safe to drive a car. However, refusing to drive over a bridge in the fear that it will collapse is a response to a threat which (usually) doesn't exist.

The latter kind of fear is often called a phobia. People can be afraid of heights, crowds, hypodermic needles, airplanes, and find themselves seemingly unable to reason their way out of terror. The threat they feel is invisible to others and all too real to them, and they do their best to protect themselves by avoiding being in a situation which will cause them to feel fear.

Somewhere between the useful fears and the phobias is something which can be called the fear of change. I Want To—But

Some examples of this fear might be:

Being in a very unhappy relationship and afraid to leave it
Wasting away in the wrong career or job and lacking the courage to look for something new
Wanting to move to a different part of a country or world and being afraid to do so

In general, wanting to try anything new and being afraid to do so is an example of this kind of fear.

This kind of fear is also designed to protect you. As much as we may find ourselves bored by our all-too-familiar lives there is tremendous safety in occupying a well-known physical or psychic space. There is little to surprise you, little to frighten you.

You know how to fight with and be annoyed with that other person in your relationship, and you have the additional benefit of complaining to other people about him/her.

You hate your job, but it's steady; you know everyone; you know what to expect; there's a pension to consider. Maybe you won't do as well at the new job. Maybe you'll get fired.

Moving is very, very scary, and you won't know anyone, and what if you don't like it there? What if there are bad things about this new location that you haven't heard about yet? What about all the friends you'll miss? And moving costs money.

It's Not a Question of Right or Wrong

I emphasize this, because I have known people who became so disgusted by their fear that they initiated big changes just for the sake of change. This is not always a wise choice—and it's not always a bad idea to protect yourself.

Whether you like what it's saying or not, fear is trying to tell you something. It is a feeling to be treated with respect. I find that it's best to work with it, not against it.

In practical terms this can mean to imagine that fear is asking you to take another look at the situation which is unsatisfying. Maybe you really don't want to leave that relationship, job, location. Sometimes you will find that you can make change within that situation without leaving it.

Is your relationship really hopeless? List what you don't like (find unbearable); then list what you would like to have happen. Are the communication lines completely down? If not, initiate conversations with your spouse or partner. (And see http://www.rainbowcrystal.com/news/newsval.html for some ideas about restoring communication.)

You can follow a similar course of action if it's a job situation. What could make it better? Can you stay at it and study something else in your free time? Ask yourself searching questions about this.

If it's locational fatigue, again, decide what you don't like about where you are. This is a situation that I've actually been grappling with. Two decisions I made to help me deal with winter in the Catskill Mountains were to buy a car with all-wheel drive, as driving has been one of my least favorite winter activities, and getting a gas heater for my often-chilly office.

I believe that, even if you ultimately decide that drastic change is needed, you will feel more comfortable about it once you have fully explored alternatives.

You will also feel more comfortable if you take on the question of fear itself. When we learn to treat fear's messages as those of a friend who is committed to protect us, we find ourselves less likely to be paralyzed by this emotion. We learn to be objective and make wise choices.

And when we learn to dissolve the most limiting fears we discover a new freedom in our lives. We become able to appreciate life, to explore new avenues of creativity, and to realize that ultimately we are spiritual beings who have no need to fear anything in the physical world.

The following crystals, flower and other essences, and essential oils can help you to deal with fear.

Crystals

Charoite is the primary crystal for dealing with fear, both known and unknown. It not only helps to bring fear to the surface, but helps you to feel the courage and commitment to dissolve fear.

Amethyst is the traditional crystal recommended to children -- or adults -- who experience fear in the form of nightmares. It is also very helpful in relieving the stress and tension which may accompany fear.

It can be helpful to put amethyst and charoite beneath your pillow, especially if you find that fears surface in dreams. Charoite will enhance this surfacing, and amethyst will help to release the fears.

Clear Calcite helps us to appreciate that alternative ways of being and doing always exist. It also can help us to have an expanded awareness of our particular situations, especially regarding the challenges we've given up on.

The above stone can work very well with clear quartz, a stone we describe as "the mirror of the soul." Clear quartz can help to tell you who you really are. This knowledge can expand your ability to see new dimensions to a given situation.

Flower and Other Essences

Rabbit (Wild Earth Animal Essences)is the fear-caller in many Native American cultures. It is believed that this animal broadcasts its fear, thus alerting predators to its location. Rabbit thus teaches us that what we focus on is likely to come into our lives, and reminds us that when we focus on positive outcomes these, too, will be called to us.

Mimulus (Bach) and Aspen (Bach) are the two most prominent Bach Flower essences for fear. Mimulus is for known fear. If, for example, you spouse becomes an ex, you may fear being lonely, having to move, never again finding a partner. Aspen relates to unknown fears, all the bad things you don't know about yet, but suspect will happen.

When you fear decision-making because you don't trust yourself to make the best choice Larch (Bach) can help. This flower essence helps to increase self-esteem.

Essential Oils

Lavender is an essential oil for profound relaxation. On a physical level it is believed to help relieve tension and headaches. On the emotional/spiritual level it helps us to integrate our spiritual and physical selves, thus opening the way for us to become more objective about fears. It also helps to clear the air of fear's energy.

Chamomile is also a very relaxing and calming oil. It can have a particular effect in soothing the physical effects of fear.

I include Juniper in this list because it can be helpful for fears which involve other people, such as being in a crowded place, riding the subway at rush hour, or fears of specific people. Juniper is generally considered to be a protective oil which can also be used in the bath to rid one of unwanted energies.

Thank you RainbowCrystal.

posted May 26, 2003 07:34 AM         

Indigo and Crystal Children
by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.

Author, "The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children" and the soon-to-be released,
"The Crystal
Children" (Hay House, Spring 2003)

The first thing most people notice about Crystal Children is their eyes
large, penetrating, and wise beyond their years. Their eyes lock on and hypnotize you, while you realize your soul is being laid bare for the child to see.
Perhaps you've noticed this special new "breed" of children rapidly
populating our planet. They are happy, delightful, and forgiving. This generation of new lightworkers, roughly ages 0 through 7, are like no previous generation. Ideal in many ways, they are the pointers for
where humanity is headed . . . and it's a good direction!
The older children (approximately age 7 through 25), called "Indigo
Children," share some characteristics with The Crystal Children. Both generations are highly sensitive and psychic, and have important life purposes. The main difference is their temperament. Indigos have a warrior spirit, because their collective purpose is to mash down old systems that no
longer serve us. They are here to quash government, educational, and legal
systems that lack
integrity. To accomplish this end, they need tempers and firey determination.
Those adults who resist change and who value conformity may misunderstand
the Indigos. They are often mislabeled with the psychiatric diagnoses of Attention
Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Sadly, when they are medicated, The Indigos often lose their beautiful sensitivity, spiritual gifts, and warrior energy. I wrote about the Indigos at length in my book, The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children and in The Indigo Children, written by Lee Carroll and Jan Tober (both published by Hay House).
In contrast, The Crystal Children are blissful and even-tempered. Sure,
they may have tantrums occasionally, but these children are largely forgiving and easy-going. The Crystals are the generation who benefit from the Indigos' trailblazing. First, The Indigo Children lead with a machete, cutting down anything that lacks integrity. Then The Crystal Children follow the cleared path, into a safer and more secure world.
The terms, "Indigo" and "Crystal" were given to these two generations,
because they most accurately describe their aura colors and energy patterns. Indigo Children have a lot of indigo blue in their auras. This is the color of the "third eye chakra," which is an energy center inside the head located between the two eyebrows. This chakra regulates clairvoyance, or the ability to see energy, visions, and spirits.
Many of the Indigo Children are clairvoyant The Crystal Children have
opalescent auras, with beautiful multi-colors in pastel hues. This generation also shows a fascination for crystals and rocks, as you'll read in this book.
Indigo Children can sense dishonesty, like a dog can sense fear. Indigos
know when they're being lied to, patronized, or manipulated. And since their collective
purpose is to usher us into a new world of integrity, the Indigos' inner lie-detectors are integral. As mentioned before, this warrior spirit is threatening to some adults. And the Indigos are unable to conform to dysfunctional situations at home, work, or school. They don't have the ability to dissociate from their feelings and pretend like everything's okay . . . unless they are medicated or sedated.
Crystal Children's innate spiritual gifts are also misunderstood.
Specifically, their telepathic abilities which lead them to talk later in life.
In the new world which the Indigos are ushering in, we will all be much
more aware of our intuitive thoughts and feelings. We won't rely so much upon the spoken or written word. Communication will be faster, more direct, and more honest, because it will be mind-to-mind. Already, increasing numbers of us are getting in touch with our psychic abilities. Our interest in
the paranormal is at an all-time high, accompanied by books, television shows,
and movies on
the topic.
So, it's not surprising that the generation following the Indigos are
incredibly telepathic. Many of the Crystal Children have delayed speech patterns, and it's not uncommon for them to wait until they're 3 or 4 years old to begin speaking. But parents tell me they have no trouble communicating with their silent children. Far from it! The parents engage in mind-to-mind communication with their Crystal Children. And the Crystals use a combination of telepathy, self-fashioned sign language, and sounds (including song) to get their point across.
The trouble comes about when the Crystals are judged by medical and educational
personnel as having "abnormal" speaking patterns. It's no coincidence that as
the number of Crystals are born, that the number of diagnoses for autism is at a record high.
It's true that the Crystal Children are different from other generations.
But why do we need to pathologize these differences? If the children are successfully
communicating at home, and the parents aren't reporting any problems . . . then why try to make a problem?
The diagnostic criteria for autism is quite clear. It states that the
autistic person lives in his or her own world, and is disconnected from other people. The autistic person doesn't talk
because of an indifference to communicating with others.
Crystal Children are quite the opposite. They are among the most
connected, communicative, caring, and cuddly of any generation. They are also quite
philosophical and spiritually gifted. And they display an unprecedented level of kindness and sensitivity to this
world. Crystal Children spontaneously hug and care for people in need. An
autistic person wouldn't do that!
In my book, The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children, I wrote that ADHD
should stand for Attention Dialed into a Higher Dimension. This would more accurately describe that generation. In the same vein, Crystal Children don't warrant a label of autism! They aren't autistic they're AWE-tistic!
These children are worthy of awe, not labels of dysfunction. If anyone is
dysfunctional, it's the systems that aren't accommodating the continuing evolution of the human species. If we shame the children with labels, or medicate them into submission, we will have undermined a heaven-sent gift. We will crush a civilization before it has time to take roots. Fortunately, there are many positive solutions and alternatives. And the same heaven that sent us the Crystal Children can assist those of us who are advocates for the children.
I first began noticing the Crystal Children during my travels around the
world, giving workshops about the angels. I noticed their eyes and magnetic personalities. I held mental conversations with the children, and could
clearly hear them answer my questions in mind. I would watch them smile in
response to my mentally sent compliments. These kids hear my thoughts! I realized.
Over the next few years, I interviewed children and parents for my book,
The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children. I've always been fascinated with finding patterns among human behavior. Although we're all as unique as
snowflakes, the snowflakes share commonalities. With the Indigo Children, I
found the traits described earlier. With the Crystal Children, my research took even more interesting twists and turns.
I found myself falling in love with each young Crystal Child that I met.
Their hearts were as open and loving as any angel with whom I'd interacted. I found them unguarded and unpretentious. I'd go to sleep thinking about the
children, and wake up with volumes of information given to me by the spirit
world perhaps by the Crystal Children themselves? while I slept.
Each morning, I'd wake up knowing more about the Crystal Children than I'd
previously known the evening before! I began lecturing about the Crystal Children and found my audiences very receptive. Many of them were parents, grandparents, or teachers of these special youngsters. They instantly recognized their child's characteristics as I described them.
I asked audience members and subscribers of my newsletter to complete a
questionnaire about their Crystal Children. Within one day of my putting out that request, I received hundreds of replies. For this book, I reviewed hundreds of pages of stories submitted to me by people who are raising and teaching these remarkable children.
As I reviewed the survey results, two things happened. First, I felt my
heart swell with love and gratitude. Just reading the stories felt like being in the presence of mighty angels! I felt ecstatically high, and reassured by these
amazing youngsters' presence on our planet. I also felt reassured about our
collective future. God wouldn't have sent this special breed of humans to earth, were we on our last leg as a civilization or planet. Just like humans have
evolved from ape-like postures, the Crystal Children are concrete evidence that
we're progressing in evolution.
Secondly, I found clear might I say crystal clear? patterns among each
survey respondent. I read dozens of similar stories about the Crystals and their relationships to animals, plants, rocks, and the elderly, for instance. I
poured over many stories with eerily similar accounts about children
telepathically communicating with their parents . . . while eschewing verbal communication.
Many parents told me, "I never could relate to the descriptions of Indigo
Children. My youngster seemed different. But the Crystal Child description that was one that perfectly described my child!"
Most parents reported a happy relationship with their Crystal Child, marked
with very few problems. I heard from parents and grandparents around the globe, as they described their Crystal as "an angel," "the love of my life," "a true joy," and so on.
I noticed that not only were the Crystal Children highly spiritually
sensitive, but so were their parents. The souls of Crystal Children were obviously selecting parents who could raise them in a spiritually nurturing environment. Occasionally, I met children who came through parents who were spiritually unaware. In these cases, their grandparents were highly evolved lightworkers who helped to protect and hone the child's spiritual knowledge and gifts. Most people told me that their Crystal Child was a profound spiritual teacher, who taught parents a great
deal about being an exceptionally loving and kind person.
One day, I was lecturing about Crystal Children in Sydney, Australia. At
the break, my publisher (who was there selling my books) said to me, "What is this book that everyone's asking me about? They're all asking to buy a
Crystal Children book!"
I laughed and told him that there was no such book. I was simply reporting
the data I'd gathered from interviews and my own channelings. My publisher said, "Well, they obviously want the book. Will you write it?" Without hesitating, I heard myself reply, "Yes, of course I will." My book, "The Crystal Children" will be published
by Hay House very soon!
This month, we'll also launch a new website by the same name of the book: www.TheCrystalChildren.com (Note the "The" before the term, "Crystal Children"). We'll have articles and a special message board for parents,
grandparents, teachers, and crystal children to support one another. If you'd
like to be notified about this website, please sign up for our free monthly newsletter.

Love Jade

posted May 26, 2003 07:50 AM         

Have you ever wondered about the power of crystals? Did you know that crystals have the metaphysical power of healing? Using certain crystal methods, crystal healing can help a number of physical problems. This metaphysical healing relies on the innate powers of healing crystals. For example, rose quartz is great for emotional healing, amethyst crystals for headaches, malachite for the stomach, lapis for anxiety, and jade for the heart…just to name a few. So enjoy Space Magic’s metaphysics site, and learn how to use crystals to cure your ailments.
ALL ABOUT CRYSTALS & HEALING

From as far back as the days of the legendary lost city of Atlantis, through the ancient Mayan and Hebrew civilizations, and including Far Eastern and Native American cultures, crystals and gemstones have been used both in spiritual rituals and as aids to physical healing.

Today the practice of using stones and crystals continues. Not only with the aboriginal shamans of Australia who use stones to commune with spirits, but with ordinary people across the world who claim extraordinary results.

How do crystals work? No one seems to know for sure. Tales tell that they were first used in Atlantis. Crystals became important to the people of that civilization who believed in their capacity to store and amplify any power source fed into them - physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Practitioners of modern-day crystal therapy believe that the stones' ability to work as conductors allow them to focus energy via a person's thoughts to stimulate healing - both physical and non-physical.

However, in addition to medical controversy as to their efficacy, the use of crystals for healing is not an exact science. There is plenty of information available to describe which crystals and gemstones are good for treating certain ailments or for the prevention of certain conditions. The problem is that much of it appears contradictory.

Still, thousands of people world-wide swear by the use of crystals for a variety of mental, emotional, and physical problems. There are numerous claims that they aid such in diverse areas as harmonious relationships, allergies, and spiritual awakening.

Crystals are used in meditation and spiritual ceremonies, laid on the body during types of massage or bodywork, when a person is resting, or placed in drinking or bathing waters. It is claimed that an odd number of facets on the stone aid in healing, while an even number of facets create the best energizers. Red, yellow, and orange stones are said to produce energy, clear and aquamarine stones are healers, and lavender and blue-violet stones create calming effects.

Here is a list of commonly known crystals and their reputed benefits. Please note that this information is not intended to replace any licensed medical or psychological treatment. No guarantee is made towards validity, and the use of any crystals for the claims listed below is at your own risk.

Amethyst: Headaches, eyes, scalp, hair, pituitary gland, balancing blood sugar. Psychic abilities, imagery. Purify and transmute negativity. Reduce anger, impatience, and nightmares. Spiritually uplifting.

Aquamarine: Heart, immune system, thymus, lymph nodes. Calming, uplifting, flexibility, innocence, joy, creativity, communication, self-knowledge, confidence, purpose. Releasing anxiety, fear, and restlessness.

Carnelian: Circulatory system, kidneys, stimulate appetite, emotions, sexuality, physical energy, celebration, reproductive system, menstrual cramps, arthritis, kidneys, gall bladder, pancreas. Confidence, assertiveness, drive.

Citrine: Acid indigestion, food disorders, allergies. Cleansing spleen, kidneys, liver, urinary system, intestines. Mental and emotional clarity, problem-solving, memory, willpower, optimism, confidence, self-discipline. Reducing anxiety, fear, and depression.

Coral: Muscles, blood, heart, reproductive system, thyroid, metabolism, spine, bone and tissue regeneration. Not to be used with high blood pressure. Protect and strengthen emotional foundation and enliven emotions.

Diamond: Increase personal clarity, trust, confidence. Amplify thoughts, attitudes, strengths and weaknesses: Prosperity, generosity, love, spirituality.

Emerald: Respiratory system, heart, lymph nodes, blood, thymus, balance blood sugar, childbirth, eyesight. Strengthen heart chakra for abundance, growth, peace, harmony, patience, love, monogamy, honesty. Lift depression and insomnia.

Jade: Heart, thymus, immune, kidney and cleansing blood, nervous system. Courage, knowledge, justice, compassion, emotional balance, humility, generosity, harmony, wealth, longevity.

Lapis: Anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, shyness, nervous system, speech, hearing, pituitary, inflammation, pain. Mind expansion, intuition, creativity, spiritual connection. Organize, quiet the mind.

Malachite: Stomach, liver, kidney stones, respiratory system, immune system, vision, circulatory system. Release pain, inflammation, depression, anger. Stimulate psychic vision, concentration.

Rose Quartz: Emotional balance, love, beauty, peacefulness, forgiving, kindness, self-esteem. Emotional healing, loss, stress, hurt, fear, resentment, anger. Align mental, emotional, and astral bodies.

Ruby: Infections, cholesterol, blood clots, blood cleansing, impotency. Stimulate circulation, menses, pituitary. Love, courage, confidence, vitality, stamina, strength, leadership, triumph over adversity. Intensify all emotions.

Sapphire: Reducing inflammation, fevers, nosebleeds. Hearing problems, TB, burns. Communication, depression, intuition, clairaudience, mental clarity and calm.

It is suggested that you should never let anyone touch your crystals. Each crystal should be cleansed before use to clear any stored energy by either soaking it or burying it in the ground.

Soaking: Have everything at room temperature. Soak the crystal in one cup sea salt dissolved in one quart of purified or spring water in a glass bowl. Meditate and ask that the crystal be cleared. Soak from 15 minutes to one full day depending upon how many people have touched the stone. Rinse under cool water and dry with cotton or silk.
Burying: Wrap the crystal in cotton, silk, or linen and bury it in a place you feel comfortable. Leave at least 24 hours.

http://mysticalsoup.com/crystals.html

Remember this is just one site with one opinion, you may have a better way!!

Love jade

posted May 30, 2003 07:51 AM         

What is an altar?
Checking a dictionary will tell us of tables where sacred objects are placed or platforms that we face while worshipping. We know that an altar is a blessed place, often a part of a particular religion with its own rules and belief systems. We know that altars can be powerful centers of energy for ceremony and ritual.

A traditional religious altar may serve a congregation or a household. At the heart of this service is each individual's experience of the Great Mystery through the symbols that are presented by the altar. Every encounter with an altar is in essence a highly personal encounter, unlike any other, a two-way flow of spirit between the individual and that person's experience of the Divine. As we sit before our personal altars, we enter into a relationship with a magical portal in time and space where the most powerful aspects of ourselves are revealed and where we gain greater understanding of our places in the universe. When we choose to create a personal altar, we are making a commitment to bring our spiritual search home, to ground our journey in the mundane aspects of our lives, to place right under our noses a positive daily reminder of our spiritual quest.

How to begin?
What are the elements that are essential? There are no rules for creating a personal altar; you will simply find that certain layouts and rituals work better for you than others. Let your imagination run free. The process is a playful and intuitive one, much like the best moments of gardening or art. Only two elements are essential: your intention and a physical space. Let your creativity flow directly from your spirit. This is part of the lesson. As you look around your place with altar eyes, keep in mind that an altar need not be complex. The simplest arrangement in a small space can have a profound impact and be just what you need to work with at this time.

The simplest of altars might be a favorite vase filled with fresh flowers that change with the seasons. Add a single votive candle or a crystal arrangement, placing these items carefully on a special cloth, and you have begun to construct your altar. Your altar will evolve as you grow into your relationship with it, becoming as wonderfully complex and fascinating as you are. Ask yourself a few basic questions, then let your heart reveal to you how to proceed. Where will you put your altar?

Proper placement is essential.
Your altar will be a sacred space. You may have already found the place. Look around and see if you have a shelf, window ledge or corner of a table where you have been collecting "neat stuff." These little (or not so little) piles of goodies are often altars in the making; creating an altar is something many of us do all the time, even if we call it by another name. I have a friend who bemoans her lack of time and ability for creating an altar where she can meditate and pray. When I look, I see that her house is already full of altars! Everywhere there are collections of spirit-related stuff: rocks, shells and crystals line the window sills, and each table and countertop has its own fascinating and often dusty display of feathers, moss, driftwood, dried flowers and whatever else she may have collected on various nature hikes. Her bathroom alone has inspired me to drop to my knees in praise of the beauty of the feminine spirit.

If this sounds familiar, then your task may be to acknowledge these offerings of your spirit that you have already collected and to decide if you would like to formalize your relationship with them. Perhaps one of these informal "altars" would be a good place to begin. Or you could gather your treasures together and combine them in a new way, in a new place. My darling Mother has an altar in her closet, a space large enough for a little table, a night light and a cushion on the floor on which she can sit. A closet can be an excellent location for an altar if you have privacy concerns (and if you have large closets). Another option is the put-away altar, an altar contained in a box or basket. A wooden box with a lid works especially well, because the lid can be used as the surface where you arrange your sacred items during use. Another advantage is you can take this altar with you! A basket can be lined with a beautiful length of fabric, which then can be spread out as an altar cloth.

How will you utilize your altar? That will depend on your relationship with your altar. If you do a daily prayer or meditation, your altar could be created especially for this practice. Those of us who are into angels will arrange and dedicate our altars to our work with these heavenly guides. Perhaps you seek guidance through oracles such as Tarot cards or the I-Ching. Establish your altar as a sacred home for these tools. Aromatherapy? What could be lovelier than a concentrated arrangement of these sweet oils? If you channel allies, you will find your personal altar to be a powerful ground for working with energy and bringing new understanding into your awareness. Your altar is where you will place images of your spiritual teachers, your ancestors, your loved ones, a picture of your inner child. Consider creating an altar specifically for dreamwork or for healing a trauma. Many of us are artists; if so, let your art be present on your altar.

Use your altar as an immediate place to go for healing when you are angry, sad or depressed. And remember that an altar is also a place to give back, a place to express gratitude. Make offerings of flowers, seashells, fruits, etc. Place gifts on your altar for awhile before passing them on. Bless your new jewelry. Write notes to your Higher Self. Whatever your inner work may be, you will find your altar becoming a reflection of your heart chakra, balancing the energies of the practical and the sublime.

What objects will you place on your altar?
The things on your altar are very personal and have powerful meaning just for you; special items that evoke deep feelings of joy and connection to your Highest Self, to your spirit. Anything is OK, be it a teddy bear or a priceless statue. Objects from nature are popular, reinforcing our commitment to the planet and reminding us of our roots. Think of whatever you love: feathers, rocks, art, candles, bells, jewelry, incense, or your collection of gum wrappers. Many people design their altars on traditional understandings, such as the four directions/elements of the Medicine Wheels or the five points of the Wiccan Pentagram. These systems carry with them specific beliefs about how the universe works and our place in it. It is not necessary, however, to follow a traditional way. Let the energy of your altar be free. Let it breathe. Move things around when you have the inclination to do so. Develop a feeling of playful interaction. Celebrate the seasons. Give in to your desire to purchase that gorgeous piece of silk, that certain crystal, that strange little plastic statue of Worf. All of our spiritual paths are valid, and your path will be the one that manifests itself in beauty on your altar top.

How will you create sacredness? You may wish to consecrate your altar when you first create it or whenever you begin a new cycle. This is done with your intention. You might say a prayer, asking for a blessing for this altar. You may wish to speak aloud, dedicating this altar to a particular issue you are working on, remembering that there is power in speaking aloud. Call on your helper spirits, your spiritual teachers, and on the Highest Power of Good that you know. Let them know what's going on in your life and what you want. Knowing what you want is half the journey. Keep your altar fresh and clean and always treat it as a sacred space.

A personal altar may be just what you've been looking for, a quiet place of inspiration, your touchstone. Place all the loose ends of your life there and see what happens. Sit before your altar and listen to your spirit. It is our spirits that long for altars, that sing and dance, pray, weep and dream. You may find that your altar has magical powers. Or is it you?

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Article Source
Content Copyright ©1995 Kathlynne Moonfire
Source: http://www.coolpage.com/aries/articles/altarp.htm

Kathlynne Moonfire is a writer, artist and student of all religions and philosophies. She considers herself a shamanist. She is writing a book on the creation and uses of the personal altar, and she has prepared a questionnaire on this subject. If you would like a copy, know of a really cool altar or just want to chat on the subject, write to Kitza@aol.com

Sowing Circle's Sacred Space Online http://www.knowyourfate.com/sowing_circle
Clothos MonkeyDancing, Lachesis Dragonheart & Puck © 1997-2002
This page last updated on 12/04/2002 14:00:30

posted May 30, 2003 07:53 AM         

Creating a Space for the Soul
by Michele Ritan

The desire to build a personal altar or sacred space in the home is an ancient tradition found in every culture. In the whirlwind busy-ness of our lives, we need to find a place of refuge, quietness, and peace where we can touch our sacred center. Everyone needs spiritual comfort and inspiration each day, a place to retreat from tension and to-do lists, a special place to rejuvenate our spirits. It doesn’t matter what your particular religious background may be.

Sacred space can be found anywhere: indoors or in nature, the city or meadow. Building sacred space is intensely creative—it engages every aspect of ourselves. Your sacred space can be as small or large; a little shelf or an entire room. It can help focus your intentions or recall your goals and hopes. You can pray or meditate here; you can connect with the holiness of life, your ancestors, and those you love.

Your special place will reflect your uniqueness. The objects you place there are symbols of your spirit and life journey. A sacred space can spring from the simple wish to create beauty, or it may originate from the universal desire to touch the Holy. The choice of objects, colors, placement, and decoration are expressions of our soul, and should be done with care. You can display your personal treasures here, or things that change with the seasons. The sacred space is your work of art in progress.

My personal sacred space is a small room on the upper floor of my home. I had a skylight installed because sitting under a beam of light or looking up at the stars from the safety of my house connects me to the Holy. I have a meditation mat on the floor under the skylight. There is a shelf nearby that holds many small, loved objects, mostly statues and figures given to me by important people in my life. A prominent theme is the Holy Mother, and several images of her are found there. I have a medicine bag given to me by a loved one, and an amber rosary hanging on a hook near the mat. There are inspirational books near the mat. I move things around, depending on what I want to focus on at a particular time.

What makes such an arrangement of personal objects different from any other decorative accessories in the home? The difference is in the intention and awareness of sacred purpose. As we build an altar, we tap into our inner truth and make it manifest in a physical way. We bring the sacred into our everyday lives. The use of statues, things from nature, incense, candles, or pictures engage all our senses.

After the altar is built, you can energize or activate it by using rituals that have meaning in your life. You might bring a small offering, such as a fresh flower; you can light a candle to begin your prayers. Burning a smudge stick or sprinkling water on the altar can help to focus your energies.

There are a multitude of details to building an altar—placement, colors, symbols, offerings, rituals, and so forth. There are many books on altar creation and feng shui, which discuss these notions. Remember, however, not to get too involved with complicated details. Go with what speaks to your soul—the colors, images, and symbols which instinctively ring true. The essence of creating sacred space is a spontaneous impulse to acknowledge and celebrate the core of our lives, our souls, and the Divine.

Helpful books:

Altars Made Easy
by Peg Streep

Altars: Bringing Sacred Shrines into Your Everyday Life
by Denise Linn

Quiet Places: How to Create Peaceful Havens in Your Home, Garden, and Workplace
by Vinny Lee

Altars and Icons: Sacred Space in Everyday Life
by J. McCann

The Inward Garden: Creating a Place of Beauty and Meaning
by Juliet Moir Messervy

Michele Ritan is the owner of DivineImages.com. The purpose of this culturally inclusive website is to provide the tools to create sacred space, and to provide information about altar creation and sacred world figures. Michele has studied world religions for many years and majored in Bible and Religion in college. Her particular interests include universal themes of worship in many cultures, both ancient and modern.
Love Jade

posted June 05, 2003 09:33 PM         

by Phylameana lila Desy

Having an holistic health check up is somewhat different than having a physical by a health provider where your pulse is taken and a tongue depressor is stuck inside your mouth.
Here are some basic questions I have outlined for you to ask yourself and also to use as a guide to help you evaluate how in-balance your mind-body-spirit is/is-not.

Basic Holistic Health Checkup

1) Are Your Chakras in Alignment?
Our chakras are our energy centers (vortexes) that are the openings for life energy to flow through. When they are blocked or closed we are functioning at a lower level than is desirable.

• Aligning Your Chakras
• Learning About Chakras
• The Seven Major Chakras

2) Are You Breathing Properly? Say Ahhhh!
Probably one of the most common mistake people make is withholding breath. There are far too many shallow breathers on the planet. Training yourself how to breathe properly is very important!

• Breathwork
• Breathing And Yoga
• Are You Holding Your Breath?

3) Are Your Aura Colors Glowing Brightly or Murky Gray?
Our auras are like magnets picking up vibrational energies that are floating around everywhere we go. It is important to cleanse our auras frequently to free them of foreign vibrations and negative energies.

• How To Clean Your Aura
• Aura Awareness

4) How Deeply Rooted Are You?
When our spirits choose to incarnate into a human body it is understood that we are to respect and honor this outer garment we wear. There is much information and learning that can be accessed from our Earth energies when we grow our roots. Dig in and reach downward!

• About Grounding

5) Are You Staying Within Your Own Energetic Boundaries?
You will experience conflict within your "self" if you become confused by merging your own energies with energies of others. Make sure the emotions you are feeling belong to you.

• Being Empathic
• Cutting the Cords
• Traits of a Psychic Vampire

6) Are You Tending To Your Physical Needs?
Are you honoring the physical component of your being by giving it the proper foods/drinks and regular exercise.

• Spiritual Diets
• About Nutrition
• Tai Chi
• Sexual Healing

6) Do You Allow Yourself Time/Space To Recoup Your Spent Energies?
It is far too easy to get wrapped up in day to day tasks and responsibilities, forgetting to take care of yourself. Choose from a variety of practices that can easily be incorporated a few minutes each day to bring about inner peace and contentment. Here are a few suggestions.

• Meditation
• Journal Keeping
• Creating A Sacred Space

posted June 21, 2003 06:55 AM         

*Just click onto the small blue photo with the white feather to your right.
http://www.consciousone.com/wisdomflash/WFAuthorlist.cfm?AID=G

posted July 27, 2003 07:57 AM         

When you are walking a path that involves communicating with Spirit, it is extremely important to be able to recognize and trust your intuition. Intuition is that part of you that tells you what to do by giving you a feeling of what is right for you. Intuition will help you to make decisions and can make your life a lot easier. It will tell you when to take advantage of opportunities and when to walk away from situations. It will be able to tell you if the messages that you receive from Spirit through readings, channellings or meditations are accurate and true for you. Intuition gives your life guidance and direction instantly.

Your intuition will tell you in some way that something is either right or wrong for you. That something could be a situation, a decision, or a person. If something is right for you then there will be a sense of inner peace from following the guidance - a feeling that all is exactly the way it should be. This will happen even if it is something that you don't particularly want to do because it will still feel right to you. When intuition is telling you that something is wrong for you, you might feel it as a tightening in your stomach or as a feeling of fear. Some feel it as a sinking feeling. Sometimes, your entire Being just feels the sensation of it's wrong. By developing your abilities, you will increase your awareness and sensitivities and be able to easily distinguish the right feeling from the wrong feeling.

Your Spirit Guides will help you to do develop your intuition. If intuition is telling you that there is something you should be doing and you refuse to do it, it will keep coming back to you usually in the form of mental chatter. For example, if you are supposed to visit a particular web site to acquire some piece of information, you will keep thinking about going to the web site and you will get constant visit the web site reminders. In reality, your Guides are feeding you the necessary thoughts until you follow through. If you keep putting it off, it will become an uncontrollable urge. Sometimes you will feel like you are backed into a corner until you do what needs to be done. Often, one will need to hit rock bottom before making the necessary change.

Guides will also give you tests to help you develop. They will often tell you to do things that are silly and that don't quite feel right and if you don't trust your intuition, you will end up doing it. They will test you in this way repeatedly until you start trusting what you feel. Then, the next time they tell you to do something and it doesn't feel right, you will trust your intuition and say, "no way". This needs to be done so that down the road when the really important decisions come up, you trust your intuition above all else.

Guides will also help you to confront your fears. In order to follow intuition properly, you need to have a healthy grasp of your fears. You need to be able to feel when there is a fear that is healthy and the message is stay away or don't do it. You need to be able to feel when there is a fear based on fear of change or confrontation but still know that whatever it is needs to be done. There is a subtle difference in the energies associated with these two situations. That is why it is important to develop your abilities and raise your vibration so that you can feel the difference between feel the fear and do it anyway and feel the fear and don't do it. As you develop your abilities and raise your vibration, it becomes easier to detect the subtle difference in energy associated with intuition.

You must learn to follow intuition to the exclusion of the influences of family, friend and society. Your life path is unique and what you have to accomplish is unique to you. What one person must do on a life path doesn't mean that you should be following the same path. For example, you can have two similar situations that require different outcomes. In situation one, a daughter "A" must walk away from her family in order to break the bonds of karma. She must be able to ignore the opinions of family, friends and society such as, "love your family", "practice unconditional love", "family comes first above your own happiness" etc. In situation two, daughter "B" must stay with her family and endure suffering in order to break the karmic bond. She must sacrifice herself for her family and give up her happiness for the happiness of others. Here are two similar living situations with different karmic issues. The only one who knows whether they have to stay or leave is the person living in the situation and that is why it is important for each person to follow their intuition completely so that they fulfill their life's purpose. If these two daughters were to meet on the street and discuss their situations, "A" would be saying that "B" should walk away and leave and "B" would be telling "A" to stay. Each person's truth is unique and needs to be respected.

If you can learn to listen to your intuition and follow it, your life path will become easier. The hard lessons that we all seem to go through will disappear and life will just be day-to-day living. If you don't follow your intuition and go against the flow, the lessons will be harder and take longer to complete.

Wendy Kay is the Founder of the Oralin Centre. She has been teaching people to develop their Inner Guidance abilities for over 10 years and studying and researching the Metaphysical World for over 20 years. She offers free online courses and support for Inner Guidance development at her web site www.oralin.com.